How to remove a Symmons shower faucet TA-25B shower faucet volume control spindle

[William Brammer]

Does anyone have removal instructions for a Symmons TA-25B shower faucet volume control spindle?

[William Brammer]

I bought the replacement parts for the entire shower (hot and cold valves, and the temperature control spindle in addition to the volume control spindle) which came with pretty good instructions.

The problem is neigther the instructions nor the Symmons web site FAQ tells you how to remove the Symmons Temptrol TA-25B volume control spindle.

The new volume control spindle (similar to the Symmons TA-25A diverter valve) is black plastic, about two inches long, with an O ring. There are no threads so the TA25B must be just pushed in but the old one is stuck tight.

Does anyone have removal instructions for a Symmons TA 25B shower faucet volume control spindle?

[Plumber Bob]

Believe it or not, the tool most plumbers use to pull out the Symmons shower faucet TA-25A white or gray diverter valve or the TA-25B black volume spindle is a 6 inch or so 5/16ths inch lag "bolt" (actually a screw with large sharp strong threads).

First, you remove the brass diverter-valve cover cap with a 5/16th allen wrench, and then you pry off the TA-25B volume spindle brass plate. Then you forcibly screw the 5/16ths lag bolt directly into the black plastic of the Symmons TA25A or TA25B. Half the time the TA25 breaks in half, the rest of the time it's stuck solid. Once you're in about an inch or two, you pull like there is no tomorrow.

You have to be careful it doesn't fly out of your hands and break the shower stall glass or that you don't break anything inside the wall (ask me how I know).

It helps to wrap something around the lag bolt that you can leverage against. I often slip a large vise grip through its center so it's evenly across the lag bolt and then bang the middle of the vice grip with a mallet from wall outward toward me as I am facing the faucet until the plastic TA25 A,B comes out eventually.

You just pop in the new plastic TA25-B after lubing the o-ring, put the new brass plate on, and screw on the brass cap. Remember that this black valve merely sets the flow volume in the Symmons faucet. It's not designed for daily use. Set it once and leave it there except to rotate monthly so it doesn't get stuck (again, ask me how I know).

The use model of the Symmons faucet, once the brass maximum hot temperature screw is set, is to leave this TA25B volume adjusting spindle in one settting and use the temperature-control knob to set the desired shower water temperature (using the series hot and cold seats inside the faucet).

It's not at all intuitive but every plumber on the planet knows these Symmons faucets inside and out so just ask one when/if you get stuck.

[William Brammer]

I'm not a plumber so it wasn't known to me.

Your suggestion to screw the lag bolt worked perfectly.

I had to slide a circular weight onto the lag bolt and smack the underside like a dent puller until the plastic came out of the Symmons faucet.