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?

__________________
-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

pipe wrench.

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0046591279.1172458308@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfladdkfgmjfedcgelceffdfgidglm.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+3116&pos=n10

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Gee, thanks. Don't you think I've already been to Home Depot, twice?

__________________
-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

I think you need a blow torch and don't you know each Home Improvement undertaking requires a minimum of three trips to Home Depot? ask me how I know....

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

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.

Well the shower head I'm replacing uses this little chrome ball that threads onto the shower arm/pipe. That little ball thing is about a 100 times harder to get a grip on, so I figured replace the entire arm instead. Didn't think it was going to be such a PITA.

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.

__________________
-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Something isn't right. Those chrome balls allow the head to swivel. They live inside the threaded portion. You remove the threaded portion on the head and the ball will come with the head. The ball is not installed as a separate device.

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.

See for yourself and decide. You can see I've already scratched through the chrome. Let's see how long it can go without "the comment"

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__________________
-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon