I forgot to mention - the existing spout is only about 6 years old (lest anyone think the reason I could not remove it was due to old age.)

Perhaps 6 years is indeed long enough to seize up the fitting, but I wouldn't think that the case.

Thanks!

Use a small mirror to be sure there's no set screw - it could be recessed, i.e. there might be a gap/hole to insert a hex wrench. If there's no gap, then turn it off (counterclockwise), and yes, it could be on tight. If you were to unscrew a nipple in the wall, you would just have to reinsert that with a few wraps of teflon tape or pipe dope and pliers (channel locks or small pipe wrench).

Also, look for the set screw further out. I think some slip-on types have the screw out a bit more. If this is what it seems to be, you would twist and pull at the same time to slide it off.

Thanks homebound.

It's good advice, because I didn't think of checking further out - but really I don't see ANY set screw or any signs of one anywhere on the spout.

Therefore, I assume the only other option is to twist this guy off. I haven't given it full strength, as I was hesitant to avoid breaking off any copper plumbing (not that I'm that strong of course, I just don't know what the limits are and I assume I'll be generating a fair amount of torque with a huge pair of channel locks.

For what it's worth - I'm trying to post pictures of the spout in case anyone knows the details of this particular one.

Thanks!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Then it's probably screwed on. I would stick the handle end of your wrench up into the spout and use it as leverage to turn - carefully, of course.

I thought of that tactic, too, but I cannot quite figure out how to remove the diverter assembly from the spout. I can remove the "pull-up" knob and rod, but the plastic assembly within seems to be completely secured to the spout, and thus blocks me from sticking anything up there.

I think I will plan to try and protect the spout itself, but crank on the base of it with large channel locks. I really don't see any other way.

Any other advice greatly appreciated - thanks much!

Have you inspected a similar fixture at a store? It looks like a metal spout. Does it sound like metal when you tap it with a tool? Try to pull dental floss up or down between the spout and wall until you are down to the copper pipe.If the spout won't loosen, can it be made tighter by even a very small amount? A large amount of force shouldn't be necessary to rotate a normal screw on spout. If it can't be moved I would do some exploration like drilling out the diverter to get a look up into the spout and drilling a few holes just through the top of the spout housing closer to the wall and poking around with a wire to see if someone has filled it with silicone sealant or something.

Quite a mystery! Good luck.

As far as "most" tub spouts being "plastic metal" - that is patently untrue. Many of the big brands you see at the box stores are moving to plastic pieces - they're lighter, cheaper, and (here's the marketing) rust-proof! However, if you step up toward the Grohe, or any of the up and coming "decorative" type brands like Jaclo or Danze, or even old favorites like Hansgrohe, all you'll see is real metal, often brass, and then the pretty decorative finishes. So, if you want a metal tub spout, you can definitely still get one.

I have the exact same problem and came across this thread.

@grasswhisperer, hope you still around, - how did you resolve it?

Thanks!

I had the same problem today and this thread helped me solve it. I didn't have a recessed screw and the thing just wouldn't screw off as suggested. It took a lot of force but it will screw off. I sprayed the inside with a lubricant and rattled it with a hammer a bit while being careful. I then wedged the back end of the hammer in the spout as leverage to get it to turn. The metal spout bent a little before the whole thing eventually twisted off. I was nervous of breaking the copper pipe but I didn't. Hope this helps good luck!

having the same problem but I guess our whisper is gone. Bobby Dunn, seems like you took the risk and had success. No set screw, won's screw off, or pull off. Tried wd40 and just too afraid to be as agreesive as you. looks like the plumber is on his way.

I had the same issue with my shower spout which I've had on there for almost 8 years. It wouldn't budge and I tried turning it counterclockwise with some type of a pliers after about 10 or 15 minutes I put a screw through the to the diverter cap and hammered it down the left side rough but gently and with enough Force I was able to remove it. It was a screw-on type and I Inside of the faucet was a bit corroded and lime stained. All it takes is patience and will eventually come off

Mine is 26 years old and is froze (corroded) on. Got to call a plumber befote I break something.

