bath tub/shower diverter

[John H.]

I want to replace the water spout/diverter in my shower/tub, just for asthetic reasons. Is that just a unscrew and put the new one on or something more involved? The fixture is Moen, I believe the model is called Legacy. Thanks

[RayV]

There are a few different ways they are installed, the two most common are:

Screw on - usually can be unscrewed with a minimum of effort but you may need to go to a plumbing store to find the correct replacement. If you have galvanized supply lines (grey pipes) this could easily turn into a job that requires you to break open the wall.

Set screw - look on the bottom of the spout and see if there is a small hole or slot to loosen the set screw then the spout should pull right off.

[John H.]

Ray, you have either done this before or you're a plumber... a piece if the galvanized pipe came off as I unscrewed it. There may be enough threads showing to get a new one on, if not I'm calling a pro. thanks

[RayV]

Not a plumber. If the pipe is sticking out of the wall with only a few threads on the end you can try just replacing the spout. Make sure you don't have a leak, water leaking around the threads can trickle back along the pipe and into the wall. You probably won't be able to see this happen inside the spout. Access panel to check for leaks?

If you have to try and unscrew the pipe: Get a pipe wrench to grip it tightly then hit the end of the handle with a hammer. The sudden shock is less likely to break the pipe then forcing it slowly. Start with a gentle tap then increase the force of your wacks until it doesn't seem safe. Good idea to brace the other pipes in the wall with blocks of wood if you have access. If it does come out you can replace it with copper and the right size nipple soldered on.

If you don't have an access panel on the back side of the shower or the means to make one you might want to call a plumber to make it easier on yourself. A few weeks ago there was a post from someone that their 'wet wall' in the shower backed up to a 2 story stairwell. $200 from a plumber now may save a bunch later...

Read this thread, it has some good advice for a similar problem:

[John H.]

Thanks for the advise, there were enough good threads to get a new one on, which made me extremely happy after reading the above. I used one of those Danco universal spouts, works well, maybe not as pretty as others but its chorme and shinny and it works.