Removing tub spout

dummy14

OK, I messed up. I have a threaded tub spout (Moen Chateau, could be 80s vintage, with personal shower fitting) that was loose and sitting about 1/8" from the wall. I tried threading it inward in an attempt to close the gap and make it sit firmly, but I just ended up threading the pipe end hard into the bottom of the (plastic) female thread inside the spout. It got stuck there hard enough that when I then tried to unscrew it again, it did not come off because something else gave way first. Now it just rotates freely, but does not come off. I can see that the pipe does not rotate, so it was something in the spout that gave way, or maybe the thread stripped. First question: How do I get it off to replace it? Second question: Once I get it off, what should I do to make the spout sit firmly on/against the tile wall, when the pipe itself is isn't firmly held? Do I need to open the tile and attach the pipe to something first?

- Dummy14

Mike Swearingen

It sounds like you have a straight pipe coming out of the wall (not the kind threaded on the outer end).
Check for a slot under the bottom of the spout nearest the wall for an Allen wrench set screw that actually holds the spout in place. Loosen the set screw counter-clockwise. You may need to spritz it with WD-40 or something due to corrosion.
Get a new universal tub spout if necessary and follow the installation directions. Also if necessary, cut off the end of the pipe out of the wall to shorten it enough for the tub spout to fit closely against the wall.
Good Luck!
Mike

dummy14

No, I know this is a threaded spout. I had it apart earlier and saw the threads. There is no set screw slot etc. There is a male thread on the pipe, mating with a finite-depth female plasitc thread on the spout. I bottomed out on the finite depth of the female thread.

- Mats

DangerMouse

sounds to me like you stripped the plastic threads. get a new spout and hacksaw off max 1/4" from the male half. teflon tape and reattach.

DM

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dummy14

The whole male thread is deep inside the female thread, so if I can't leave any male thread if I hacksaw it.

- Mats

DangerMouse

do you think the male pipe broke off inside the spout?

DM

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dummy14

Possibly. The whole spout is somewhat free to tip and tilt as well as rotate around the pipe axis, which is not what I would expect for the stripped-thread hypothesis. Could it be that the male thread was soldered onto the pipe, and I broke the solder joint? If so, what do I do? Hacksaw it off and hope I have enough pipe to solder on a new one?? Hacksaw off the spout itself??

DangerMouse

you stated you had it apart already, was the male copper?

DM

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dummy14

Yes, copper or brass.

DangerMouse

have you tried tugging while l/r turning it? this is strange, if it has threads on the end, it seems it'd be threaded on the other end as well...... any access to the other end from the other side of the wall, or do you only have frontal? you may end up needing to remove that tile after all?

DM

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dummy14

Yes, I tried tugging, and modest levering with a tool jammed between the spout and the wall. I don't want to crack the tiles. No success.

No rear access unless I remove tiles, which I would rather not.

What did you mean by "other end"?

- Mats

DangerMouse

i'm confused, if you had the spout off, it seems it'd come off again.....? do you have a camera to post pics maybe? might help.

DM

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dummy14

The original problem was that the spout was hanging loosely 1/8" from the wall. I unscrewed it to make sure I understood how it worked, then I put it back and tried to see if I simply thread it in far enough to sit tightly against the wall. I overtightened it, without reaching the wall. When I then tried to get it back off, either the thread stripped, or the male fitting came loose, or something inside the spout gave way instead of the thread. Not it rotates freely, has some wiggle freedom, but does not come off. I can see that the pipe does not rotate with it. I think I can see the pipe getting worn shiny right as it enters the spout, so presumably the main part of the female thread (and maybe the male fitting?) now rotates with the spout. Pictures would be of no use, they would just show a spout sitting a short distance off the wall, with a tiny bit of copper pipe barely visible in between.

DangerMouse

ok, it SOUNDS like you may have broken the plastic inside the spout, and now it's held on with the broken piece. i think i'd still try a pry method, though with a flat piece of thin wood or something to protect the tiles as you pry. orrrrrr, simply hacksaw the old spout off in pieces until you discover the problem since you need to replace it anyways. once it's off, you will see if you need to replace the male pipe or not.

DM

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dummy14

OK, that was what I thought it would come down to. Beats opening the tile. Thanks a lot for thinking about it!

Any idea about the original problem? How can I make the replacement spout sit firmly on the wall, if it is just threaded onto a pipe that itself isn't firmly attached to anything ( the pipe can be pulled out of the wall with only slow elastic resistance, there's no hard stop to tighten against).