Very likely it's glued. If so, it will need to be cut off. What happens after that depends on what you are trying to accomplish...

That dark blob could be pretty much anything - nobody will be able to tell you much without a clearer picture.

Yes...a better picture please. My last ultrasound was sharper than that....

If you tap on the photo it will enlarge. Could not get any better.

Sorry, but a big blob is no more informative than a small blob. Hold your camera farther away so it can focus....

Size is not the problem - it's blurry. Honestly, can you see anything in detail either? We can't help based on this photo. Perhaps you can locate a picture of your spout online.

Ill try to photo it again. This is the opening on the underside. I have not been able to turn the spout.

We're not expecting you to turn the spout. Cameras simply won't focus it you're too close. Holding it farther away will produce a sharper picture.

Here is the underside of this Moen spout. I think its a slip on as I cannot see a screw in this hole just the copper pipe. But I can not turn it. Its old and probably corroded.

If it's simply a slip-on, why would it have that access slot? I suspect there is a corroded set screw up in there. You may have to lie on your back in the bathtub with a flashlight and look up in there....

Ok ill check again.

I just had a tub spout that was very difficult to get off. It was a Moen, I believe. It had a setscrew on the underside. But I could only pull it off so far— about a half an inch—before it would get stuck and move no further. I tried turning it to unscrew, in case it was threaded on somehow, it but that didn’t do anything. It would just turn, turn, turn, turn, and turn. Eventually I tried doing a turn, pull, and wiggle technique. That worked and I Was able to remove it. It was a slip on style. Here’s a photo of what I found as the clamping mechanism. The set screw itself does not clamp up onto the pipe, it actually pushes some round plate such that the hole ends up more as an ellipse, causing the clamping. There is another floating plate that is intended to be concentric so the pipe clamps between the two plates. What I suspect is that the corrosion kept those plates from moving freely when I was attempting to remove the spout. Therefore if you remove the setscrew, the plates might still be clamping due to the mineral deposits and corrosion.

Thank you for your help. I think I need a Plummer to help before I rip the pipe out of the wall!! Thought it would be an easy replacement! Right!

Barbara, did the plumber get the bath spout off? I have a similar spout I'm trying to remove as well.

After reading your suggestions, and using a mirror and my pinky finger to be sure there was no set screw in the access hole (which I read somewhere else that the hole is actually for draining any leaking water), I ended up spraying wd40 into the drain spout where the pull up was as well as inside it through the hole near the wall for water draining (its where the set screw would be if there had been one, people on this thread called it the access hole.) After I did that and let it sit a minute for the wd40 to work, I put a screw driver into the spout's access hole and used it for leverage to twist it. After a pretty hefty amount of force, it finally started to turn. After the first full turn, it actually came off super easy. I bet CLR or wd40 would both work. Good luck. Before this thread I was ready to cut the plastic spout in half to try and get the thing off. I also just soaked the spout in vinegar to clean off the lime that was preventing the spout from fully diverting all the water to the shower head, hopefully this will save me buying a new one... Ill try and update if it works. Good luck and have faith in yourself.

Thank you so much for these posts!! After letting WD40 penetrate for hours I was able twist and pull the spout off! Now if only I can get the set screw out of the handle - so infuriating!! I'm going to look for a manufacturer that doesn't use a set screw when I buy the replacement hardware!

I signed up today to simply say thanks!

I was getting nervous about tackling our blasted tub faucet when I came across this thread. Never had such a difficult time removing these things before. Off to grab some CLR and hope for the best!

Cheers!

