Cracked Shower Top Fitting

[eyas52806]

Hi, need some help with my shower. I was replacing the shower arm coming out of the wall with an "S" shaped pipe since the old one was so low it was difficult to take a shower. Unscrewed the pipe (arm) just fine and installing the new one I overtightened to the point I heard a crack and the new arm loosened. I can see the fitting where the arm screws into, which appears plastic (pvc?), has a hairline fracture running along the length of it. The threads look ok. I don't want to put a pipe on there since it will probably leak now. Anyway can I replace that fitting? It's inside the wall maybe 1 cm or so and the opening is maybe a little under 2 inches diameter. Appreciate any help. Thank you.

 

[Terry]

You will have to replace the cracked fitting.
If you don't, plan on replacing the bathroom within a year, and then you can replace the fitting then.

You will have to open the wall to get to the fitting.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[eyas52806]

Thanks, Terry. Guess I wanted to have the bathroom remodeled anyway, just maybe not so soon!

 

[eyas52806]

Is there the possibility of applying some kind of sealant either to the inside or outside of the fitting or on the shower arm to prevent any leaking?

 

[Asktom]

Nope. The elbow must go.

 

[Jadnashua]

IF the fitting is pvc, (it's never a good idea to use a plastic female screw fitting - they crack, as you've seen), you could try some pvc cement on it while the crack is opened up, then quickly remove the pipe from it so it closes. Let sit overnight to get maximum strength, then try to install the shower arm. If you could find a piece of pvc whose ID was the same as the OD of the fitting, you might glue it on over as a reinforcement ring. If you try the glue, you might reinforce it with a SS screw pipe clamp.

But, neither of these things will probably work.

Replace with a transition fitting so you have some metal to screw into. If you're lucky, that wall is in a closet next door, and you can cut a hole to access without tearing up the shower wall.

 

[Terry]

Once you crack the fitting, and you are threading in a tapered thread pipe, that just keeps expanding the crack, it only gets bigger and bigger.

Right now, it's a simple repair.
Soon, it will be tile replacement, floor replacement, ceiling below it repairs.
Dryrot, oh, this is getting fun now.

 

[hj]

The first question would have to be, "What idiot used a plastic elbow at that point, anyway?" It was DESTINED to crack, and probably would have once you installed that new shower arm because of the added weight and leverage. Open the wall and replace the elbow with a brass one. You may have to replace some, or all, of the riser pipe from the valve also.