Shower mixer knob won’t reattach

banchang

I bought this shower mixer unit from Victoria Plumb some years ago, & one of the handles has come off & I cannot manage to re-fit it to the mixer unit arm (see photos).

It was in place for a long time but somehow came off recently but no matter how much pressure I apply to try to push it back on, it won’t stick. I don’t want to push it any harder as I fear I’ll damage the (Mermaid) panels behind it. I am
presuming (perhaps incorrectly?) that it was originally just pushed in & clicked into place & held securely.


(Victoria Plumbing now in administration & their support couldn’t help)


Any thoughts on why it won’t reattach & suggested remedies much appreciated.

10-10-20

Looks like the glue has failed.

I could be wrong here but from what I can work out, that plastic cog with the screw in it is supposed to be glued into the plastic element within the tap head. The metal tap head is actually supposed to come away from the valve and leave the whole white plastic element in place, rather than exposing the cog on it's own.

To repair this I would remove the cog and screw. Then try remove the white plastic element out of the metal handle (not sure on how easy that is going to be if you don't have somewhere to grip it) and then clean off the cog and the area where it mates into the element with isopropyl alcohol (to clean off any soap scum/residue) and then glue it back into place using a good two-part epoxy. Then reassemble onto the valve.

If the plastic element does not come out of the tap head then clean it all off as mentioned and then just use a two-part epoxy on the fingers of the cogs (but not on the screw-head) and push-fit the assembly together. Make sure that it's all nice and straight and leave it to set.

Hope it helps.

Wearb

What keeps it from coming off at anytime? Is there a grub screw?

astrofool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403803#Comment_122403803

I don't think so, it looks friction fit so the whole thing can be popped off and maintained, the flares around the plastic in the head look like it's permanently attached there.

I would unscrew the grub screw and then see how the plastic inserts into the head away from the panel, once you figure that out, screw it back on and push the head back on (it could be one of the "gears" is a bit damaged and prevent it from being put on).

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404035#Comment_122404035

Yeah, I'm not sure it's friction either, but you could be right. Hard to know without having the part in hand.