Replace tap washer!

[RichardA]

I've done this on so many taps without problem but...

I just can't seem to see how to get at the guts of this John Sydney tap. It's easy enough to remove the ceramic top and the screw holding the spindle in. But the cover should just prise off, surely? It looks like it might screw off but that's just for decoration - it keeps rotating in both directions. I've tried 'prising' as hard as possible but nothing moves. Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[snowhead]

If you're just replacing the washer you don't need the top off.
Spanner on the big nut, piece of plastic pipe over the spout.

 

[RichardA]

Thanks for reply but the 'big nut' is just part of the decorative 'cover' that simply turns and doesn't unscrew! Which is why I assumed it would prise off - but it doesn't seem (or want) to.

 

[Basher]

Does the decorative 'stuffing gland' nut unscrew from the 'big nut' decorative cover?
If so, if you take that off, is there any fixing underneath there?

 

[RichardA]

I'm afraid not! I thought the top nut might be a lock nut but i'm pretty certain it's all just one decorative cover. In whch case, it should prise off. But you can only give it so much peruasion before something breaks! So I though I'd check and see if anyone has experience with these particular taps.

 

[Basher]

I'm afraid not! I thought the top nut might be a lock nut but i'm pretty certain it's all just one decorative cover. In whch case, it should prise off. But you can only give it so much peruasion before something breaks! So I though I'd check and see if anyone has experience with these particular taps.

I had a kitchen tap with a similar decorative cover, where the stuffing nut did undo, lifted off, and then made the cover easier to lift off. I just thought the random position of the faces of the gland nut in relation to the cover nut implied it might be a separate part. It would be more costly to make a decorative cap like that (assuming it's metal!). But if you've already tried, Sorry 🤔 !

update - I'm wrong - just found this old posting below from another forum!
"It's held on with an O ring" which has probably hardened and is welded to the cartridge. You'll just have to exert more force to lever it upwards!!

I know this discussion is old but not resolved and I've just had the same problem. Here's the solution. The John Sydney tap looks like a conventional one but is not made like one. Twist your neck to look under the handle. There is a small hole about 2mm wide. Push something up through to pop off the ceramic bit. It's only secured by an O ring? Now you can see the long screw which holds the handle (and shaft). You can probably work the rest out from here. Remove handle then prise the cover. It's not held on by screw thread but by an O ring. The fake gland nut is molded to the cover.
Now you have an almost normal mechanism to take off with a spanner.

Read more: Problem Tap - https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/problem-tap.185392/#ixzz7Azx4rI2X

 

[steadyon]

1. If you have removed the spindle by undoing the big hexagonal nut from the body of the tap, then that nut will spin on the tap spindle.
2. If this what you have done, then the washer should be visible underneath the shroud, at the end of the head works which are attached to the spindle.
3. If you separate the gland nut (small hexagon) from the shroud nut (large hexagon) by unscrewing it while holding the large hexagon, you may have better access to the end of the head works and the washer.
4. The normal method of dismantling a tap like this is (although not all steps necessary depending on what you are attempting):
4a. Remove ceramic index.
4b. Undo screw holding cross head handle to spindle and remove handle from spindle.
4c. Unscrew gland nut and remove from spindle.
4d. Unscrew shroud and remove from spindle.
4e. Unscrew head works from body of tap.
5. A photograph of what you have after removing "the screw holding the spindle in" might help.

 

[RichardA]

Dear 'steadyon', Thanks for your comprehensive reply. Unfortunately I've already tried step '2'. The 2 nuts don't appear to separate - and I've applied quite some force! Which is why I'm convinced it's a single moulding. Are there any other taps like this?

 

[Basher]

Dear 'steadyon', Thanks for your comprehensive reply. Unfortunately I've already tried step '2'. The 2 nuts don't appear to separate - and I've applied quite some force! Which is why I'm convinced it's a single moulding. Are there any other taps like this?

Richard - See post #6 above - my quote from diynot, their post #10 😀
I know you have already done much of what is described, but the last but one sentence is the key to it.

 

[RichardA]

Thanks to Basher and all. I'll just try levering as hard as I can and replace the tap if it goes skewiff! Doesn't look there's anything I could have missed. Should have been so simple! C'est la vie.