How to remove Pegasus shower handle

[Wayne S]

Hi all. I'm a newbie. I have a Pegasus shower fixture which works just fine, but has become corroded. I want to remove it to clean it all up, then put it back. I can't.
First thing I did was remove the two bolts holding the face plate on. That was easy enough and it hangs loose when I do that. Then I struggled to figure out how to get the handle off. I found the set screw on the underside and removed it. Did no good. When I turn the water on, the handle of course moves, but so does the bigger part to its right, which may or may not be okay, but it moves. I can't remove the handle and I can't remove the bigger part, even with the set screw removed. I've tried unscrewing it, which didn't work. The sink basin has the same brand and that removed by unscrewing the corresponding part, but there is no set screw there. I tried pulling it off. I tried prying it off with a piece of wood. I've sprayed it multiple times with a penetrating oil. It just won't budge. The handle itself has become quite loose. It looks there is a square part going from the bigger part into the handle and that the handle should screw into the bigger part, but I can't figure it out. I thought the handle itself could be unscrewed, but I can't do that either. Help! In the third of the attached pictures you can obviously see a lot of corrosion underneath, but I'm not sure how that figures into the equation because the bigger part does turn when I turn the water on. Sorry to be so wordy. I've always been like that.

 

[Geofd]

Even thou you removed the set screw it’s probably still stuck to the stem try wacking it from the back side
You would be hitting towards yourself hit close to the stem so your not stressing it use a piece of wood
Find an edge on other parts of the handle and do the same

 

[Wayne S]

I tried that to no avail. The handle itself has now come off so I can see inside. I see what I think is the end of the cartridge, but it is kind of down and to the left a little. I was able to move it with a very small phillips screwdriver. Tried prying off the other part (don't know what it's called). I even used a crow bar and it wouldn't budge. Today I'm going to Home Depot to buy a faucet handle puller.

 

[Wayne S]

I bought the puller and all it did was bend. I'm done with this. It works. It will come off when a plumber does it some day.

 

[havasu]

I had a similar pot filler (junk, btw) and when I replaced the cartridge, I remember the handle unscrewing, allowing removal of the escutcheon

 

[Jeff Handy]

This is off topic, but FYI most oil rubbed bronze finishes often die early and horribly.
They are getting better recently.

 

[havasu]

Jeff, I have to agree with you.