"Mister Grumpy" wrote in message
om...
Please send me an email or reply here if you have any suggestions to
my latest difficulty, which is described below.

It is normally removed with a spanner wrench (which I have, but it
doesn't get very good purchase on the two holes it fits into). As it
hasn't been removed in two years it is frozen and I can't get it to
open.

I would first try drilling new holes for the spanner wrench you have. These
are probably 3/16 diameter holes, so if you drill another pair 90 degrees
from where the original ones are it won't look bad at all.

If that doesn't work, then I would enlarge the holes and get a bigger
spanner wrench. Or as my father used to say, "Don't force it, get a bigger
hammer!" I would try enlarging the original holes first, then maybe you
could get two spanner wrenches on it at one time.

It is possible that it is so corroded that it will never come off. If you
come to this conclusion, then I would try cutting out the inside piece and
try to save the frame. It is possible that you could find a replacement
that had the same diameter and thread so you could just replace the inner
piece. It may look a little funny with an old, oxidized frame and new
plastic inner piece, but it might be your only option.

Rod