hard-to-turn bathroom sink faucet handle

[utakecare]

Our bathroom sink handle somehow got really really stiff, can only open like 30%
Watched some youtube video and seems really easy to follow by ourselves. But...we just cannot turn the bottom part of the handle as the video showed...
I took some photos. Our is Moen brand.
The 1st image is taken from bottom towards the up to show the nuts at the bottom of the sink.
Please please help.
Thank you.

 

[TomFOhio]

Use a lot of penetrating fluid and try a rubber strap wrench.

 

[utakecare]

Hi TomFOhio, Thank you for responding to my question. I will try those as you suggested.
So, there is nothing we need to do besides turning the bottom part of the handle? We do NOT need to touch the screws at the bottom of the sink, am I right? It is just so tight which feels to me like we did not do it right, there might be something else we need to unscrew first or something. I just want to confirm.

 

[Jeff Handy]

From the way the finish is deteriorating on the cold faucet handle, that faucet has likely been on there a looooong time.
And maybe leaking slightly, inside the handle.

So even if the body of the handle is meant to unscrew as Tom has suggested, it could be practically welded on from minerals flowing into the threads you are trying to unscrew.

If a strap wrench won’t budge it, you might try a really large Channel Lock type pliers to grip the handle right at the widest part, on the bottom where it rests on the sink.
Grab it at the 3:00 and 9:00 o'clock positions, so the scratches will be less visible.

You might have to end up just gripping it somewhere higher up with a Vice Grips or other pliers or wrench, it will get chewed up but it looks ready for the trash anyway.

https://www.amazon.com/Channellock-442-Heat-Treated-Reinforcing-Minimizes/dp/B00004SBCV

 

[Jeff Handy]

If it just won’t budge, you might be able to unscrew everything from underneath, and lift the cold valve up and out from on top of the sink.

 

[Diehard]

As I recall, the guy in the video said that if it won't budge, try loosening that bottom nut(under the sink) a HAIR. It may be tighten down to the sink too much.

 

[TomFOhio]

That nut on the bottom will not come off after loosening it. The valve itself has a thread for the hose to hook on to it. It
has to come a part at the top.

 

[Diehard]

The implication was that if that bottom nut was Tooo tight that it would require more force to loosen that top piece. That's why he said loosen it a HAIR.
Not remove it.

 

[TomFOhio]

It was mentioned that maybe you can unscrew it from underneath and remove. I was just explaining that you CAN'T

 

[Diehard]

Oh sorry Tom. Being that it immediately followed my post, I just assumed.

 

[TomFOhio]

No problem as I know how that happens when your typing away.