I, too, have a tub faucet without a set screw... It wouldn't turn by hand, and when using large channel lock pliers, it was actually creating small dents in the faucet when using pressure, turning it counter-clockwise.... I was extremely worried about bending/snapping/damaging the copper pipe it was connected to if I applied more pressure until I came across this thread. Thank you all for posting.... Here's what I did:

Took a can of WD40 with the extension straw. Put the straw into the bottom of the faucet (where the water comes out) as far as I could and soaked the insides until it was dripping. Then removed the caulking between the faucet and the wall... Then inserted the WD40 straw as far as I could into the back end of the facet and sprayed top, bottom and sides until it was dripping.... Went outside for a smoke (about ten minutes), and came back in with the channel locks and a wet face cloth. Placed the facecloth over the faucet, fit the pliers over the faucet as tightly as possible, and applied a great deal of pressure... It takes a little more pressure than you would think, but it will eventually break the seal of the plumbers tape... Then you will be able to easily unscrew it by hand.

Hope this helps. Good luck all.

I think I have a unique case. looking at the shower wall, there a big dent in the side of the diverter. I felt up in there and there's no set screw. I know it's 1/2" pipe and I've already bought the part. But the piece that scares me is that the guy who put this one in about six years ago appears to have "crimped" the side of it on for some reason. I took a hex wrench up into the hole and gave it a few whacks of the hammer to un-dent the thing. It wouldn't budge.

I'm really afraid of hurting anything although I'm pretty handy. I don't really have the money for a plumber right now because my Mom's in the hospital.

Any ideas?

I found some help here and thought I'd share my experiences. It's more fun when you have success, but I'll dwell on what happens if failure occurs as well.

My tub faucet "appeared" to have a hole underneath for the Setscrew. With my pinky finger and camera, I was unable to feel or see any such screw. Of all posts I searched, I found one that talks about and was my exact case. This hole is for water drainage, it's not for or housing any set screw at all. Yet, my faucet would not screw off. Then I found a post where the guy uses a torch to Lightly heat up the faucet. With 30 seconds of torching all sides, being careful not to get too close to the shower walls, I took a pipe wrench to the faucet and gave it a tug. Sure enough, it moved but stiff and after an 1/8" or so, I stopped.

It's at this point where you need to make the decision of whether or not you think your moving\twisting the copper pipe or the actual faucet. In my case, I knew that this house was 50 years old and the likely hood of a copper pipe exiting the wall into the tub was unlikely. I used the torch 15 more seconds and put the pipe wrench back on. It was more lose than before, so I kept going. Success. I found a post\pix where the guy was twisting the copper pipe and it split right at the wall, so he was in trouble and likely was going to have to get into that wall and re-solder that pipe.

Of all Youtube vids and forums I read, here's how I break it down.

1. Just because you have a hole underneath, doesn't mean there's a set screw.

2. There was a video post where no set screw was visible, and it had moved. The guy had to drill a hole and find the set screw. So, just because you have a hole in your faucet but don't see nor feel a screw, still doesn't mean there isn't one.

3. Carefully cut the caulk between faucet and tub, one person used dental floss. I'd use a razor bladed and just take your time. Just pull your faucet away from the wall, if it even moves 1/16, you're good to go, no need to mess with a razor or floss or whatever.

4. Once you heat up the faucet and attempt your first loosening turn, don't go all out, if you have copper, it's now heated up and vulnerable. But, if the copper is twisting, it will still be very very difficult to turn, very resistant. If the faucet appears to be turning "true", then it probably is. Go a 1/4 inch, then a 1/2 inch. It should be loosening up as you go. If you really feel uncomfortable, tighten back up. If the copper is twisting, there's no way it's going the other way in a "true" uniform fashion, i.e. it will again be resistant.

Also, for fighting these things with mineral deposits and corrosion that can add to the difficulties...some vinegar or CLR pre-treatment may go along way.

