Best tool for lockshield valve

[ronniesize12]

Hello

I have a radiator which is not functioning, in the bathroom. It is cold while all other radiators in the house are hot. I have bleed the radiator to force out any airlocks but this did not make any difference.

I’m trying to loosen the lockshield valve but I don’t have a tool to do this.

The reason being is I have no room to turn a spanner or pliers to loosen the lockshield valve

Can anyone recommend a tool that will do this?

Untitled

• ronniesize12
• 14 Nov 2011
• 1

Ron

 

[xr4x4]

Small adjustable...

If it's a balancing issue, you may have to adjust your other radiators and not this one.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Small pump pliers.

Or get a set of universal caps and hope it fits.

 

[TicklyT]

An open ended spanner used by dropping the jaws over the top of the valve stem instead of approaching it from the side should do the job. Use a screwdriver or similar as a tommy bar in the jaws at t'other end of the spanner to turn it.

If you have a plain wheelhead valve rather than a TRV at the other end of the rad. there's a pretty good chance of temporarily swapping the plastic head over.

 

[ronniesize12]

Thanks for the advice.

I'll try it tommorrow as too its too late tonight

 

[sooey]

It's probably a stuck trv on the other end of the rad.

 

[ronniesize12]

It was a stuck TVR.

Thnaks Everyone

 

[Freddie Orrell]

There does not appear to be a specific tool for the spindle in your photo (two flats and two rounds), despite it being a common fitting which is sometimes inaccessible to pliers or a spanner. The 3/8in-square-drive 'universal socket' 7mm-19mm, a socket filled with sprung pins to grip various sized nuts, will grip and drive it very successfully. This size has the socket aperture completely filled by the pins; the 9mm-21mm version with pins that leave gaps does NOT grip in this situation. Any adaptor, handle or extension for 3/8in sockets can be used for access - I use a 600mm extension plus a drive handle to reach from above the top of the radiator, and there are even locking extensions to prevent loss by the socket coming off.

 

[John D v2.0]

Useful information, but You didn't need to bump every single ancient thread on the topic!

 

[Freddie Orrell]

Useful information,

Thanks

but You didn't need to bump every single ancient thread on the topic!

I didn't have any need for this tool when those threads were created. Now that I do, several of them appear in the first page of search results. Assuming the order in which they appear depends on the search terms entered by people who need the information, which threads would you have had me ignore? [Edit: I would add that I also tailored my response to the OP in each thread]

 

[John D v2.0]

Ah I see, you were trying to use this forum as a kind of stack exchange type site. That would be a nice idea, unfortunately the actual DIY stack exchange is American DIY. Thanks for the info, as I say it's useful!

 

[Freddie Orrell]

Thanks for the info, as I say it's useful!

Indeed. Happy New Year!