Click-clack basin waste removal ideas

[duncanpt]

My house is completely fitted with click-clack wastes and they've started to fail in various ways. In theory you can unscrew the piston section for maintenance but mine are solidly stuck to the waste itself and when I try to turn them, the whole waste starts to rotate as well. I can't use too much force as the copper is so soft that the unit distorts.

Any ideas? Or is it going to be simplest to remove the wastes and work on them on the bench, so to speak?

Now to get a bit more specific:
- one of the basin pistons just fell apart, leaving me effectively with a copper tube ticking up in the middle of the waste. If I put grips on that it just starts to tear apart. (But at least I can put a plug over it as a temporary measure). Ideas?
- in the bath, the piston is intact but just goes up and down without latching. I cannot unscrew the unit from the waste. And I'm pretty sure that if I "lock" the waste with a screwdriver, the grips will just strip something in the unit. Ideas?

Things will get desperate soon as my wife loves her baths and there's no way at present to put a plug in. Thanks on her behalf.

 

[robinbanks]

New ones are about 15 quid from screwfix (not the cheapest place I checked, merely the first) - a price at which I wouldn't give the time to messing with the old one..

..but can you remove one and post a pic of it?

 

[duncanpt]

Sadly, if I could remove one I'd consider the problem solved.
I'm coming to the view that I have to at least start by removing the wastes so I can get at them, whether I replace the piston unit or the whole waste including piston. I'm now off to do some pricing.

 

[oldbuffer]

1. "Click clack" wastes are generally rubbish. Particularly in hard water areas they seize quickly.
2. I'd replace them with (in order of preference):
2.1 Pop up waste operated by a rod behind the tap handles. Unfortunately requires taps that are compatible.
2.2 Old fashioned plug on a chain. However, many basins / sinks don't have an anchor point for the non-plug end of the chain.
2.3 Flip over waste like Screwfix item 64920.
3. Any of the above would require new waste fitting.

 

[duncanpt]

Update:
I bought a new piston assembly from Amazon for around £3-something. Cheaper than a new waste of any type.
Took out the waste, complete with old piston.
Got a set of grips each on the waste and the piston and managed to get them to turn. They were really solidly locked - no way could I have done it in situ.
Replaced waste and checked for leaks with a normal plug
Fitted new piston, after liberal use of silicone grease on the moving parts and on the attachment screw (in the hope it might keep it possible to unscrew it in future).

I'm planning to give it a regular dose of lube and if poss., remove, lube screw thread and replace, in an attempt to keep it going longer than normal.