Scott- Useful post with good ideas. Caveats are always helpful... ;-)

Awesome info Scott

Question, a 2012 Kohler faucet, installed with a new tub in 2012. The Tub is tall, so if there is a hex screw, my hex set 5/32 short side isn't tall enough to reach it, as the tub comes up too close to the faucet., and of course the long side, I can't get into the hole as the tall tub is in the way. BUT, the faucet does turn and turn. Does that mean it is probably a twist on one, and I should keep turning (I am so afraid of hurting something). So if it were needing the hex screw released, would it be able to twist. My hope is there is no need to remove hex screw, as it is unable to be reached. My contractor that did it, is long gone. but tell me, f you were installing a new tub, and new faucet and shower head, wouldn't you put the new tub in first? And if so, he would have not been able to access the hex screw hole, so he wouldn't have used the hex screw. I hope this makes sense. I appreciate any answers! PS want to remove to replace the SCREACHING diverter washer. OH I just read Scott's above where he said, 'just because you have a hole doesn't mean you have a hex screw'. I'm hoping that's true in my case! I'm hoping, it is twists, then it is a screw on....though I'm still scared as my pipes are 80 years old.

Spout will not come off. It turns but does not unscrew, I don't see any screws. I have tried unscrewing with some outward force but no movement, just turns. Any solutions that might help?

I came across a video post months ago, in that case the housing inside the spout broke, and it just turned like your issue, there was a screw but the housing dislodged. He had to drill another hole in the spout to find the screw.

You could try a hacksaw, to cut that outside housing off.

Most appreciated Scott.....a engineer cousin of mine located that same video earlier today and YES, it is exactly spot on for my situation. Thanks again for the time and effort to help.

I tried everything to no avail. I didn't want to wreck the house, but the spout was leaking, so I just plugged it using epoxy.

End result: the spout is not leaking, not usable, but I never used it anyway, and the house is intact.

It's not a solution, it's a work-around, but was good enough for me for now.

Thank you, Scott N!!! The culprit of my problem was the dislodged housing.

Threaded or set screw? I was racking my brain because I could not find the screw using my phone in selfie mode to get a good view. With no screw in sight, I assumed my spout was threaded, so I gave it a twist, but I could rotate it only about an 1/8 turn.

Luckily I didn't force it further. It was firm past the 1/8 rotation, and I didn't want to risk snapping the copper pipe, so I figured cutting off the housing was a safe experiment since I planned on replacing the spout anyhow. I cut around the circumference of the housing about 3 inches from the wall using a hack saw, being careful not to cut too deeply as not to touch the copper pipe inside. Once that was done, I used some metal snips to cut the housing (the portion closest to the wall) before peeling it off with some pliers. And low and behold, I found the set screw. As you can see in my second image, the screw was far misaligned from the space under the spout. Removal of the remaining parts was simple since I was then able to use an allen wrench to loosen the screw.

This thread was so helpful! I wanted to replace a tub spout where the diverter was failing, and I'd already replaced the diverter once. My tub spout looks just like the one shared by HU-274204934. I couldn't see a set screw, but was concerned at how the spout wouldn't turn. I ended up cutting the spout with a hacksaw to investigate (like the poster above) and found I definitely did NOT have a set screw design. This gave me confidence to borrow a pipe wrench and try harder. It finally unscrewed! My new dilemma is that my new spout is shorter than my old one so doesn't reach the tile (doh!). A single tub spout ring isn't enough to bridge the gap, so I'm going to experiment with stacking a couple before buying a new tub spout...

My spout is spinning but won't unscrew. I don't see a set screw. It is only 4 years old. If the spout is spinning is something in the spout (white plastic and pull) causing the spout to just spin? Confused! Nothing I can do it get it turning. It turns but acts like there is a bolt that needs to be held tight while turning. I'm going to get the hack saw.

B Mealy-

Picture, please. What are you going to take a hacksaw to? You could end up cutting into the supply pipe if you're not careful.

There is an access hole under our spout and a screw. The head of the screw is larger than the access hole, so if we loosen the screw too far the head binds on the access hole, can’t totally remove the screw . Spout will not pull off with screw loosened enough not to bind on the access hole. Was able to twist the spout so it now points up, and have poured clr into the hole as well as the spout. Will try again after a coffee!

Maybe the spout screws off rather than simply pulling off.