How do I remove this shower valve? Pic inside...

[stickercut]

My single handle shower faucet didn't want to turn off all the way, so I assume it's gunked up with hard water items within the valve.

My question is, how do I remove this valve? There was a "U" clip at the top (which I removed), but I am afraid to go any further after removing it. The valve won't pull straight out... Does it need a pipe wrench and the whole thing unscrews from behind the fiberglass area?

For the valve replacement - can I take this into lowes and find a new valve, or does this HAVE to be rebuilt with one of their rebuild kits? The house was built around 1985.

http://www.stickercutting.com/plumbing.jpg

Thanks for your help!

Nathan.

[SewerRatz]

You can grab a hold of the stem with a pair of vice grips and give it a good hard pull. Or you can go out and buy a Moen cartridge puller.

http://www.needplumbingsupplies.com/Moen/Images/104421.jpg

[SewerRatz]

If the stem comes out of the body of the cartridge, there is another tool you can use to remove the cartridge body, or do like I do.

I use a 3/8 doll rod cut to about 1 ½" long insert it into the cartridge body, then get a ½" tap and start screwing it into the body as the tap hits the wood dowel it will draw the stuck cartridge body out. Once it comes out about an inch give it a tug and you are all set.

[stickercut]

Are the pullers sold at lowes/are readily available?

Once I do get it out, do I simply need to buy a rebuild kit (which I assume are also readily available?).

Is there a certain way to tell which rebuild kit I need?

Thanks for your help!!

[cwhyu2]

Replace it with a moen 1225,it looks like this.

[SewerRatz]

Yes the big box stores sell the puller. You want an original moen cartridge. The one in there is currently a model 1200 brass cartridge, you can replace it with the Moen 1225B plastic body cartridge. What ever you do, do NOT buy some after market brand cartridge, make sure it has the Moen name and logo. Pictured below is Moen packaged 1200 cartridge.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y292/SewerRatz/Plumbing%20pics/Moen1200.jpg

[stickercut]

Such great help..

I've tried yanking it with a pair of plyers with a little bit of force, should I try to give it a good tug, or is the puller REALLY required to get these babies out?

Is the U Clip the only thing holding it in?

[SewerRatz]

Such great help..

I've tried yanking it with a pair of plyers with a little bit of force, should I try to give it a good tug, or is the puller REALLY required to get these babies out?

The puller makes things much easer. Once you get the puller attached you can give it a good twist to rotate the cartridge to help break it free. then with the puller you start tighten the nut and it will start to pull the cartridge out.once it starts to move then a good tug will work.

[cwhyu2]

Yes the U clip is what holds it in,if pulling with pliers does not get it out the
puller will.

[SewerRatz]

Here this is from moens site. I hope it helps.

http://www.moen.com/consumersupport/installation/moen0133/flash/index.html

[stickercut]

One last question, based on that picture, nothing else should be removed, correct?

This thing is REALLY stuck...probably has been in there 25 years, but I wasn't sure if the outside brass piece should come off or not?

Just checking...gonna go find a puller...thanks for your help!

[SewerRatz]

The outside brass piece stays. The inside brass piece which the stem moves in and out of comes out. Watch that tutorial I posted it help give you more of an idea.

[stickercut]

Makes total sense now, but even with MAJOR force, it isn't coming out. A puller I guess is my only option for this one, why can't it go as easy as the tutorial? :)

[cwhyu2]

All the working part are inside of cartridge and the outside of the cartridge
is stationary and gets fused to the body of the faucet over time.
The tool that come with the new cartridge is supossed break it free from
the body of the faucet by twisting it back and forth.go get the new
cartridge try it.

[countryhouse]

Many Moen faucets have lifetime warantees. I have twice called Moen with the model number of the faucet and both times they sent me a free replacement cartridge that came in the mail about 4 days later, no questions asked.

I don't know if that would apply to your faucet, but it might be worth a phone call.

Steve

[SewerRatz]

Many Moen faucets have lifetime warantees. I have twice called Moen with the model number of the faucet and both times they sent me a free replacement cartridge that came in the mail about 4 days later, no questions asked.

I don't know if that would apply to your faucet, but it might be worth a phone call.

