Shower mixer tap removal – help please

Currently trying to remove a Mira Combiflow mixer tap to allow the shower panels to be replaced.

I have uncoupled the nuts on both supply pipes – it is still rock solid. All other caps have been removed, and I still can’t see how to get it to budge.

Google hasn’t helped and it may well be something straightforward (fingers crossed) – any pointers?

(will try attach a photo too)

Have you tried ‘persuading’ it with a soft hammer?  It should be held only by the supply pipes, I think,

As above, it should clamp to the supply pipes but beyond that it’s most likely friction or calcium build up holding it in place.

There is a grub screw in the handle, loosen it off and remove handle. There may be a couple of plastic bits to remove behind the handle (remember the orientation of these parts when removing),then the larger chrome shroud should come off. Two screws holding it on to the wall behind the shroud.

As the first two posters, I watched youtube vids on the fitting of an exposed mixer (ultimately went with a concealed arrangement) and in all cases it appeared to be just the two nuts attaching the mixer to the two hot/cold pipes, holding the mixer on. So, probs just needs ‘persuading’ off, by whatever means, if you’ve already unscrewed the nuts. I’m not a plumber /shower fitter / DIY expert

Here you go.

http://resources.kohler.com/plumbing/mira/pdf/1156395-w2-a-mira-combiflow-installation-and-user-guide.pdf

Dont try and “persuade” it off. It’s not held on by friction or limscale buildup. It’s fixed the wall with screws like supremebean suggests. 👍

Did the OP take the hammer option?

I need to know (with pics).

I have just replaced the washers in one similar, the supply pipes are a tiny bit off true so i had to undo one side first, then the other.  In fact its the putting back on you notice the supply pipes are a bit off true.  I wouldnt knock the tap with a hammer as it could damage the connections inside the wall.

Whatever happens, once you get it off, clean everything up with vinegar and replace the washers.  I put double washers in tomake up for the supply pipe issue.

Thanks everyone, there was a wee Allen bolt right up behind the handle that eventually came undone.

Problem number two however…

The supply pipes each have an olive on, which is holding both of the chrome nuts back, which is also holding the chrome inserts on… What would be the best way to get things moving?

Would a bit of heat help loosen off the olives?

Thanks again. Hopefully the new shower panels can be stuck on this weekend!

They usually just pull off if they haven’t been over tightened. If they are too tight for that then you might be able to lever them off bit by bit with a small flat bladed screwdriver. Heat might help a little.

Can you push the chrome nuts back far enough to get a hacksaw blade on the olive? I’ve never found one that will pull off. You may have difficulty getting a seal on the old olives when you come to reassemble.

Are the new panels going as an additional layer or a replacement, and if additional do you have enough length on the pipes?

Hacksaw is hard to do without damaging the pipe. Olive splitter?

https://www.toolstation.com/shop/p60412?r=googleshopping&rr=marin&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&gclid=CjwKCAjwlIvXBRBjEiwATWAQIuWB1XXXN480VCcwmKeb8gFF0fQ01OaqFdzIo6N4ymOaNZ5HA7Q34xoCPbcQAvD_BwE

Doesn’t look like there is enough room to rattle it off with an adjustable spanner, and even if there was, you would risk damaging the fitting in the wall.

An olive puller is by far the best method to do it properly, available pretty much everywhere that sells tools (screwfix/toolstation/Amazon/eBay)

If they don’t pull off easily and you need to use a puller tool then you’ll more room behind the olive. Can you cut out some of the shower panel. Should be possible with a multi-tool vibrating saw.

I would grab an olive splitter from screwfix or similar, useful bit of kit in this scenario.

If they don’t pull off easily and you need to use a puller tool then you’ll more room behind the olive. Can you cut out some of the shower panel. Should be possible with a multi-tool vibrating saw.

An olive puller fits in the end of the 15mm pipe and uses the compression nut that’s already on the pipe to pull the olive off. You don’t need any space at all as it’s all done from the front.

20 second job with right tool.

Went to the shed and fished out my smallest flat screwdriver – it just got behind the olives, and bit by bit managed to tease them off.

Job done.

Cheers everyone.