I'm finally giving up on my old leaky widespread faucet and trying to replace it with a new one. I feel like a real goober, but I can't get it out because of some plastic splitter piece attached to the end of the copper pipe going up to the faucet spout. How are you supposed to remove this thing? Do I really have to try and saw through it in that small space?

 

Use your fingers or a small wrench (laid flat) to push in the locking ring and pull the tee off. You can also just bend and break off the copper tube, it will fail easily.

 

So I spent 10 minutes trying to pry that ring up, actively fighting against myself. Figures. I spent a good while googling and watching youtube videos but could not find one with that type of fitting. Thank you so much!

 

I'm not sure based on your post (#3) if you were successful or not in removing the tee.
If you are still having trouble, you may have been prying in the wrong direction.
I say this because: Your post says "I spent 10 minutes trying to pry that ring up", but based on my limited experience and post #2, where handyone said "push in the locking ring ..." you should be pushing the ring towards the Tee, rather than trying to lift it away from the Tee.
Either way, I hope that you solved the problem.

 

Yes, you push down on the ring. Use a crescent wrench sized to the copper tube, slide i down the tube and apply pressure on the top of the tee, then pull the tee off.

 

I think the OP got it off right away, after wasting time watching you tube and trying to pry it up.

I can see how one word can be confusing though and why we back each other up.

 

Sorry, should have been more clear. Before posting, I had tried to pry the ring up away from the connector (wrong direction) ... so much so that I actually broke part of the ring. After reading Handyone's response, it took me all of 30 seconds to get it off. I'm not sure what that type of fitting is called, but my Google-fu definitely failed me.

Now I'm looking at installing the new unit and the instructions are pretty bad (English was not their primary language). Anyway, from what I gather, the rubber gasket goes underneath the vanity top along with the metal washer and nut. This makes sense because the rubber gasket isn't big enough to seal around the top of the handle. However, my old pieces also had a plastic gasket piece the fit between the counter top and the handle (see arrow) presumably to protect the counter top and prevent water from getting under the handle. This unit didn't come with anything like that. Is there something that I should insert in there to protect the counter? Or should I just install it as is and put a little clear caulk around the base to keep water out?

 

I don't know if necessary but I usually put plumbers putty around hole and stick faucet in. Putty will ooze out under chrome part but will clean up easy.

 

I would also use putty as pugs said. I would wrap a large bead just under the flange, the bead will fill the hole and the flange.
The rubber washer goes on the bottom, followed by the metal washer and nut.

 

Thanks guys, that sounds easy enough. Just to be sure I understand, I put a nice big bead under the flange, around the outside, like in the picture below? Or should I fill it up? Not sure which hole you guys are referring to, but I'll have to shove a lot of it in there to fill the space around the handle pipe. It is 1" diameter and the hole in the counter top is 1 3/8".

Last question (hopefully), but do you have any tricks for keeping the unit centered while I install it? With the counter top hole being so much larger, there is a lot of play and I'd like the three pieces to be pretty well lined up.

 

True, you need a lot. You need to seal the counter top faucet hole.
Roll out a large bead, maybe 3/4". Wrap the bead around the threaded shaft just below the flange (inside your circle). Shove the assembly down into the hole and tighten.

I use blue tape to center. Cut strips of tape and stick the edges outside the hole.
I place a strip at the front, back and sides about 1/8 or 3/16" outside the edge.
Center your fixture within the strips and tape it down or have a helper hold it while you tighten.

 

I hope you used the sawzall by now