Steve

The number to call is 1-800 BUY-MOEN 1-800 289-6636

[stickercut]

Got a new cartridge. Tried the plastic tool, what a waste of time for that tool! It got destroyed within seconds because it's sooooooo tight.

Lowes doesn't sell the metal one. That's the only option around here...crap.

[SewerRatz]

Got a new cartridge. Tried the plastic tool, what a waste of time for that tool! It got destroyed within seconds because it's sooooooo tight.

Lowes doesn't sell the metal one. That's the only option around here...crap.

Is there an Ace or a Home Depot around?

[stickercut]

Ace hardware we have.....argh, this thing is really stuck!!

[SewerRatz]

Ace hardware we have.....argh, this thing is really stuck!!

Give them a call and ask them if they have the Moen cartridge puller in stock. Most of them do stock it.

[stickercut]

No luck. They said they haven't seen them in stock for years.

The plastic tool bent the little copper tabs, so now it's really stuck.

I've locked a pair of vice grips onto it, and put a foot against the wall and pulled...no luck either...

Any other options? Are you sure there is only one horseshoe clip, and nothing else holding this thing in? Wow, it's really really stuck and isn't moving an inch!! Crap.....

I've also sprayed some PB blaster in there and let it sit..we'll see.

[SewerRatz]

No luck. They said they haven't seen them in stock for years.

The plastic tool bent the little copper tabs, so now it's really stuck.

I've locked a pair of vice grips onto it, and put a foot against the wall and pulled...no luck either...

Any other options? Are you sure there is only one horseshoe clip, and nothing else holding this thing in? Wow, it's really really stuck and isn't moving an inch!! Crap.....

I've also sprayed some PB blaster in there and let it sit..we'll see.

Nothing else is holding it in other than some corrosion and minerals. Moen some times tell people to use white vinegar to help dissolve any calcium and mineral build up.

[cwhyu2]

Had one once where I had to use a small pipe wrench on the puller in order to
get it to turn,the brass cartridges can be a PIA to get out.You have to be
careful if you apply to much twisting pressure you risk twisting the whole
faucet could cause a real mess.I did get it out though and the owner was happy

[stickercut]

I assume I'm going to have to call a plumber.

Chair in the tub. 2 feet on the wall. Vice grips. Pulling on this thing and it won't budge. At all.

It simply will not come out.

[SewerRatz]

I assume I'm going to have to call a plumber.

Chair in the tub. 2 feet on the wall. Vice grips. Pulling on this thing and it won't budge. At all.

It simply will not come out.

What town are you in?

[hj]

When the cartridges get that old, a single puller may not remove it. The regular puller will probably extract the moving stem, but then you have to remove the shell that it slides in. For that, I have four different extractors because I never know which one, or ones, will be needed.

[stickercut]

This guy seems to have the right idea....

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bp1.blogger.com/__y60GA8cM94/R-agQImN7jI/AAAAAAAAABM/05f0Qhl5D0Y/s320/moen_plastic_tool.jpg&imgrefurl=http://fixyourmoen.blogspot.com/&usg=__dZ7UeYrCwjsclpnUg2LFfiH4pso=&h=249&w=320&sz=6&hl=en&start=15&tbnid=iXiABsAV9G48BM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmoen%2B1200%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

[stickercut]

Does anyone else have any other ideas on getting this thing out?

A 1 hour max project has turned into an all day event...pretty cool how that happens!

[SewerRatz]

This guy seems to have the right idea....

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bp1.blogger.com/__y60GA8cM94/R-agQImN7jI/AAAAAAAAABM/05f0Qhl5D0Y/s320/moen_plastic_tool.jpg&imgrefurl=http://fixyourmoen.blogspot.com/&usg=__dZ7UeYrCwjsclpnUg2LFfiH4pso=&h=249&w=320&sz=6&hl=en&start=15&tbnid=iXiABsAV9G48BM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmoen%2B1200%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den
What he did was the stem pulled out leaving the brass body of the cartridge in the faucet body. What I posted here in post # 3 (http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showpost.php?p=196158&postcount=3) is a much easer way to get the cartridge body out.

[stickercut]

I can't even get it to that point, so theres no use in it....

