Identifying shower stem so I can remove it from wall

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sftf

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I'm hoping I might get some help from the experts here on the forum - I am looking to replace a shower stem and handle as it finally rusted and cannot hold the handle screw anymore. Does anyone know what kind of stem this is so that I can use the right method to remove it? It looks like it has a plastic collar around the shaft.
photo 3.jpgphoto 1.jpg

Thank you for any help!
 

hj

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Th handle looks like Price Pfister, but the escutcheon is a "generic" replacement. We would have to see more of the stem to tell whose it is, however.
 

Dj2

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Maybe a mixet.

If it's old and if you have an easy access from the other side of the shower wall, consider changing the body. That's what I would do.
 

hj

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IF it were a Mixet, it would not have that handle OR escutcheon. If it is Price Pfister, I could revise it so it would have a "lifetime" guarantee without touching the wall.
 

Asktom

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The plastic tube screws into a brass hex piece. That hex piece screws into a larger hex piece. You need to unscrew the larger hex. To do so you will need a shower socket, any hardware store should have a set - they are in expensive. It looks like you will need to chip out cement (& perhaps a little tile) to get the socket in. Turn off the main water then turn the shower stem to the "on" position. The stem unscrews by turning to the left. If the washer on the bottom of the seat is ripped up you need to change the seat the washer seals against. The hardware store should be able to tell you what seat you need when you take them the stem to match it up and get a new one. You will need a seat wrench, the store will have one and they don't cost much.
 

sftf

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Excellent! Thank you all for the info. It appears I do need to chip out some of the cement. It looks like when the stem gets to where the hex should be, it is surrounded by cement or mortar of some kind. The back of the shower is against the exterior of the house, so I'm not sure I can get at it from that direction. Maybe I can access it from the crawl space under the house - I'll check tonight. The main reason I was trying to replace this was because the threads on the stem seem to be rusted out. Is there any chance of getting a new handle screw to secure it to the wall?
 

Asktom

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Save yourself a crawl, you can't get it from below. You need to chip away until you can get the socket on the second hex, and probably a bit more to get the stem out. I'm not sure what you mean by the threads rusted out or a handle screw holding it to the wall.
 

sftf

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Thanks - I was not pumped given the giant spiders I've seen under there. The thread rusting out is a reference to the hole in the end of the stem which the handle gets screwed into. The existing handle screw has deteriorated to a point that it no longer holds the handle on securely and can be taken on and off without tools.
 

hj

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If that is a Price Pfister valve, the extension should have been secured with its own screw. That screw held the extension in place and it had an opening in the end so the conventional handle screw would secure the handle, so you did NOT need a "longer" screw to secure it. Measure length of the extension, then call 1-800-PFAUCET and ask them to send you a set of bath handle exetnsions, and screws, of that length.
 

sftf

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I'll do some measuring and see if I can connect with Price Pfister. Thank you all for the insight, I'll report back with my findings.
 

Asktom

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I think the extension was not made by Price Pfister and is a type that takes a long screw that passes through the extension and into the stem. It looks like the screw was steel, it should have been brass.
 

hj

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Regardless of who made the extension, and it DOES look like a PP braas one, the new one will have one screw to attach it and an opening for the short handle screw to hold the handle.
 
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