How Do I Get This Nut Off?

Helping my son with replacing his kitchen faucet and we're stuck getting this nut off the stem from the old faucet. This picture is looking up from under the sink. I'm guessing there was a tool that came with this old faucet that would grab on to those two indentations.

Sorry, having issues posting the image...

Looks like you have plenty of room to get channel locks or a Crescent wrench on there.

Or a basin wrench, which rarely work well for me on corroded stuff like you have there.

Be aware that many times the faucet is installed onto a new sink or countertop, before the sink or counter is even installed.
Which sometimes screws the next guy who needs to get access to it, where the original installer had unlimited access all around.

PS Looks like your sink might be getting pretty corroded also.

Thanks for the reply Jeff, but the nut is too thin to grab with channel locks or crescent wrench. Its only about 1/8", if not 1/16" thick. That's why I was assuming there was some kind of special tool that came with the faucet that had two teeth to grab on to the slots.

My son just purchased a house that is about 65 years old. It had a complete kitchen renovation about 20-25 years ago, including granite counter tops and that sink. He already has plans for a new sink, but it will probably be 2-3 years before that happens. We're just trying to get by for now with a new faucet.

First of all, spray some penetrating oil on the nut and the valve threads, it looks locked on from corrosion.
Let it sit for several hours, or overnight.
Give it a few very light taps with a wrench, the shock helps the oil penetrate.

Then:

You can take a big Crescent wrench and come almost straight up at that nut, staying as close to vertical as you can.
Make the Crescent wrench fit very snug.
And maintain strong and even upward pressure, to keep the wrench grabbing on two sides.

Then grab the handle of the Crescent wrench with another wrench, and turn the Crescent wrench.

Or put a stubby flat screwdriver in the slot on the right, and tap it with a hammer to spin the nut counter-clockwise.

Or cut through the nut with an oscillating multi-tool, then pry open the cut with a screwdriver.

Or drill a series of small holes in a line across the nut, then pry it open.

Forget about how it was installed originally, deal with the here and now.
They probably used a big deep socket wrench to install it, before the sink got hung in the way.
Like you would use for some shower valve cartridges, or an electric water heater element.

It looks like the edge of the metal under-mount sink would be in the way of that plan to use a tool that grabs both slots anyway.
Move on.

I have had horrible situations where I would have killed to have an old faucet that looked as easy to get a tool onto as this one does.

You might want or need to take off parts of the drain or trap if they are in your way down there.

Ideally, it would be best if you could find or make something up that can take advantage of those 2 slots.


Harbor Freight

I’m no plumber, but deal w/ a lot of mechanisms gone wrong. You might find a section of black or galv. pipe of suitable diameter and notch one face to match the detents w/ a cut off angle grinder blade and a file. In essence, make the tool. Those already pictured don't look stout enough for the amount of corrosion.
Jim

The faucet probably comes apart from the top.

Take a picture of the faucet and post it

cut the nut with a dremal
or cut it with a chisel

Ridgid makes a combination faucet/toilet combo tool that fits a bunch of nuts and some supply stop handles as well. Red plastic with metal inserts for the different sizes. I bought 3 as stocking stuffers for my boys. They can really speed the job along.

Nukedaddy said:

Ridgid makes a combination faucet/toilet combo tool that fits a bunch of nuts and some supply stop handles as well. Red plastic with metal inserts for the different sizes. I bought 3 as stocking stuffers for my boys. They can really speed the job along.

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That looks pretty handy. If this is it, it doesn't look like it has what he needs.

Rickyman is correct. That faucet was made to be tightened and assembled largely from the top. Typically, quick connect assemblies on the underside.
In my experience, sometimes the top part is rusted out and I have not been able to approach from the top so used whatever was useful: Mini-grinder, jumbo scredrivers.
Don't plan on reusing, just buy a new faucet.
Name brands are best.
But I have seen this faucet type made by American Standard.
If you have original receipt, it will be replaced at no charge.
They are still a good company, now owned by Lixil, same conglomerate that owns Grohe.

Wanted to give everyone a quick update.
On the way back over to my son's house this morning, I had an "A HA!" moment. Ended up using a hefty locking pliers horizontally on the threaded shaft, which is about 6-8" away from the wall. Using a big channellock pliers, we were able to unscrew the base of the faucet from above, with the locking pliers providing the leverage against the wall. The new faucet went in without issue, other than a quick run to Ace to get an adapter for one of the water lines.
We really appreciate all the responses.