Question: I have a bathroom faucet with wide set taps made by ‍ who knows?

They are all messed up and I need to swap them out. But I simply have not been able to figure out how to remove the taps. The taps are metal with side levers like so:

[![The tap with its cover on](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JXQFs.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/JXQFs.jpg)

They have a vertical set screw and with some WD40 and a lot of swearing, I managed to get the set screw out and pull the main tap handle off. But now I have a wide piece that I don't know how to remove to pull through from the bottom:

[![base of the tap](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tmi3s.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/tmi3s.jpg)

Conversely, on the bottom, there was a plastic nut, which I loosened as far as it would go, but that didn't free it, because it's screwed onto a t-shaped piece (you'll see that the plastic nut has been loosened as far as it will go, but cannot be removed). So I can't pull the copper T up to remove the tap either:

[![below the sink](https://i.stack.imgur.com/e1vnb.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/e1vnb.jpg)

I'm at my wits end. Can anyone tell me how to get this thing off?

Answer: 
If you aren't keeping the faucet then half the time it is easier to pull out the grinder and just cut it till it will fall through.

You have to be careful as you reach the porcelain but generally a grinder, a metal cutting disc and a screw driver to crack the pieces apart works wonders for old faucets.

You can spend a lot of time trying to pull them apart and if they are going in the trash then grinding through them is quicker and more fun.
Remove the hoses from the "T-shaped piece" and unscrew it.

Then smack the exposed end with a mallet, upwards, if it hasn't come loose by itself at that point.