How do I remove this shower mixer cartridge? 5 March at 10:49AM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 39 replies 1.1K views

breaking_free

As the post says, how do I remove this thermostatic mixer cartridge? 

After watching over a dozen YouTube videos I am at a loss because none of them look like mine.
- There are NO grub screws/allen key holes underneath so I cannot prise the cartridge lose from underneath.
- I've tried inserting allen keys into the exposed end to see if any of them bite so that I can turn the cartridge to loosen it - nope.
- I've tried grasping the black body of the cartridge with a spanner but couldn't get it to turn (I didn't grasp tightly as the body is plastic and I didn't want to break it)

I do not know what type of shower this is as no manual was left available to me when I bought the house. There are no markings on the shower to tell me what type it is.
Anybody have any ideas how I can remove this cartridge so that I can see what it looks like before ordering a replacement? 



Below are the bits I've removed from the end.



Here's the opposite end intact, to show what the shower looks like before bits are removed.

grumbler

Any slots in the brass part visible inside? A photo from the side would be more helpful.

frugalmacdugal

Hi,

is there a circlip holding it in place, hard to tell from photie?

ThisIsWeird

No grub screw must surely mean it's either push-fit, or screwed in? Doesn't appear to be the former as there would need to be a screwed cover or collar over it that would hold it in, and there doesn't appear to be - the handle clearly wouldn't do that. So I'm guessing the whole cartridge is screwed in.

Water off?! I'd try prising off that top circlip and see if that allows the black (plastic?) cover with the white line to then pull off? If it does, good chance there's a 'nut' underneath, in which case trying unscrewing the cartridge using this. 

ThisIsWeird

As asked above - good close-up end-on pics would help.

breaking_free

How about these?

grumbler

breaking_free said:

How about these?

Two slots - like I expected. Most likely, needs some special tool, but you can try a calliper if  you have one.

breaking_free

Hi @grumbler. Any more detail than that thanks? I have some DIY skills but don't know what a caliper is or how it should be used in this instance.

nofoollikeold

1. Needs a special tool.  To get the special tool you would need to know make and model.
2. Possible bodge:
2.1 Get a piece of brass rod 6 to 8 mm diameter.
2.2 Make sure one end is flat.
2.3 Flat end against the side of one of the slots in the brass cartridge mixer.
2.4 Tap gently with a hammer.  
2.5 Tap to turn anti-clockwise as you look into the open end.  
3. Alternative bodge (if you have got a vice):
3.1 Two short pieces of steel where one end of each will fit into the slot.
3.2 Clamp both pieces upright in vice spaced far apart enough to just fit into slots while abutting side of brass piece.  Need to be high enough to clear central spindle.
3.3 Water off and remove shower.  (Two big chrome nuts to wall and nut holding riser rail to shower).
3.4 place over steel pieces in vice and twist to undo,

grumbler

breaking_free said:

Hi @grumbler. Any more detail than that thanks? I have some DIY skills but don't know what a caliper is or how it should be used in this instance.

Basically, it's like a nut with slots. IMO, it's too deep for using a hammer and a rod.

Calliper:

I expect the tool to be something like

OR (the bottom one)

If you have a small vice you can try using it with two parallel clamped nails. Nails have to be hard enough, as short as possible, and, preferably, with sharp tips removed.

plumb1_2

Why do you need to remove the cartridge