# Someone must have a brilliant solution



## Plumbersteve (Jan 25, 2011)

Wolverine brass balancing spool. Had it out 2 weeks ago and cleaned up. Returned with new spool because I'm a thorough professional. 

Now it won't come out. Tried the proper sized socket...the brass was too soft. Tried to employ a wide chisel as a screwdriver...the brass was too soft again. I got nothin.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Drill it out and crack it like a stuck cleanout plug. Or cut a deeper slot for the screwdriver.


----------



## dclarke (Dec 22, 2012)

I vote for the drill.


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Yep. Drill, and try an easy out. But if the brass is that soft, an easy out will probably just keep removing material.


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

This has worked for me several times...

take your stem wrench and put a flat head screw driver through the back side of the socket and wedge it in there. sometimes 2 flat heads work.


----------



## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

Heat it up a lil bit


----------



## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

Basin wrench


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Impact Driver...


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Redwood said:


> Impact Driver...


I totally forgot about those! I have one somewhere around here, haven't used it in at least 7 years! That could do the trick with a bit of heat to the female threads.


----------



## HOMER (Jun 5, 2011)

Vise grips


----------



## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Some good tips, but did you yell the proper curse words at it? A stern look helps too sometimes.


----------



## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

I thought every plumber resorts to a small pipe wrench for such as this,,,,, also have to hold your tongue just right.
If vise grips don't work I might resort to an impact driver but might want to set the slot deeper as Red said with a hammer impact.


----------



## Plumbersteve (Jan 25, 2011)

Well hell...I never thought about tearing down the wall so I'd have room to put a pipe wrench on it. I'll do just that tomorrow!


----------



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Plumbersteve said:


> Well hell...I never thought about tearing down the wall so I'd have room to put a pipe wrench on it. I'll do just that tomorrow!


Thanks! Beer through the noise is a wonderful feeling!


----------



## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Angle grinder with a skinny wheel to make a better slot and a bolstered screw driver.


----------



## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Any luck? Was thinking about the construction of the part you are trying to remove being a one piece unit with that brass nut.

Only possible helpful crazy idea I have would be to take a marking flag or other similar type wire, lay it in the slot and wrap it once (or more) around the nut, then hammer an appropriate sized socket onto the "reinforced" nut. Maybe it will give more bite than just the soft brass


----------



## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

What about one of those crazy sockets that will remove any size nut, even if it's striped? I saw it on a infomercial . But wait there's more


----------



## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

plumbdrum said:


> What about one of those crazy sockets that will remove any size nut, even if it's striped? I saw it on a infomercial . But wait there's more


Gatorgrip i think it is called. Good idea, maybe the pins will help grab the slot and the rounded edges better than my wire idea.


----------



## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

chonkie said:


> Gatorgrip i think it is called. Good idea, maybe the pins will help grab the slot and the rounded edges better than my wire idea.



That's the one


----------



## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

I've used gatorgrips before. However, when the shoulders on a raised nut are rounded, a gatorgrip may not work. In one such case, I used a socket just a little smaller than the nut in question (try a metric socket) and pounded it on. Because Chromium steel is harder than bronze, it might take a number of strikes, but the socket will drive onto the nut.
If you try this method, make sure you have a complete replacement part in hand before commencing.


----------



## Green Country (Mar 6, 2009)

Did you let the pressure off the faucet after turning the water off? Sometimes that make a pretty big difference.


----------



## Piper34 (Oct 10, 2011)

Try tightening a little than loosen it works more than it doesn't,


----------



## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

Lot of tips here, so what was the outcome???


----------



## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Piper34 said:


> Try tightening a little than loosen it works more than it doesn't,


This is actually a very good tip for more than just this issue. Helps break up crud in the threads a little. Shouldn't be his issue since it was removed not too long ago.


----------



## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Plumbersteve said:


> Well hell...I never thought about tearing down the wall so I'd have room to put a pipe wrench on it. I'll do just that tomorrow!


Intellegence:blink: at it's best.


----------



## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

I would have cut the valve out twice by now hehehe


----------



## Plumbersteve (Jan 25, 2011)

89plumbum said:


> Lot of tips here, so what was the outcome???



L O L

I looked back at this thread and I know why I abandoned it. It was like THE DAY I left for Florida. Beach time erases all faucet frustration. 

And to answer the question of "what was the outcome?"

I had previously soaked the thing in vinegar which freed it up pretty good so I credited the guy for the part and left it. 

#NeverLookBack


----------



## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

I'm late to the thread but it hasn't been said "replace it with a Moentrol and be a hero"


----------



## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Dpeckplb said:


> I'm late to the thread but it hasn't been said "replace it with a Moentrol and be a hero"


You mean zero right? Or install an exactemp and be a superhero!


----------

