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Shower arm tightening tool? BETA-32 10-09-2007
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Posted by BETA-32 on October 9, 2007, 12:25 am
Is there such a thing as a shower arm tightening tool?

I just went through a real pain of a process doing the "simple" job of
replacing a shower arm (long story). Even though the instructions say to
hand tighten the shower arm, the only way I could get it not to leak was to
be able to tighten it more than that. I tried teflon tape, pipe dope, etc.
and no matter what I did, it kept leaking. I ended up replacing the female
fitting thinking the threads must have been defective. When that didn't
work, I had to buy a second shower arm because the threads on the first one
seemed to be defective.

But, the real torture was trying to get the arm to turn one full turn past
the had tightened point -- there is nothing to grab on, and the arm is
chrome so using a pipe wrench or pliers wouldn't work. Is there some kind
of tool that plumbers use for this since the do this every day?



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Posted by Eric9822 on October 9, 2007, 12:50 am
> Is there such a thing as a shower arm tightening tool?
>
> I just went through a real pain of a process doing the "simple" job of
> replacing a shower arm (long story). Even though the instructions say to
> hand tighten the shower arm, the only way I could get it not to leak was to
> be able to tighten it more than that. I tried teflon tape, pipe dope, etc.
> and no matter what I did, it kept leaking. I ended up replacing the female
> fitting thinking the threads must have been defective. When that didn't
> work, I had to buy a second shower arm because the threads on the first one
> seemed to be defective.
>
> But, the real torture was trying to get the arm to turn one full turn past
> the had tightened point -- there is nothing to grab on, and the arm is
> chrome so using a pipe wrench or pliers wouldn't work. Is there some kind
> of tool that plumbers use for this since the do this every day?

I usually put a piece of rubber around the pipe and the use a pair of
tongue and groove (AKA Channellock) pliers. A piece of old bathtub
slip mat or something similar will work. Apply just enough pressure
on the pliers to get the pipe to turn.


Posted by BETA-32 on October 9, 2007, 10:35 am
>> Is there such a thing as a shower arm tightening tool?
>>
>> I just went through a real pain of a process doing the "simple" job of
>> replacing a shower arm (long story). Even though the instructions say to
>> hand tighten the shower arm, the only way I could get it not to leak was
>> to
>> be able to tighten it more than that. I tried teflon tape, pipe dope,
>> etc.
>> and no matter what I did, it kept leaking. I ended up replacing the
>> female
>> fitting thinking the threads must have been defective. When that didn't
>> work, I had to buy a second shower arm because the threads on the first
>> one
>> seemed to be defective.
>>
>> But, the real torture was trying to get the arm to turn one full turn
>> past
>> the had tightened point -- there is nothing to grab on, and the arm is
>> chrome so using a pipe wrench or pliers wouldn't work. Is there some
>> kind
>> of tool that plumbers use for this since the do this every day?
>
> I usually put a piece of rubber around the pipe and the use a pair of
> tongue and groove (AKA Channellock) pliers. A piece of old bathtub
> slip mat or something similar will work. Apply just enough pressure
> on the pliers to get the pipe to turn.

I assume that will work. I wonder if that is what plumbers do, or if they
have a specific tool that they use instead. I was working on the shower in
an empty house and didn't have any rubber around that I could try that idea
with. I did have duct tape and I tried using that, but it was a big mess.



Posted by Jeff Wisnia on October 9, 2007, 12:14 pm
BETA-32 wrote:

> Is there such a thing as a shower arm tightening tool?
>
> I just went through a real pain of a process doing the "simple" job of
> replacing a shower arm (long story). Even though the instructions say to
> hand tighten the shower arm, the only way I could get it not to leak was to
> be able to tighten it more than that. I tried teflon tape, pipe dope, etc.
> and no matter what I did, it kept leaking. I ended up replacing the female
> fitting thinking the threads must have been defective. When that didn't
> work, I had to buy a second shower arm because the threads on the first one
> seemed to be defective.
>
> But, the real torture was trying to get the arm to turn one full turn past
> the had tightened point -- there is nothing to grab on, and the arm is
> chrome so using a pipe wrench or pliers wouldn't work. Is there some kind
> of tool that plumbers use for this since the do this every day?
>
>


If you want to make life easier twisting many different things, get
yourself a pair of strap wrenches like these:

http://tinyurl.com/35cuhu

If you've got a mate he/she will bless you the next time they encounter
a too tight or dried syrup stuck threaded container lid.

I used one of mine last weekend to get the top off a Skippy peanut
butter jar I'd stored some left over latex paint it. It took two of us
to do it, one to hold the jar, the other to work the wrench.

Without that strap wrench, I doubt I could have gotten that paint stuck
jar lid off without breaking or burning something. <G>

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.


Posted by BETA-32 on October 9, 2007, 5:17 pm

> BETA-32 wrote:
>
>> Is there such a thing as a shower arm tightening tool?
>>
>> I just went through a real pain of a process doing the "simple" job of
>> replacing a shower arm (long story). Even though the instructions say to
>> hand tighten the shower arm, the only way I could get it not to leak was
>> to be able to tighten it more than that. I tried teflon tape, pipe dope,
>> etc. and no matter what I did, it kept leaking. I ended up replacing the
>> female fitting thinking the threads must have been defective. When that
>> didn't work, I had to buy a second shower arm because the threads on the
>> first one seemed to be defective.
>>
>> But, the real torture was trying to get the arm to turn one full turn
>> past the had tightened point -- there is nothing to grab on, and the arm
>> is chrome so using a pipe wrench or pliers wouldn't work. Is there some
>> kind of tool that plumbers use for this since the do this every day?
>
>
> If you want to make life easier twisting many different things, get
> yourself a pair of strap wrenches like these:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/35cuhu
>
> If you've got a mate he/she will bless you the next time they encounter a
> too tight or dried syrup stuck threaded container lid.
>
> I used one of mine last weekend to get the top off a Skippy peanut butter
> jar I'd stored some left over latex paint it. It took two of us to do it,
> one to hold the jar, the other to work the wrench.
>
> Without that strap wrench, I doubt I could have gotten that paint stuck
> jar lid off without breaking or burning something. <G>
>
> Jeff
>
> --
> Jeffry Wisnia
> (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
> The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.
>

Good idea. Thanks.

Is W1BSV a ham radio call sign? (Do they still call it ham radio -- aka
amateur radio operator's license?).



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