Modern Showerhead: Remove ball at end of arm?

[eyc]

Hi all, I'm a homeowner trying to do some DIY repairs on a showerhead in the home. The shower head is a Grohe Clubmaster. (See pictures.) The head unscrews easily by hand to reveal an arm with ball attachment. The ball pivots. It is connected in some way to the arm, but I can't see how because there is an accordion-like rubber sleeve that covers the joint, which I cannot pull down or up (I forced it as hard as I could).

Is there some way to remove that ball? In particular, I'm trying to access the screen and restrictor so that I can clean both. Oddly, those items are fitted in the arm, rather than the head.

 

[johnjh2o]

I haven't seen that head but it looks like the plastic unscrews from the shower arm.

 

[havasu]

Where did all these designers graduate from? Boy, these people are always trying to build a better mousetrap, aren't they? I myself would just drill out the plastic insert. You may lose a few more gallons of water if you take a long shower, but IMHO it would be worth the added pressure you will receive.

 

[eyc]

I haven't seen that head but it looks like the plastic unscrews from the shower arm.

The plastic just turns with little friction -- and nothing happens. I tried gripping it very tightly in the event that it was simply covering some sort of nut fixture, but I couldn't get any traction.

Where did all these designers graduate from? Boy, these people are always trying to build a better mousetrap, aren't they? I myself would just drill out the plastic insert. You may lose a few more gallons of water if you take a long shower, but IMHO it would be worth the added pressure you will receive.

Thanks for the insight.