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Stubborn Shower Pipe! Tips?
I'm trying to replace my shower head, but to do so I have to remove the stubby pipe that comes out of the wall that you mount your shower head on. You know the one I'm talking about?
Well I can't get that darn thing off for the life of me. I've tried vise grips and channel locks but that sucker is really on there. How can I get better grip on that slippery little pipe (it's chrome and perfectly round)?? What's the tool I'm looking for? |
pipe wrench.
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Gee, thanks. Don't you think I've already been to Home Depot, twice?
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Firstly, why are you removing the shower arm to be able to remove the shower head? The head is certainly removable from the arm. Most of them are plastic and don't really grip the shower arm very tightly. A pipe wrench will certainly loosen it.
On the older heads, which may be all brass, you might need two wrenches.......one on the shower head and one on the arm. |
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I guess I'll try a pipe wrench, don't have one of those. I figured the vise grips or channel locks could grip better than anything. |
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Nothing beats the grip of a pipe wrench on a pipe without flats. You might want to put a piece of material under the jaws.........they can do some real damage to the chrome...........unfortunately. |
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i hate to say what that chrome penis looks like.... a chrome penis.
yeah, try a pipe wrench. they are the most powerful up to the point they start crushing the pipe. you may need heat. tom w |
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You probably have iron pipes coming up the wall to the shower head. If so, they can take the torque that you're going to have to use to get that arm loose. You'll definitely need pipe wrench, and, hopefully, you won't break the fitting in the wall. But, at that age, nothing is certain. Can you remove the one tile around the arm and get to the fitting? A good bit of heat from a propane torch will make short work of getting it out without damage. |
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Have you looked behind the escutcheon to see what the fitting in the wall looks like? You could always spray a penetrating oil into those threads.
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The ball may look damaged but the shower head that is there works fine for the most part. It's funny, nobody at Home Depot knew there was such a thing as a shower arm with the ball fixed to the arm. I have a torch too and I was thinking about using it today, but then I got worried that the wall behind the tile would catch on fire. I'll try to pop that center tile out and get a better look. |
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Yes, you can catch the inside of the wall on fire. The old houses have wood lathe behind the wall. So, be ready with a fire extinguisher that has a hose.......or be ready with a garden hose.......just in case. If you do get the torch in there, heat the outside of the fitting........do not heat the chrome pipe at any time. |
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If you decide to aim a torch into that wall, be careful. I wouldn't. Wet everything down with water ahead of time and consider getting a piece of fireproof material that plumbers put behind pipes to avoid catching anything on fire.
However, you shouldn't need anything more than a decent pipe wrench. 18' should suffice but I've had to use bigger in some circumstance. When disassembling the hot water radiators in my house I had a 36" pipe wrench with a 2' cheater pipe on it and I was jumping on to the end of it off a step ladder. Your pipe should be easier. |
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Try it without any heat first. Put the pipe wrench as close to the face of the wall as you can possibly get. You'll probably need an 18" arm as a minumum. Use a pipe extension if you have a 12" pipe wrench. |
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yeah, i wouldn't direct flame into the wall under any circumstances. heating the pipe outside the wall will be fine. the metal pipe will transmit the heat really well.
you are wanting to soften up some old plumbers dope that is all. (now you guys will be LOL again) tom w |
Got the pipe off and replaced with new shower arm and detachable shower head.
I ended up getting a 14" pipe wrench and then a 12" cheater bar. Didn't need the cheater bar at all. Thanks for the tips, OD is actually good for something. |
oh yeah.
tom w |
Good job.
Glad we could help you. |
Anytime you need help screwing or unscrewing your chrome penis, we are here for you.
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I believe it was 3 minutes between the posting of the picture and the first comment posted on what it looked like.
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