Broken shower arm

jackiec123

jackiec123

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I tried to repair a leaking shower arm by tightening it a little and it immediately snapped off, leaving a small piece of it in the fitting behind the tiled wall. I can see it and feel it. Is there a way for me to remove the broken threaded pipe without enlarging the existing hole?
Thanks.
 
shower

It was leaking because it was already broken. There are many ways to extract the piece without damaging the wall. I have an internal wrench that I use. Others use an E-Z-Out with the end cut off, others make a saw cut and drive the piece out, while some use a pair of pliers to pull the thread and peel it out.

easy-out-1.jpg
 
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Thanks, I purchased an internal wrench and I am having quite a bit of trouble getting the broken pipe thread out. I have been spraying it with lubricant and I am afraid to be too aggressive for fear of ruining the good threads or the soldered fitting end.
 
If there's enough pipe sticking out of the fitting, you can try twisting with pliers. Grip the pipe and rotate the pliers (vise grips), not to unscrew the stub but to wrap it around the pliers and separate it from the fitting
 
TedL said:
If there's enough pipe sticking out of the fitting, you can try twisting with pliers. Grip the pipe and rotate the pliers (vise grips), not to unscrew the stub but to wrap it around the pliers and separate it from the fitting
Click to expand...



There is no part sticking out. I seem to be just grinding it in without any luck of removing it. Now, I am worried about ruining the existing threads.....
 
Sometimes you can take a hack saw blade, and cut part way through the piece from inside, then using a pick, pry it away from the walls. Often, once you break the rust seal, you can then unscrew what's left. Your other option is an EasyOut. Often, you do not have enough depth, and have to grind part of it off so it doesn't bottom out in the fitting.
 
pipe

Your extractor is too long for the elbow the arm is screwed into. That is why I said those who use it have to cut some of the end off so it will grab the pipe. I doubt that you will damage the threads before you get the piece out.

pipe_extractor.jpg
 
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Those pieces of broken pipe don't look anything like what I'm trying to peel out. I used a pick and got a small sliver to separate, but when I tried to carefully wrap it around the pliers, it broke off. What is left looks like it is there to stay. The internal wrench just seems to further fuse metal to metal and merely turns without catching anything. I removed 2 tiles and can now see how wet everything is. The sheetrock disintegrated. I would like to use a torch to remove the fitting and replace it with a new one but my wife is dead set against it, for fear of me burning down the house. So it looks like I may have to call a plumber afterall. Thanks for the help, it has been greatly appreciated.
 
Those pieces of broken pipe don't look anything like what I'm trying to peel out.
Click to expand...

That piece of broken pipe in the broken end of a standard shower arm.

That is what you are trying to get out.

The reason your easyout is not working, is that it's too long.
The one in the picture has been sawn off to prevent bottoming out in the fitting.
It's a 30 second job with the right tool.
 
Broken gooseneck in my shower

The chrome gooseneck broke off flush with the female in the wall. The question is, how do i get the remaining piece out of the threaded copper female in the wall? Thanks in advance.:confused:
 
Jerome's suggestion of using the internal wrench is probably your best bet. But other than that, you will have to attempt to carefully saw and pry that stub out of the brass elbow without destroying the threads...something that is best left to someone experienced.
 
I have an internal wrench that will remove it in about 15 seconds WITHOUT any danger of damaging the threads in the wall. Any OTHER method could end up with needing a wall repair.

pipe_extractor.jpg
 
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Quite honestly, if the drywall is soaking wet behind the tile you should be tearing into that wall anyways.
 
What is that? A file has no bevel to grab the internals, and would likely expand the pipe piece and make it harder to get out.

Use an easy out, a spiral one or a tapered one with four flutes. Google's got lots of ass-cracked garbage in it.

If you ground that file to just the right size and with a bevel you might get a result.
 
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