new bath spout will not screw on past two or three threads

[muskox37]

My bath spout was starting to corrode around the outlet pretty badly so I decided I would change it. This is the chrome outer spout, not the nipple that comes out from the wall.

Anyways I had to use a chain wrench to get it off and of course I marred the finish in a couple of places. No big deal because I have two new ones that I have acquired over the last few years. But . . .

I cannot get either of these two new spouts to screw onto the nipple past two complete turns. This does not get them anywhere near the tub wall. I checked them out at a local plumbing store and all three screwed onto the nipple he produced from behind the desk. The pipe is 13/16 copper with what he called a half inch pipe thread.

I put the old spout back on for now but would like to know if there is some kind of special thread I have run into. I am reluctant to take out the nipple because that will probably get me into more trouble and that will be behind the wall.

And I thought this would be a half hour job . . .

Bob

 

[nealtw]

Take the old one to the store and see what fits it.

 

[CallMeVilla]

Actually, replacing the nipple is NOT that big a deal. Certainly, try to match the old one to the nipples at the store. If you had access to a plumber's die set, you could clean up the threads a bit with that. OR, you could just replace the nipple outright. Wrench it out, get a new one that fits the length, apply teflon tape or paste, crank it back in, and finish the 30 minute job six hours later.

Don't you love these challenges??

 

[muskox37]

Ok, for $2.50 I bought a galvanized pipe nipple just so that I could try out my three spouts. When I tried out one of the two new spouts I could only get it on about three threads. I am now thinking that the two new spouts have what I understand to be a 'pipe thread,' i.e., that the thread within the spout narrows until it binds so as to achieve a better seal.

The old spout which was installed somewhere around 1970 I expect, does not have this feature and will easily turn all the way in.

I am contemplating hack sawing the nipple off-there is a considerable amount of it that is threaded- and then trying to install one of the new spouts. I am worried about how much I will damage the thread however. Could be a bear to get it started.

However I always do have the option of removing the nipple and installing another one that would take the new spout. . . and opening up a whole new can of worms.

 

[CallMeVilla]

We are all sitting on the edge of the tub to see how you resolve your dilemna.

 

[muskox37]

I did saw off the end of the nipple and the new spout did thread in fairly well. There is a little clearance between the spout and the tile wall of the shower but it is pretty well unnoticeable. I then had to change out the hot water gasket and, as it turned out, the faucet seat, so as to stop some leaking that had recently begun to occur. It took me about an hour to get the handle off the faucet because it had seemingly welded itself on. After much banging on the handle with a rubber mallet and much squirting with penetrating oil and tiger piss I was able to finally get it off. I have now spent the entire day on plumbing repair. This was supposed to take a half hour.

 

[nealtw]

Now with all that experience, you will be an expert for someone else. Run some caulking around that spout, keep the water out of that wall.