Newbie Cannot get Shrouds off Kitchen Taps

[Stroods]

Sorry for the simple question

Ceramic 1/4 turn taps kitchen taps have started dripping (cold tap)

I want to change cartridges - but can't remove heads to get the shroud off

http://s1181.photobucket.com/albums/x428/stroods/

Plastic red / blue cap on top has blank metal under

Levers come off but I can't see anything to attack inside. However there is a change in metal colour inside where the outer meets the inner stem (I assume)

No screw holes around the back (there is an allen screw behind the central stem)

Any thoughts please?

Thanks

Richard

 

[Agile]

Its not clear to me where the allen keys are from what you say.

Why are you unable to unscrew the shrouds and then raise them and hopefully expose enough nut to unscrew the head?

Tony

 

[Stroods]

Thank you for your help

There is an allen key below the central mixing stem - nothing to do with the taps as far as I can see

The shroud comes up enough to just see the nut - but if I try to get a spanner or wrench in I can only get to the thread of the shroud - which I'll trash if I try.

As they're ceramic the lever doesn't rise when you turn the tap on

And I've tried turning / lifting the ball that the tap levers screw in to to no avail (3rd picture)

I'm hunting for ideas! Next step will be more force on the ball - I need it off or up a few mm to get to the nut

Richard

 

[Agile]

I dont think thats the way to go ( unless you want to break it ! ).

Could it be they expect you to be using a thin spanner? What thickness of nut can be accessed?

Are the makers contactable?

Tony

 

[Stroods]

Thanks again Tony

No brand - they were here when we moved in

(But look expensive!). The fact that the cold has no isolator and the hot is in the basement doesn't fill me with enthusiasm for the installers

I've tried getting a flat bike spanner up but its just slightly too thick. I then splayed a really thin one.

I'll tap up the neighbours this afternoon to see if they have one thinner

Richard

 

[John506]

If you manage to expose more of the nut to get your spanner on it but it is siezed, use a hacksaw and carefully hacksaw around the washer, this should help it along and make it easier to turn.

 

[picasso]

try unscrewing the silver round bit on the top of the tap, I am sure I have seen a pair of these taps before but cant remember how they came apart.

 

[gasafengineer]

If there is no screw below indices then the heads should just pull off , give em a sharp tap.

 

[Stroods]

Thanks again

For the record there are no screws holding the levers on to the cartridge

I unscrewed the shroud and then the levers just lift off with a little persuasion. The vertical shafts are made to slide up and down within the shrouds and the balls don't come off

The cartridge has a nylon cog over the top of the brass which helps hold the lever secure

So I may need to slide the nylon off, put over the brass on the new cartridge and refit

This has been fiddlier than I though. Waiting for the kids to sleep before finishing


Richard