I have the above diverter in my bathroom. Recently it started to leak from the diverter handle that changes the use from tub to shower. I purchased the Symmons TA-25A Iverter Spindle to replace old. My problem is that I do not know how to remove the old spindle. Can anyone help me with my problem?

Try this site for direction on fixing your issue. Symmons - FAQ (http://www.symmons.com/service/product_info.cfm)

So let me get this straight DDYER, you have done one post in your life and it was to give me an inaccurate rating for telling the poster to try the manufacturers FAQ site. How's that work? By the way, you must not read much of the site because several inches down ith talks about leaking shower spouts and to click here to get instruction to remove the T23. Thank s for you huge contribution to helping folks. Do you have anything to tell mpicid? https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/plumbing/toe-tap-drain-does-not-seal-completely-232700-new.html

It isn't your fault. Symmons FAQ doesn't link to a TA-25A removal instruction. All links point to the same instructions... removal of the spindle, repair, and seat removal. Try it. I wrote to Symmons today to point this out.

Link = "How do I replace a Temptrol spindle, washers and/or seats?"

If however there is information specifically for the T-23A diverter, I would be happy to be so directed. It seems a T55C tool is needed to service the diverter. The cause of the leaking is most likely an o-ring, T-24, inside.

Being new doesn't make me a lesser being. Being incorrect doesn't make you a lesser being. Knowledge is temporal - only applies to certain time periods-wisdom is eternal.


I have the above diverter in my bathroom. Recently it started to leak from the diverter handle that changes the use from tub to shower. I purchased the Symmons TA-25A Iverter Spindle to replace old. My problem is that I do not know how to remove the old spindle. Can anyone help me with my problem?
From the diagram on the Symmons PDF it looks like a T55C tool is needed. One site, https://www.hatcreekoutfit.com/xcart/customer/home.php?cat=462 sells a kit of tools. I would imagine directions come with them. You could always send a comment to Symmons as well. They've been kind enough to send me simple parts.

Hello all:

Hey DDYER...

I am assuming your intentions are good here. So please bear with me for a minute or so... ok?

So we are clear... Ballenger's post brought me to the same post that you looked at to investigate the TA-25A and draw the conclusion that mpicid may need the T55c tool... right (although you had to type in S-96-2 or something similar to get a schematic... maybe? ).

In fact, the T55c tool is a stop plaster shield removal tool... nothing to do with spindle removal at all. If you review the parts list you can confirm this.

Click on this link from Ballenger's link to confirm:

http://www.symmons.com/~/media/Files/Installation%20PDFs/temptrol_ins.ashx

Review page #5 of 6.

Here, what mpicid needs is a EZSYM - Symmons E-Z 4-N-1 Wrench as provided at your link. This tool will remove the DIVERTER RETAINER and the DIVERTER SPINDLE (I usually use a 1/4" allen wrench to remove the retainer and a 1/4" lag bolt to remove the spindle... ;)).

Then grease up the o-rings on the new one and install that. Need to push hard to set it, too.. then can install the brass ring that comes with the TA-25A kit (looks like main section of valve picture at the link above, page #5).

Anyway, that's how it is....mpicid!! Let us know if you need more information. Be clear that a few more plumbers may come in with other ideas... I look forward to them!

Have a good night all.

MARK
.

Thanks Mark. You're spot on. I just got an email from Symmons this morning with similar instructions, including using a 5/16 allen and 5/16 screw as tools.

Any type of grease recommended for best results?

Isn't it great when we all play nicely.

Any plumber's grease will work... silicone grease is best!

Thank you for updating the numbers on the allen wrenches... I had a feeling I was off on the 1/4". I just changed it at my post above this one.

Good luck... and for what it's worth please note that Ballenger has 100s of hours posting to people on this site FREE OF CHARGE and that he is one of the most seriously dedicated people here. He was only trying to help... and in some way... he did.. didn't he?

Don't be afraid to pop back anytime and share some information that you feel qualified to share with others here... ;) That is what makes this place so cool!

MARK

Ten bucks for a TA-25A - a couple of bucks for some grease- a little elbow grease of my own- and a longtime problem has gone away. Now if anyone is in the DC area and needs a couple of TA-10 spindles that are new (sent by Symmons) and a chrome diverter handle as well, contact me. I have no use for them. Thanks again massplumber and ballengerb1. I hope mpicid got the allen wrench and did the same. It was easy.

Glad you're all set DDYER... Thanks for the update!

Mark

Glad you're all set DDYER ...Thanks for the update!!

Mark

Well, all I can say is 'thanks guys' - although the parts diagram implied that the diverter spindle was a replaceable part it didn't give any directions for removing the old spindle and so I was thinking that I had to replace the whole unit. With your directions it was a easy to replace it.

Glad you found us! Enjoy knowing this helps people even when we aren't here!

Glad you found us!! Enjoy knowing this helps people even when we aren't here!

Unfortunately, I wrote too quickly.

It took a while and the help of some wd40 to manage to extract the old diverter valve, which had cracked and I'm not sure what shape the o-ring was in.

