Frozen Shower Arm with Weird Spud Nut

[dmac]

I want to replace a shower arm (spout.) Sounds easy right?
Well, the house was built in 1977. The shower arm may be as old.
It is fitted into a brass collar/socket threaded on the inside and threaded
on the outside. On the outside is this old big spud nut, which kind of
clamps everything to the shower surround. I have a photo of arm if
interested.

I could tear out the shower surround and fit new copper pipe, but I
want to avoid this having just painted(epoxyed) the surround.
I know I should have attempted removing these trim fittings before
I painted, but I didn’t. Oh well.

So now I face the problem of removing these frozen parts. I live
in San Diego, and the water is terrible. Scale, minerals, deposits etc.
I’ve doused it with CLR, WD40, and LiquidWrench.
What’s next, Muriatic Acid?

Plus, I am not sure if I need to remove the spud nut before loosening
the arm? Or can the spud nut remain on whilst the arm is loosened?

I’ve never seen this type of spud nut and brass collar for a shower
arm before. It seems strange. Was this a typical method
in the good old days?

As I said before this could all be rectified if I tore out the surround,
but I REALLY want to avoid that for now. And I can’t get access to
the plumbing from behind….architecture prevents that.
Any help or ideas appreciated.
Thanks
Dale

[Retired plbg1Participant]

Send apic. It sounds like you have an excusion at the wall and the nut screws against it to hold arm tight, I will wait for pic. Send it to [email protected]

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Art retired plbg

[dale hParticipant]

Here are photos http://www.geocities.com/dalejh100/ShowerArm.html

[Retired plbg1Participant]

Loosen arm first 1 turn and then loosen nut and then take out arm then nut, if it turns in wall then you will have to put 1/2″ nippel and coupling bath to receive arm. Let me know.

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Art retired plbg

[Author]

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