Kohler Mastershower, anyone know about this piece of junk

[Master Plumber Mark]

This is a Kohler Mastershower faucet ..... anyone ever fool with one of these??
K-T9493 Mastershower trim

 

[Jeff H Young]

not that I remember. Kohler usualy dosent give me much trouble though.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Marlinman]

It is Kohler Mastershower. The trim fit 1/2" and 3/4" roughs These are pre-2006 units which were the most troublesome.

Trim
https://www.us.kohler.com/us/Master...luded/productDetail/product:420958/420958.htm

3/4" valve K-401-K
https://www.us.kohler.com/us/Master...ntrol/productDetail/product:418426/418426.htm

1/2" valve K-404-K
https://www.us.kohler.com/us/Master...21877.htm?skuId=377324&brandId=empty&fs=true&

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Thank you.... I have already passed on the whole job...
these are from about 2001 or earlier....

I heard elsewhere that they were trouble and their are
3 of them in this one shower stall.... one of them on an outside wall.
very expensive parts too like 450 just for one spool

I let some other company who claimed
that they knew all about them to do the job.....

I am busy enough without getting my foot stuck in a bear trap... thanks

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

The service stops on those things should be illegal. They're absolutely terrible. The instructions are worthless. I had to have Kohler tech support on a video conference call help me get it sorted.

https://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/116716_2.pdf

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

The service stops on those things should be illegal. They're absolutely terrible. The instructions are worthless. I had to have Kohler tech support on a video conference call help me get it sorted.

https://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/116716_2.pdf

That sounds like you had a nightmare on your hands fooling with tech support and all
just to repair one of their shitty faucets....... ...

It looks like I started the year off right..... I am really glad I passed on that one....
I can see those packing stops on
that faucet leaking badly and are not repairable.... those things look mean....

I would rather spend my day attempting to get a cartridge out of a moen posi temp faucet......

sometimes money is not everything ,
tis better to fight and run away
and live to fight another day....



Thank you for your time and advice......

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Mine was a brand new installation and the tile guy poked a hole into a PEX line.. So i went to turn off the valve with the big hex nuts that are on the hot and cold side.. nope.. that didn't work.. So you have to turn these weird shaped half moon things that you can't get any tool on. Had to use needle nose pliers. Meanwhile, as you have already imagined, the packing started leaking. The instructions provided were garbage and mislabled which is why we had to do a video chat after the tech support was telling me to turn the thing that I had already done with no effect.

The new rough in valves are different than what Marlinman posted too.. Not sure if theyre improved, but you definately want to know which of the integral shut offs actually shut off and how you will handle them prior to attempting.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Mine was a brand new installation and the tile guy poked a hole into a PEX line.. So i went to turn off the valve with the big hex nuts that are on the hot and cold side.. nope.. that didn't work.. So you have to turn these weird shaped half moon things that you can't get any tool on. Had to use needle nose pliers. Meanwhile, as you have already imagined, the packing started leaking. The instructions provided were garbage and mislabled which is why we had to do a video chat after the tech support was telling me to turn the thing that I had already done with no effect.

The new rough in valves are different than what Marlinman posted too.. Not sure if theyre improved, but you definately want to know which of the integral shut offs actually shut off and how you will handle them prior to attempting.

I have heard from many that they were a bear to fool with and God have mercy on your soul
if the packing nuts in the wall leaked.....

I guess I am just a big pussy

 

[Jeff H Young]

guess I got lucky just worked on some k304 s rescently smooth as butter . BTW MarlinMan, big help with your knowledge in valves

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

I have heard from many that they were a bear to fool with and God have mercy on your soul
if the packing nuts in the wall leaked.....

I guess I am just a big pussy

I didn't have a choice! I wouldn't work on that valve for fun! Tho.. now that I've worked on one I know how to do it.. and thus will never need to ever again.

OH.. and just cuz. I just went back and looked at the instruction sheet for the K-2976-KS-NA (new version of what your valve was) and they are wrong and will get you completely hosed if you follow them. The diagram is wrong and the written instructions are wrong.. totally useless.

guess I got lucky just worked on some k304 s rescently smooth as butter . BTW MarlinMan, big help with your knowledge in valves

Definately appreciate the valve knowledge here too.. Those kohler valves design is REALLY Old.. Not sure when they started using that valve body, but I've pulled out kohler valves that had brass internals that looked just like the modern K304..

I checked on one of our new K8304 installs with the contractor because water was barely trickling out. So I pulled the trim and notice that the integral stops appear to be in the on position.. so likely a clogged cartridge.. so i turn the valves "OFF" and loosen the 4 screws that hold the cartridge.. but I can't get the cartridge out! There are tabs holding it in place! WTF?! So luckily before I spun the integral stops I put the screws back in and operated the valve.. water flowed as it was supposed to.. The K8304 WS has weird integral check valves so that if you orient the valve so that the screwdriver tab for the stop is horizontal.. the valve is mostly OFF.. And the only thing that prevented me from flooding those peoples home was the tiny plastic tab that held the cartridge in place!