trying to remove recessed bathtub valve

[owenpga]

Hello, I recently purchase a set of valve sockets and the next to the smallest size is slightly to big for the valve and the smallest one is to small. I figured that most valves are pretty universal and that one of the sockets would fit. I was wrong. I'm trying to replace them as they both are leaking. Could I just use a vice grip and turn the who valve by clamping to the exterior stem? What would a professional do?

[596]

That would probably work, but is not really what you should do. Are the sockets you purchased double ended? In other words each socket has two different sized ends. Never had a stem that didn't fit one, but anything is possible. Do you know what brand your valve is?

[dkpbxman]

something like it

When I had to swap out the stems (made by Sayco) in my shower I got a set of shower valve sockets especially made for that purpose but when I fit it before applying force, I found that it didn't fit exactly.
I was afraid that if I did try to force it, the socket would slip and just round over the soft brass(?). I didn't know what I'd do then.

What I did was to use an old, everyday socket that I had in the closet that fit "a lot more tightly".
The socket fit over the bonnet nut of the stem if you pushed it into the wall and the long stem fit through the drive hole of the socket.
There was still enough of the socket protruding that I could grab onto it with my channel locks and slowly turn.