J Burns wrote:

On 7/18/14, 4:49 PM, TomR wrote:
In ,
J Burns typed:
On 7/17/14, 10:39 PM, badgolferman wrote:
My bathtub spigot is leaking. It takes Moen 1224 cartridges.
I have replaced these cartridges before and have the special
tool that removes the retaining nut buried deep inside. The
problem is I can't get the cartridge out. I don't want to yank
and pull too hard lest I break something. What's the trick?

A 3" 8-32 screw and fender washers. Put the washers on the screw
and screw it in at least an inch. You should be able to pull
pretty hard without wrecking the cartridge.

That sounds like a good suggestion. Hopefully it will work for the
OP.

I have had the same problem as the OP with the cartridges not
coming out on a single handle Moen Posi-Temp shower fixture a
couple of times. Huge mess, ended up breaking the cartridge and
having to dig pieces out etc. And, just like the OP, I had to
so-called special tool that is supposed to work, but it didn't.


My experience is with the brass Moen 1200. I removed one several
times in the kitchen with no problem. The first time I removed one
from the shower, it was easy. When I had trouble 5 years later, I
pulled so hard I was afraid I'd break something behind the wall.

I noticed a cross hole through the stem. I put a large nail through
it and pried against the rim of the housing with a big,
square-shanked screwdriver. Easy! If I'd had to pry hard, I would
have protected the rim with wood.

The reason I had trouble in 5 years, and it was so hard to pull, was
deposits in the housing that I hadn't noticed with my finger the
first time. A chain-saw file removed them, and I used plumber's
grease. Besides protecting the o-rings during installation, I wonder
if plumber's grease might prevent deposits.

I knew the principle, and online I found that an 8-32 screw works for
a 1224.

The 8-32 screw didn't work. The original screw had a wider pitch so
the fine thread wouldn't grab. I got some coarser #8 screws to try,
but first I used my needle-nose vise grips and locked onto the recessed
stem and pulled with all my might. It finally broke loose and let go!