I had a slow leak in my walk-in shower so I decided to replace both the hot and cold shower stems and seats. After some work, I managed to remove the old American Standard style stems and seats and replace them with Danco 9C-23H/C (Stock #15700B) stem sets.

Both stems seem to screw into the plumbing OK but one of the stems still drips. The problem seems to be related to the individual stem since when I swap them out (move the cold to the hot and the hot to the cold), the same stem drips whether it's on the cold side or the hot side.

I've noticed that the dripping stem wiggles a bit within the cartridge housing while the non-dripping one is nice and rigid. I've compared both stems and can't see any differences between them; no parts seem to be missing or damaged.

Any idea what might be the problem? Thanks!

By dripping do you by any chance mean leaking around the stem?

Yes, that's what's happening. Thanks for prompting that clarification.

If it's leaking from around the stem snug up the bonnet packing nut. Good luck, Tom

Tom,

Thanks very much for your prompt reply. Contrary to what your expertise and my online research tells me, I'm not able to identify a traditional packing nut with my new stem set. Even the repair kit I purchased for my stem set doesn't include one. However, it does include an O ring that my stem set did not come with, which I'm not sure how to use.

I've attached a photo of the entire contents of the new stem I purchased; can you assess where my stem leak trouble might be originating from? Do I appear to have parts missing?

Thanks again.

http://www.digitalmediaservicesflorida.com/files/images/shower_stem_set.jpg


I think I've figured it out.

Upon further inspection of the two Danco replacement stem sets I purchased, one of them (see photo above) had a smooth stem segmented into two parts, tapered at about the halfway point. The other stem had a small rubber seal at the taper point. The back of the packaging of the one shown above was listed with a 2000 copyright. The one with the seal was copyright 2008. Apparently Danco had a modification in their stem design; they improved the stem with a rubber seal. I've since exchanged the 2000 model with a 2008 model and no leaks to speak of (as yet).