Bathtub Faucet Replacement.......How?

The handle that diverts water from my shower faucet to the shower broke off in my hand today. I purchased a replacement piece but I'm not sure if I am reading the instructions correctly because I don't understand them. The faucet fits over a copper pipe that sticks out a few inches from the wall. There is an opening under the faucet that looks like a screwdriver fits in it and there is a screw on the replacement part that looks like it would be there. But I can find no screw, and I see no screw. Does the faucet unscrew? If I can't figure it out I"m going to have to use a drimmel or a side cutter to remove it and go from there - and that will not be pretty. Not to mention that I'm sure to screw something up. If you have replace this thing before and can offer help I'd be very greatful for any suggestions. There cannot be that many ways to remove the thing. I just don't want to damage it as we use the shower often (g). Thanks A.Gram

Reply to
A_Gram
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A.,

Here's a video of the 2 common types of diverter spouts.

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Spray some CLR or other type of cleaner into the faucet slot. Use an old toothbrush. Get it clean. There should be an allen-head set-screw in the slot. Remove the set-screw and you should be able to wiggle the old spout off. You may need a wrench if it's really held on by mineral build up.

Dave M.

Reply to
David L. Martel

What brand of faucet?

Reply to
JAS

OK, what your calling a "faucet" is actually called a "diverter spout".

"Slip on" spouts slip onto a piece of copper piping that comes out of the wall. "Screw on" spouts screw onto a threaded fitting or threaded pipe that sticks out of the wall.

You should be aware that some companies use the same spout body for "slip on" spouts as they do for "screw on" spouts. So, a spout that screws on will still have an opening at the bottom of the spout to access the set screw, but won't have any set screw to access.

If you don't see a set screw in the original spout, or any place that a screw would fit, then your original spout almost certainly screws on. You just have to turn it counter clockwise to unscrew it.

BUT, don't replace it with a store bought spout. What you should do is contact Moen and ask them for the part number of the "screw on" equivalent of their Model 3931 "slip on" spout. I think it would be the Moen model 3926 screw on spout. The Moen model 3931 slips onto a copper pipe just like every other slip on spout, but it has three features that make it superior to any other diverter spout in my books:

  1. Instead of having a set screw at the bottom, it has a stainless steel yoke that grips the entire circumference of the copper pipe it slips on to. This means that you're not nearly as likely to damage the copper pipe by over tightening the screw because that would require crushing the entire pipe rather than just dimpling it in one spot.

  1. All Moen diverter spouts have something called a "cup washer". When you raise the handle to move the gate up in front of the water discharge, the cup washer inflates with water, and as it does it elongates to seal off the end of the pipe supplying the water. As a result, Moen diverter spouts don't leak a single drop of water when you're taking a shower, and that's a far cry from the cheap offshore diverter spouts that LOOK identical, but spill half the water into the tub when you're having a shower. The result is much better shower performance.

  2. On Moen diverter spouts, the diverter assembly is available as a repair kit free from Moen. So, if this ever happened again, you could get a free diverter spout repair kit from Moen which would include a new cup washer and stem. Ask for Moen part #10644.

Delta and Ondine also make screw on diverter spouts that will fit to replace your spout, and that also don't leak water. Both of them operate on the same principle that toilet ballcocks do. That is, they have the water pressure acting on both sides of a rubber diaphragm, but the area it acts on is larger on one side of the diaphragm than the other, and the net force acting on the diaphragm keeps it closed and prevents water from leaking out the spout while you're having a shower. Both Delta and Ondine spouts work very well, but the Moen is an inherently simpler design, and in my books, that makes it a superior product.

If anyone reading this actually has a slip on spout, always remember to file any burrs off the end of the copper pipe and lubricate the pipe with dish washing detergent before pushing a new spout onto the pipe. If you don't remove any burrs from the outside of the copper pipe, the burrs could cut the O-ring that seals around the perimeter of the copper pipe, and the spout could leak water out the bottom of the spout after that. Just remove any burrs left from cutting the pipe to length with a file, slather the pipe up with dish washing detergent and then push the new spout on. Then tighten the set screw.

Screw on spouts require that you stop turning the spout once it's in the correct orientation. So, it helps to put on plenty of teflon tape so that you can stop turning the spout even though it hasn't tightened up.

Reply to
nestork

OMG! 41 replies to "ARE YOU A JEW" but notta to your request for assistance with a home repair. Try looking on a web site....unless "You are a jew?" Then maybe you might get help. Or cut it off but try the dremel the other cutter is too big me thinks. Are you a jew? Really. Need to KILL FILTER that stuff.

Reply to
Roy Baldone

Your perceptiveness is remarkable. However, it's quite disappointing that your intelligence wasn't sufficient to place an "OT" as the foundation of your dissertation.

Reply to
Gordon Shumway

I totally think that a reply about intelligence and perceptiveness (on a home repair list) totally needs an OT, or a WAS ===> and put the new subject up.

I'll reply without either of those, so you can practice.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I wish I knew a good way to give someone a non-audio "raspberry." If so, I'd give you one now, especially regarding the new subject.

Reply to
Gordon Shumway

DAGS!

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

What about this raspberry?

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[image:
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Just put [image: and ] tags around the above link.

Reply to
nestork

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