A few of years ago I had bought a new unit but did not entirely replace the unit already installed, just the mixing valve and exterior pieces, i.e. I didn't replace the body or the diverter valve (the diverter appeared to be working OK and there was nothing about how to replace it :) ). Now, it appears that there is enough corrosion/wear of the inside of the body that water gets past the new o-ring so I'm going to have to go through the trouble of replacing the body - with the parts I already have.

Did you grease the o-ring before installing the diverter? Did you spin it in as you pushed it in?

Let me know... o-ring could have pinched out if did not do these things...

MARK

Did you grease the o-ring before installing the diverter? Did you spin it in as you pushed it in??

Let me know...o-ring could have pinched out if did not do these things...

MARK

Thanks for the reminder.
Just to make sure, I tried again - with what I think was more than sufficient grease and turning as I the valve in (the valve does not go in easily at first but after the end gets past where the o-ring ends up it gets much easier) - no go, water just comes out at the bottom. There is a grove in the brass body around where the o-rink should be (I think) but no such grove exists in the new body I bought a while ago - I've been in the house 30 years , so the body (and old diverter) is at least that old possibly 10 years older.
I've tried using some light steel wool to smooth the interior - but to no avail.

Jay

You did get a white colored diverter if tub/shower valve or a black colored diverter if only shower valve... yes?

.

You did get a white colored diverter if tub/shower valve or a black colored diverter if only shower valve......yes??

.
Yes, as I mentioned, I bought a complete unit a couple of years ago but only used the spindle and external pieces, not the cap assembly or the body (with its diverter valve).
The colors match between the old and new (both are white),
Everything looks/looked the same except for the cap assembly
And the spindle assembly fit and worked fine.
So while the cap design is slightly different, I have no way of determining the model number of the installed unit and whether the bodies should be identical.
Maybe something changed wrt to the diverter valve - they appear to be the same but the o-ring end was already cracked and came apart as I pulled on it and the o-ring got trapped and I had to pull it out in pieces. But it looks to be the same as the new o-ring, diameter and thickness-wise. The only reason I got into this was that moving the diverter handle had suddenly become quite difficult, so maybe something had happened to the o-ring and it was binding against the body.

Anyone feel like taking a trip to the boston suburbs for a sweating party? :)

In the 'all's well that ends well' category - I made out OK. I replaced the body of the unit - I needed the soldering practice - and sure enough the diverter valve works fine.
The unit works so smoothly and effortlessly now compared to how it had been working, the old valve/o-ring must have been on their way out for a while.

So, thanks for the inputs, they helped me to get started.

Thanks for update... wondered if you would just replace the valve. Good day!

Well, all i can say is 'thanks guys' - although the parts diagram implied that the diverter spindle was a replaceable part it didn't give any directions for removing the old spindle and so i was thinking that i had to replace the whole unit. With your directions it was a easy to replace it.


You guys are the best. I just took the advice you gave and resolved the same problem in about 45 minutes.

Since I have plenty of 'O' rings in the houuse, (I repair SCUBA) I pulled the diverter (easier said than done ;)) and replaced the o-ring an all is dry once again.

Thanks so very much

Don

Hi Don:

Thanks for letting us know... glad we could help!

MARK

Pretty funny. Before I found all these posts here, I just went through that whole shebang myself this afternoon because our diverter broke. Guess what I ended up using to pull it out - yep, a 1/4" lag bolt... Pretty funny.

My problem is that our hard water seems to have built up deposits in the diverter valve body. The new diverter doesn't want to fit in. Tried using a rolled up piece of Scotchbrite to clean it out, but not good enough. So tomorrow I'm going to get a small bore brass cylindrical wire brush on a drill and ream it out.

Anyone have any suggestions to keep this from happening again - short of a whole house water softening system?

Hi Kevin...

Good for you on the lag bolt... only thing that works!

Use wire brush if you want and then pulse the water on to clear the diverter area of any sediment/debris left over and then spread a little plumber's grease or plumber's silicone grease onto the oring of the new diverter spindle and it should help to install the new diverter. You may have to use a blunt tool on the end of the diverter spindle to push it past the oring, but it will go. Use of the grease willl also aid in diverter spindle removal when needed in the future... ;)

No suggestions on the hard water. Hard water will cause issues with lots of stuff. Best bet is to pick up an extra diverter spindle in case you need it down the road... they cost about $8.00.

MARK

Hi Kevin...

Good for you on the lag bolt...only thing that works!

Use wire brush if you want and then pulse the water on to clear the diverter area of any sediment/debris left over and then spread a little plumber's grease or plumber's silicone grease onto the oring of the new diverter spindle and it should help to install the new diverter. You may have to use a blunt tool on the end of the diverter spindle to push it past the oring, but it will go. Use of the grease willl also aid in diverter spindle removal when needed in the future...;)

No suggestions on the hard water. Hard water will cause issues with lots of stuff. Best bet is to pick up an extra diverter spindle in case you need it down the road...they cost about $8.00.

MARK

Thanks Mark. Great advice. I put plumbers grease on all faucet seat threads, etc. whenever I assemble them. Our hard water does a great job of chewing up faucets, pipes, etc... I usually stock spare parts for valve seats, Delta faucet balls and springs, etc.