Garden Tub Faucet Repair

[Mike Groves]

All,

I wanted to get ahead of a small leak at the shower diverter in our '99's "Garden Tub".  As I tried to remove the screw from the top of the diverter handle I noticed its so corroded that I cannot even tell if its a Phillips screw or square head or what.  Bottom line it appears that rather than finessing this repair I'm going to have to "force it" by breaking the plastic handles off.  We figured we wanted to replace all three handles anyway.

My question is before I drill out the screws or break or saw off the handles, has anyone removed these (key is GARDEN TUB not a shower fixture) and if other than doing it the normal way of unscrewing the handle heads, what did you do to force them off?  If I drill out the screws then I'll be replacing the valve but as long as I can find a replacement that fits the space that's not an issue.  Don't mind spending a few bucks more.  Can anyone describe the valve?  Isn't it just a "normal" household valve one would find in a normal bath/shower with 3 rotary knobs?

Mike

[John Fearnow]

My 2002 Patriot-Thunder also has a garden tub with the three valves mounted on the tub deck.  I haven't had to change the diverter valve but I replaced both the cold and hot valves because they were leaking.  They are phillips head screws.  I had to drill one out because of corrosion, and broke part of the plastic handle in doing so.  Once the handles are off, getting the cartridge out was not a problem.  The part ID info is on the cartridges.  I was able to track down the current manufacturer and they sent me the replacement cartridges and handles no charge.  I believe I still have the parts info but it is at the coach and I am not.  If I can find it I will post tomorrow.

John Fearnow
2002 P-T
2013 Jeep Wrangler

[Mike Groves]

John,

THANKS!  That may mean that I'll wait for that information before I hack away at these.  If you can then please let me know the information tomorrow and I'll go from there.  Perhaps there is something on the manufacturer list in my coach, but do you remember who the manufacturer is?

Mike

[John Fearnow]

Mike,
Info from shipping list:
Valves: 61-5-0, Stem and bonnet assembly, Valterra P/N, PR187020
Handles: 6-38-9-16HC, Handle set large bagged, Valterra P/N, PF187042
Valtera Products LLC, www.valterra.com, 818-898-1671.
The assembly for the diverter probably has a different P/N than the one above for the valves.  The 61-5-0 number listed above was the one inscribed on the valve assembly.  The diverter assembly should also have a #on it.
The customer service rep at Valterra was very helpful. They are located in Mission Hills, CA so Pacific Time Zone.
Good luck,
John

[Mike Groves]

Thanks John!  Much appreciated!

Mike

[Mike Groves]

Here's how it all worked out.

Diverter part is Phoenix 9-639-5-0 and I purchased it after writing to Valterra (which evidently owns Phoenix). MHRV Inc was the distributor I purchased from

I had a problem getting to the screw and couldn't tell if it was a Phillips or square head screw driver but after cracking up the diverter knob and getting to the screw it was a square head the screw came out easily.  After that I was able to turn off the gold trim using a wrench but silicon was also holding that trim down so a little prying was necessary.  I found that I could wrench it back and forth to sort of break the silicon seal.  Once the trim was unscrewed the valve was able to be removed with the same wrench.  New valve was then turned in then tightened with the wrench.  The gold trim fit back on by screwing it down.  Then screwed on the new diverter knob.

The problem I cured was that when moving this knob to the shower setting, water was able to escape and form out of the base of the trim.

Mike