How to remove a stuck shower fauceet handle?

[Tactically Fat]

My handle was almost too stuck to remove. It was limed on pretty good.

It is supposed to slide right off. Mine was corroded pretty bad.

I was able to get it off by wiggling and jiggling for about 30 minutes. It was only 10 years old though.

I've wiggled and jiggled quite a bit. Up, down, left, right. I've even tried it on the handle!

If the lime in the set-screw channel was an indicator - there may not be a way for me to remove the handle. I'd hate to call in a plumber for this job, though. And I'd hate for it to spiral into "now we have to re-do the master shower because the shower surround and plumbing broke"

 

[jagee]

I've wiggled and jiggled quite a bit. Up, down, left, right. I've even tried it on the handle!

If the lime in the set-screw channel was an indicator - there may not be a way for me to remove the handle. I'd hate to call in a plumber for this job, though. And I'd hate for it to spiral into "now we have to re-do the master shower because the shower surround and plumbing broke"

Got laid off from my job Monday. Looking for some work to fill in my days while my union hall finds me a new company to work for.

General handyman and basic plumbing services available. Willing to do anything reasonable to bring in some extra cash. Live on the southside of Indy. Willing to travel for the right price. You can call or text me at 317 - two zero zero - 9064 or message me here.

Also, we just re-did (paid someone to re-do) the master bath because we had the old 3-handle style which needed replaced. So the tile had to come down, then the floor had to come up, then, then, then...

 

[BobDaniels]

Have you tried gently tapping it with a hammer? I had a similar problem and tapping with a hammer broke up the scale buildup just enough to finally remove the part.

 

[KittySlayer]

Tried to replace my shower handle and gave up. It's in the "boys" shower and the replacement was just cosmetic so the boys don't care.

Three! At least three trips is what I was taught...and that's generally proven to be right far too often.

I am glad I have a real hardware as well as a Lowes within 3 miles of the house.

 

[Denny347]

I am just finishing up a complete gut and remodel of our master bath. Water was getting behind the original shower tile. Sooooooo, in for a penny, in for a pound. Around $10k later and we are ALMOST done

Also, we just re-did (paid someone to re-do) the master bath because we had the old 3-handle style which needed replaced. So the tile had to come down, then the floor had to come up, then, then, then...

 

[Tactically Fat]

I am just finishing up a complete gut and remodel of our master bath. Water was getting behind the original shower tile. Sooooooo, in for a penny, in for a pound. Around $10k later and we are ALMOST done

We're just about finished up with a ~$45k "let's convert a huge 3 car garage into a living room (with bathroom) and a 1 car garage, plus new siding, plus a new composite deck" project. New drywall and a custom tile shower in our space wouldn't be $10k though. It's a pretty small space. If this were on it's own - I'd have begun the demolition already!

 

[Mr. Habib]

Electrolysis has most likely bond the handle to the stem. I had one that I ended up hacksawing the damned stem off and replaced the stem, handle and all. What a PIA.

I've had to do that exact same thing, ironically with a Delta that looked just like the one in the OP.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I'm not hopeful that my meager skills and I can remove the handle.

I don't wanna call in a professional. But I'm going to stop by Lowe's this PM and inquire of their handle-removing tools to see if they have any that'll work without that center hole.

*sigh*