Shower water temperature control knob removal

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Wagonmaster2

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May 2, 2009
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498
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Northcentral Oklahoma
I was attempting to remove the single handle water temperature adjustment knob on my shower, 2004 Meridian 36G, but after removing the center decoration emblem the screw turns but doesn't seem to be coming out.  It seems to release the knob a little but after several turns of the screw it doesn't come out any further, and just about a turn and half the screw tightens back up holding the knob secure.  Quit messing with it for fear something is stripping back behind the knob and will really have problems.

On my home Delta faucets that center screw comes right out of the stem and the knob pulls off easily so was assuming this shower knob would do the same.  Am I missing something?  What is behind that knob that the screw runs into?  Is there some reason the screw doesn't come right out of the center of the water temperature adjustment knob?  Some things that are a mistrey to take apart clear right up when you can see the hidden part.

Forgot to mention, it's the single handle Moen faucet that gets hotter the farther around it's turned.


Edit by John: changed message icon to Topic Solved
 
Allen - if it's a Phillips screw head I'm thinking like you that it should unscrew.  Try pulling out on the knob to put outward pressure on the screw while you try to back it out.
 
John, that was the first thing I thought about and tried holding out on it while turning the screw thinking the control knob would come on off as the screw loosened but the screw didn't come out any further and the knob didn't either.  That was when I got scared thinking something might be stripping out in the threads and tried running the screw back in, which it did with just a turn or so.  The screw tightened back up (I hope it did anyway) so not really sure what's happening behind the knob.
 
Allen - I would call Moen and discuss the issue with them.  I doubt if Winnebago Owner Relations would have detailed knowledge about faucet dissassembly.
 
Coincidentally, I just recently replaced an elbow (working inside the small hole exposed when the shiny back-plate is removed) on my shower mixer valve in my '04 Meridian. The plastic center handle pops off with the aid of a small screwdriver, exposing a cross-point screw. With the handle removed, the fancy shiny brass plate is removed by two screws that thread into the valve body. At this point, the valve and attaching water lines are accessible. 
 
I recently repaired my single-handle control Moen shower control on my '05 Adventurer because it was leaking.  After popping off the decorative escutheon, I removed the retaining screw.  I had the same screw removal problem. I pulled on the knob while unscrewing. With a lot of pull, the screw and knob came off.  Don't worry if the screw or stem get messed up;  they are replaceable and I got a replacement at Lowe's.  It's a standard Moen replacement -- not some special RV part.  Be persistant.  It comes apart.









i had the same proble
 
After looking at the very limited literature on the Moen that came with the coach things are looking a little clearer.  As hard as the phillips screw in the center of the handle is turning I'm wondering if it was cross-threaded when installed and now the stem just keeps turning with the screw instead of letting the screw come out.  I may have to somehow cut through the handle around the screw in order to get the handle out of the way to be able to hold the stem with vice crips while attempting to remove the screw.

The cartridge must be turning round and round with the screw because now I can't find a position of the handle where water doesn't run out the shower when I turn the water pump on.

Something surely must be awfully wrong with these shower controls if several of us are having this problem removing the handle.

Really appreciate all of your responses, it's helping me a lot with this frustrating situation when all I wanted to do was to remove the handle to clean the soap residue behind it.  Turning a 10 minute job into "who knows how long this will end up taking" and what the cost will be by the time I get this repaired.
 
Have you tried calling MOEN? I have found them very cooperative on household items. They really stand behind their products. When we re-piped the house earlier this year the plumber messed up the  shower head flow restrictor. I called to buy a replacement restrictor, but they are not available separately. MOEN sent me a brand new $60 shower head even though the failure was not their fault.  Gotta love that!

 
myrondb said:
I recently repaired my single-handle control Moen shower control on my '05 Adventurer because it was leaking.  After popping off the decorative escutheon, I removed the retaining screw.  I had the same screw removal problem. I pulled on the knob while unscrewing. With a lot of pull, the screw and knob came off.  Don't worry if the screw or stem get messed up;  they are replaceable and I got a replacement at Lowe's.  It's a standard Moen replacement -- not some special RV part.  Be persistant.  It comes apart.
Click to expand...

