Dripping Simplifit Toronto tap - Cannot get access to inner cartridge

[muthu527]

Hi

Would love some advice please.

I cannot for the life of me see how I can get the tap handle off in order to fit a new cartridge.

The handle is pulled down a 1/4 turn by pulling on a thin lever in order to get the water flowing. On this make the levers are embedded in the handle (its from B&Q). Mine is about 6 years old.

B&Q still sell this tap but on their display ones you get access to the cartridge by simply turning the level anti-clockwise and then the handle comes off (the whole lever comes off in one piece). On my tap the lever is split into two halves. The top half of the lever screws off by hand, to simply leave the bottom half still embedded in the handle. The bottom half does not budge. Does that make sense ? Why does only the top half of the lever come off ? Basically I can't past first base. I have already been told by the local plumbing store that a washer is not the problem, I need new cartridges and I have two "ceramic tap glands with 8mm spine 1/2" " ready to fit.

There is a small indent at the back of the tap body (at the base) where it looks like an Allen key would fit (although its literally right up against the rim of the sink, so you can't get an Allen key in it) but I think this is for removing the whole tap body.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

Pete

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Having only fitted 1 the allen key part does all the tap to be fully removed. Re the cartridge, have you googled the instructions?

 

[SimonG]

Cant beat rtfm

 

[muthu527]

No, there is no manual. The tap came with installation instructions, which make no reference to on going maintenance or how to solve the problem with getting to the cartridge.

There is no specific reference to this issue on the net. I have spent literally hours trawling through websites and viewing you tube videos of tap maintenance.

Has no plumber got any advice that might be of use ?

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Best advice, get a new tap, you've probably spent more man hours and grief than it would have taken to swap it out.

 

[muthu527]

Ok. Thanks.

 

[Simoneg]

Ok. Thanks.

Probably too late to help anyone now, but the bottom half of the operating lever DOES unscrew to reveal a small grubscrew that can then be removed with an Allen key. Grip the bottom of the lever firmly with pipe grips, protecting the chrome finish with a cloth, and it should turn anticlockwise with a little bit of persuasion. Grubscrew can then be removed (use a drop of penetrating oil if stubborn) and the round taphead can then levered off with a couple of screwdrivers. This allows access to the tap body which can be removed with a spanner and is of standard design. Need to remove and re-use a brass collar from the old tap spigot and might need to slightly file down the diameter of the head of the retaining screw, which should come with a new tap body, so that it will fit within the hole in the round taphead.