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Home Repairs/HoneyDo List/Advice & Tips/etc.

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You could try a "pipe wrench extension" made from a section of steel pipe put over the wrench. But I suspect it's a bit more "serious".
Some times metals can get "fused" because of rust or chemical reaction. You'll probably have to bite the bullet and saw the sombitch off!
But then you can put a new piece of pipe on and easily connect a new shower head or whatever.
 
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Taosman said:
You could try a "pipe wrench extension" made from a section of steel pipe put over the wrench. But I suspect it's a bit more "serious".
Some times metals can get "fused" because of rust or chemical reaction. You'll probably have to bite the bullet and saw the sombitch off!
But then you can put a new piece of pipe on and easily connect a new shower head or whatever.
Click to expand...

If it was easy to add new threads to the pipe, I'd be tempted to saw it off. Or, unscrew the whole pipe section and replace it, but I don't know what's back inside the wall.

What I'd really like to do is buy a heavy new wrench with a nice long handle, then track down the guy who installed the shower and bash his head in with the wrench.

But, I'm going to try using the new wrench on the existing shower's head instead. (Legal + Karmic ramifications, and all.)
 
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LostLassie said:
If it was easy to add new threads to the pipe, I'd be tempted to saw it off. Or, unscrew the whole pipe section and replace it, but I don't know what's back inside the wall.

What I'd really like to do is buy a heavy new wrench with a nice long handle, then track down the guy who installed the shower and bash his head in with the wrench.

But, I'm going to try using the new wrench on the existing shower's head instead. (Legal + Karmic ramifications, and all.)
Click to expand...

It's probably just stuck; if you were trying to remove it by hand it's nothing to be too concerned with just yet. Be careful to keep a firm grasp on the STEM (the pipe between the wall and the shower head), as it's also threaded to the pipe inside the wall and you don't want that to leak. If the nut/female threaded coupling on the shower head has flat spots to bed a wrench, you should have good luck breaking it loose with an adjustable wrench as you've mentioned; grasp the stem with your hand or large pliers over a rag (to prevent damaging the finish). If it does NOT have flat areas and is just round or ribbed you'll need to use pliers or the like to turn the shower head nut.

If you cant get that loose, it's relatively simple to replace the stem pipe itself. But, you'll need to judge you're capabilities on that one yourself. Hope this helps some.
 
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Assume you're trying to remove the old shower head? The curved pipe that your shower head is screwed onto is screwed into a fitting (usually brass) that's inside the wall. Be sure your water is turned off. If all else fails put a big pipe wrench on that pipe and screw it out of the wall. The pipe wrench jaws will chew the pipe some, but that pipe is not that expensive to replace.

Then, if you do get it off, be sure to put teflon tape an everything you put in. Sounds like your "plumber" skipped that step last time.
 
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Thanks, guys. I'm really tempted to just replace the arm. But, I've never done that particular project before, and I'm wondering what I'd find inside the wall.

As opposed to the shower head, the arm actually wants to turn--but given how half-assed a lot of the work done here was, though, I can't be sure that I'd really be unscrewing the pipe, as opposed to snapping something off inside the wall. Lowe's has a replacement shower arm set for ten bucks, if I dared.

I'm looking at Lowe's at their Kobalt adjustable wrench. It's 18 inches, so I'd get leverage, and a grip I just can't manage with my little pliers. So maybe I'll try that first.

True confessions time, though--one of the last efforts I made to get the piece loose, the pipe did turn slightly--not like 90 degrees or anything, but I am a little paranoid that I might have loosened something in the wall that simply turning it back into place didn't fix. So, there's that--maybe I'd be better off taking the whole thing out & being sure I had a tight seal inside where it counts.

If anyone has ever replaced a shower arm, I'd be interested to hear their experience. Doesn't seem like there's much room to maneuver, since the connecting threads will be recessed into the wall.

Curse you, Murphy's Law. :pissed:
 
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It's pretty simple, just a threaded connection, but harder to see. As Zippercat mentioned, you'll need plumbers tape for both threaded connections. Lowes should be able to help explain it to you.

And 18" is YUGE. Probably overkill for this. If you decide to replace the arm/stem, take it off and bring it to the store. They may help you get it apart for reuse, or at the least match you up with exactly what you need.

Talk to the older fellas working in the plumbing section, they generally know their stuff.
 
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Zippercat said:
If you've gotten it to move, keep going. Very small chance of doing much, if any damage. The fitting that your pipe is crewed into has "ears" that should be screwed in to keep it solidly in place.
Click to expand...

Wish I'd thought I could do that first. Sucker came off like butter. And, the inside pipe is neatly embedded in the drywall, so no problem accessing it.

Off to Lowe's. :)

Edit: Found an exact match to the pipe, for about ten bucks less than the iffy wrench purchase would have been. Happy camper.
 
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Previous homeowners can do inept repairs jobs and cause headaches. You find one there are probably more.
It just comes with the territory. But your local Lowes/Home Despot guy can be a big help with such things.
 
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LostLassie said:
Wish I'd thought I could do that first. Sucker came off like butter. And, the inside pipe is neatly embedded in the drywall, so no problem accessing it.

Off to Lowe's. :)

Edit: Found an exact match to the pipe, for about ten bucks less than the iffy wrench purchase would have been. Happy camper.
Click to expand...


Did you cover the threads in Teflon tape prior to reassembly? That's an important step. It won't screw you immediately if you missed it, but in time it will. I would fix it by this weekend if you didn't. Otherwise, give yourself a pat on the back. I love the satisfied feeling after conducting a repair.
 
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