Need help removing Delta shower faucet cartridge

[bonzovt]

I have a shower head that leaks pretty bad when it is turned off. I purchased a replacement cartridge and have been looking online for how to replace the part. I can take everything apart OK, except it seems like there is some O-ring that needs to be removed to allow the old cartridge to come out. There is a lot of buildup on the part and it seems like the O-ring may be rusted on. I've attached a picture, tried spraying on some CLR and WD40, but when I get a wrench to try to twist off the O-ring, the whole contraption starts moving. I definitely don't want to break anything on the inside of the wall. Is there a good way to get this O-ring off, if that is even what needs to be done to complete the cartridge replacement?

Thanks for any help!! Hoping to not have to call a plumber...

[jadnashua]

The black o-ring holds the trim in place. I assume you are talking about the chrome retaining ring. A big strap wrench may do it. WD40 won't help at all. You may want to wet say a paper towel with white vinegar and let it sit on there overnight. The CLR might have helped some, but may need some time to penetrate and dissolve things. Something like PBlaster might help, too (this is a penetrating oil). Worse comes to worse, you carefully split that ring off and replace it with a new one by cutting some notches (careful not to damage the threads on the valve body), then peeling it back.

See what the pros have to say...

[bonzovt]

Yep...definitely meant the chrome retaining ring. It isn't budging at all. I can get a big pipe wrench around it, but when I try to turn it, the whole fixture starts to move.

[asktom]

Try tapping that chrome ring LIGHTLY many, many times with a hammer.

[Jerome2877]

You may have done damage to the valve already, you need to use two wrenches, one to hold the body and the other to remove the retaining ring. The valve has two 3/8" supplies at the back that will twist if this isn't done.

[hj]

Heat the ring/nut, (be careful the smoke is toxic if the plastic starts to burn). You will melt the cartridge but the ring will come loose when you reach the proper temperature. That valve does not have the 3, not 2, 3/8" tubes on the rear.

[bonzovt]

Thanks for all the tips! I'm not sure which straw broke the camel's back, but I sprayed some more CLR in there, gave it about 30 min and then tapped on the ring with a hammer. Then I clamped down on the whole assembly while twisting the ring with a wrench and it came loose!!

Now the only thing that sucks is, I replaced the Delta cartridge, but my shower STILL drips a lot after turning it off. Is that something that is unavoidable? It isn't a constant drip, but fairly steady for about 3-5 seconds and then starts trickling down until it stops entirely. Maybe takes about 15-20 sec until it isn't dripping anymore.

[jadnashua]

A shower can take up to 30-minutes for the water to 'release' in the showerhead. As long as it stops, it's probably fine. Think finger on the end of a straw...that's what's going on in the shower head...eventually, it will drain. IF the valve were continually leaking, it would then drip forever.

[hj]

The way to tell if it is drainage or a leak is to time the drops. If the time between them increases, it is drainage. IF the drips are at a constant rate, it is a leaking valve.