Everything I've tried, has failed...even tried putting a screw in the screw holding and making a vice basically to pull it outwards...nothing.

[nhmaster]

I read the title of the post first and said to myself " think I'll scroll down real slow and read the text before I see the picture, I'll bet a hundred bucks its a GD Moen again" Sure enough I was rewarded for my patients.

Moen Strikes Again!:D

[stickercut]

Sooooooooooo, any options? I'm stuck. No water now to my house.

The horseshoe clip won't go back in....

[cwhyu2]

Time to call a 24/7 plumber,but you did move it all i can say is try to get it back to the original position,if that can not be done,then call a plumber.
We tried to help but can`t get my body through these wires.
Mabey time to replace it.
BTW could hear you cussing through the wires.);

[Redwood]

I usually use a tool made by Pasco. # 7040...

http://pascospecialty.com/catalog/PASCO_CATALOG_C.pdf

[cwhyu2]

Stickercut, did you get it fixed?

[nhmaster]

He' at Home depot buying a new sledge hammer:D

[TedL]

Sooooooooooo, any options? I'm stuck. No water now to my house.

The horseshoe clip won't go back in....

Well, there shouldn't be a problem with turning the water back on unless that solves the removal issue by blowing the cartridge out for you.

[stickercut]

Thanks for all of your guys help. I had to call a plumber. He came with one of the moen (cartridge removal) metal tool, it took the core out and left the rest of the valve in there. The outside was fused to the body of the valve. He said he hadn't seen one stuck this bad in 41 years. I knew I wasn't crazy that this thing was really really stuck.

The result, he had to cut an access panel behind the shower into the wall, which luckily a closet is. He cut out the old valve and installed a new moen valve, and installed the new shower parts because the old ones were pretty dated too. Total damage: $319 + new shower assembly and access panel, so around $420 to fix a "$16 part". It took them 3 or so hours to do.

I appreciate all of your guys help, but man, this one was ridiculous, and for a do it yourself plumber, a tad disappointing that I couldn't do this one on my own, considering it was to be an easy job.

[cwhyu2]

thank you for letting us know how it turned out sorry that you had to go
through all that,but now you are up dated.
Clay

[nhmaster]

Might I be so bold as to ask why you replaced one POS valve with another POS valve from the same manufacturer?

[Terry]

41 years?
It was time anyway to replace the valve.

The new ones are pressure balanced.

Here in Seattle, we use a lot of Moen.
The water is good here, so we don't have the lime that others have.

Delta is good here too.

[hj]

Once I get the internal stem removed, it usually only takes a few seconds to remove the outer sleeve. But that is why I have more than one extractor to do it, so I can choose the right one to try first. If that doesn't work then it takes a few minutes more to get and use one of the others. The only ones I have ever had to change were those where the customer either used a hammer and chisel or tried to drill it out.

[kingsotall]

What'll it be mister¿

Ole hair of the dog that bit me! :mad:

[SewerRatz]

Once I get the internal stem removed, it usually only takes a few seconds to remove the outer sleeve. But that is why I have more than one extractor to do it, so I can choose the right one to try first. If that doesn't work then it takes a few minutes more to get and use one of the others. The only ones I have ever had to change were those where the customer either used a hammer and chisel or tried to drill it out.

Same here HJ, only ones I ever had to replace where the ones mutilated by a drill. I seem to get them types of calls around 11 pm. AS for installing a new Moen, I carry Moen faucets and am proud to sell them. I never had a single complaint on a Moen I sell. Only complaints I heard about Moen's are the Hardware store models.

[hollister]

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread.
My niece woke me at 4:00 am (she had to be at work at starbucks at5:00) to tell me that the shower would not shut off.
After a bunch of googleing I found this thread and it really helped.
The plastic tool was a joke so I made a steel copy in my machine shop and that just bent the brass ears on the cartridge.
So I tried sewerratz suggestion of the dowel and 1/2 inch tap and it worked just right and everything is tight and works as should and I feel so dang manly having done-it-myself.

Thanks guys.

[hj]

Just so you know. The puller may just remove the inside "movable" stem, and leave you with the task of removing the outer shell. THAT is where experience, and OTHER pullers come in. I have 4 different ones, and sometimes removing the stem takes two or more of them depending on the situation.