[Mixi]

Water is leaking from our single handle bathroom faucet - specifically below the lever. We attempted to remove lever from the faucet but the screw won't budge at all.

- We tried to remove the screw with an allen wrench-nothing.
- Then we tried to remove it with a philips screw driver - nothing.
- THEN we tried a flat head screw drive and finally we felt it grip on to something but it won't loosen up so I can't get it to UNSCREW!

We also sprayed some lubricant to help but nothing. How can I remove the handle from this type of faucet?

 

[ChuckTin]

Time to turn off the water under the sink (or at the main shut off and drain off the pressure).
Then undue and remove the fixture from the vanity top.
Get it out into the shop and really see what you got to work with.

 

[Mixi]

Thanks ChuckTin.

Water was (and still is) shut off before starting this project with my husband.

So you're saying we'll need to take it out completely from the base (remove hoses from underneath sink/vanity and pull out faucet fixture)?


If so..dangit! I was hoping we could find a way to get the handle out and just repair it ourselves.

 

[ChuckTin]

That's what I'm about to do with our Moen Kitchen Faucet (I feel your pain).
Moen is sending me a repair kit (new seals and cartridge) and " the handle should come off with an Allen wrench" yeah, sure.
PP design if you ask me, when installed in a typical sink the faucet is against the backsplash, not in the open as some jack-legged "kitchen designer dreamed up!

 

[CaptTom]

...when installed in a typical sink the faucet is against the backsplash, not in the open as some jack-legged "kitchen designer dreamed up!

I know this doesn't help the OP, and I wasn't going to go there. But you started it!

My goal in life is to avoid getting caught up in trendy designs which are impractical and will look stupid in a few years when the designers have moved on to something else.

But I do agreed with the advice to just take the whole thing out and get it to a workbench where you can see what's going on. It often takes a bit of understanding as to how a thing is put together to really know how to fix it, even if the fix turns out to be easy after all. That's why experienced plumbers get the big bucks!

 

[ChuckTin]

Moved into this house last year. And the previous owner had it "renovated". I want to volunteer this house for a DIY or H&G TV series titled "Renovation FAIL!"

 

[JLawrence08648]

The handle should come off with a METRIC hex wrench! Probably 4mm or 4.5mm

 

[SeniorSitizen]

I suspect all that leaking faucet needs is new well lubricated O rings. You can remove the complete faucet, but to repair that set screw or whatever it is will still need to be removed.















Failure to remove a set screw can often be attributed to difficulty in identifying the correct tool to use as the Original Poster has discovered and that's a real shame that has to be so difficult. If I removed the complete faucet a new faucet would probably be installed.