Grohe bath tub diverter (1993) cartridge removal

[Hewiel]

Hi, I'm new here so thanks for taking the time to read/reply to this. I have a leak out of the top (where the knob screws on in first pic) of a Grohe bathtub diverter. I guess it was installed 1993 when the house was built.
I am having a problem getting the diverter cartridge out of the threaded pipe shown in the 2nd and 3rd pics. I have tried turning the hex nut (top of cartridge I think) both clockwise and anticlockwise, does not budge even though I have used a fair amount of force. I'm wondering if the ring insert shown in pic 3 is some sort of locking ring and has to be removed first?
Any advice would be very welcome!
Thanks

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

I don't have any experience with that diverter, but I had to make a tool to get the diverter out of a similar Moen tub spout. I would contact Grohe to see if they have an exploded parts diagram or even the tool available to remove the diverter. The tool that I made was a hollow cylinder with teeth ground into the end to grip the nut that holds the diverter pieces in at the bottom of that brass riser.

 

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[Hewiel]

I don't have any experience with that diverter, but I had to make a tool to get the diverter out of a similar Moen tub spout. I would contact Grohe to see if they have an exploded parts diagram or even the tool available to remove the diverter. The tool that I made was a hollow cylinder with teeth ground into the end to grip the nut that holds the diverter pieces in at the bottom of that brass riser.

Thank you. So you think there may be a nut down inside that brass riser locking everything in place? I will try to get a look down inside and also as you suggest, try to get an exploded parts diagram.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

That was my experience. Its designed to be serviceable from above.

That rod is held in place and lifts up by hand but is pulled back down via a spring I assume? If that is the case, those mechanical parts should be held in place by something removeable from above.

 

[Hewiel]

That was my experience. Its designed to be serviceable from above.

That rod is held in place and lifts up by hand but is pulled back down via a spring I assume? If that is the case, those mechanical parts should be held in place by something removeable from above.

Yes, that is correct, there is a spring that fits over and down that rod. I was thrown by the 'nut' shape of that brass riser and thought it must screw out of the threaded pipe, thanks for putting me right on that. I am waiting for a reply from Grohe, haven't had a chance to have closer look down into the riser yet but will get back to you when I do.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

I had an endoscope camera that I was able to send down and see all the broken bits that were stuck in down there. Fished them out one by one with a hook. Then eventually I noticed the Crown style nut in the tube and fashioned a tool from a pipe nipple that extracted the nut and was able to reinstall the new parts with it too. I have a 20 minute long video that I could probably condense to 5 minutes.. if I had 3 hours to play around with it!