Darn, my message just disappeared.  Got to start over again.  Could you tell why that screw was so hard to remove?  Did it look like it was cross-threaded during initial installation?  And, is that stem round?  Our home Delta faucets have a squashed square looking stem, maybe could be called diamond shaped, that keeps the stem from turning as long as you hang onto the handle while undoing the screw.  Now that I have the screw slightly loose things aren't back in place correctly cause water sprays out of the shower head when I turn on the water pump even with the handle in the off position.  Undoubtedly while I hold the handle and turn the screw something under the handle is turning with the screw instead of it coming out.

Hi John  --  I haven't got to the cartridge removal yet, still fighting that dang screw that holds the handle on.  Hopefully when I get it out and remove the handle I won't have any trouble (or too much) getting things on apart.

May have to call Moen but thought I'd wait to see what parts I'll need and how good their lifetime warranty really is.  My luck calling for information is I usually can't get past the person who answers the phone and they generally don't know "come here from sicum".  We have a company here in town that is an answering service for many companies and they have note books with answers to usual questions, but other than that they know from nothing.

I'll keep trying.





Edit by John to fix quotes
 
Just called Moen and was told, as if I didn't already figure that, the screw is turning the cartridge and either I need to reach behind the handle with needle nose pliers, which he should know that would be impossible, or I have to break off the handle somehow.  Boy, one of those repair jobs that would have been better off left alone since the shower head drip wasn't all that bad.  But once you get started there's no backing up.
 
If it's the plastic handled one I'm picturing then you just need to crack it without using any kind of impact which would possibly break the shower control itself. I'd get my big channel locks, the 18" ones and my Buck knife. Put the knife blade against the plastic where you want to crack it and then the channel locks around the knob and knife blade. Adjust the channel locks so you are driving the knife blade into the handle and squeeze. You may need to adjust the channel locks up a notch and squeeze again, but once in far enough the knife blade should crack the handle to the center. Use the same technique with the blade on the other side and it'll crack like a walnut.

Buck knife blades are guaranteed. If it breaks (doubtful) they will replace it free.

Ken
(No relation to Buck knives, but I've carried one since I was a little shaver)
 
Well, guess what Fellows, that screw finally came out.  I am ready to winterize the coach and to be sure I was actually getting pink stuff up the hot pipe I was turning the cartridge with the screw to figure out what position it would be in for hot/cold water when all at once the screw started coming out.  The screw was initially turning so hard it was turning the cartridge stem which then broke the inside of the handle which is supposed to keep the stem from turning while the screw is being removed.  Looked like there was some kind of thread sealant on the screw which may have caused the hard turning.  With what the guy from Moen said I was all ready to use a drill and my dremel tool to cut off the handle but thankfully didn't need to go through all that.

Since Moen warranties their faucets for life I'm going to call them for a new cartridge and to see if they'll also furnish a new handle since it was their screw that broke it.  Lowes has a replacement handle made in China that will work but it is a little different shape with a different insert (my old one will work in place of that though).

Appreciate all the information furnished on this great Forum.
 
Moen replaced my shower hose (gold-colored metal articulated) for free because the fitting on one end was cracked.  No hassles at all!
 
I had a couple of faucet screws with thread sealant that held them in like you describe. With the second one I hauled out my Weller soldering gun and held it on the head of the screw for 20 or 30 seconds. The screw came right out then.
 
Clay L said:
I had a couple of faucet screws with thread sealant that held them in like you describe. With the second one I hauled out my Weller soldering gun and held it on the head of the screw for 20 or 30 seconds. The screw came right out then.
Click to expand...

What a great idea Clay.  I was thinking I needed some heat but with all the plastic and brass trim I had no idea how to do it.  Even a tight jar lid will break loose with a little hot water run on it.  I'll definitely have to remember the Weller soldering iron.
I had turned on the water heater for about 15 minutes so I would be able to tell what position the stem should be in while getting pink stuff in both shower water lines and I hadn't started running any water yet but it was about that time the screw finally broke loose while I was trying to position the cartridge stem.
Moen is sending me a new cartridge and a new handle, and I turned down the expedited shipping so it's supposed to arrive around Dec 11.  Good thing I'm not in a big hurry for it.
 
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