Pfister Avante won't stay in place

[clix]

I have a Price Pfister Avante (push/pull on/off, twist to mix) shower valve. I replaced the cartridge the other day but when I went to reinstall the retaining nut, it seemed as though brass valve where the retaining nut screws into was enlarged slightly and the retainer nut would not engage the threads very well. My only guess is that the last time someone replaced the cartridge, they cross threaded the retaining nut and forced the opening on the valve to become slightly enlarged. (The chrome trim that slides over the valve was very tight to pull off. My other shower where I have replaced the cartridge with the same valve, the chrome trim slides on and off easily.)

Is this something folks have run into before and is there an easy way to address this without replacing the valve?

The only things I can think of are (i) trying to find a new retaining nut that might be slightly larger or that might have deeper threads that might engage better or (ii) trying to gently compress the brass into a shape that will engage the retaining nut. When I look at the valve opening, it isn't perfectly round so I'm thinking option (ii) is the way to handle it and that by compressing things where the valve is split on top and bottom would make the valve opening more round in shape and may enable the retaining nut to stay in place. I've linked a picture from another thread to show the "split" I'm referring to where I think I could compress the valve a bit to get the retaining nut to engage.

As always, thanks for any suggestions or tips.

 

[Dj2]

From what you're describing, this rough in is shot. Avante faucets were popular in the 70s, but today you can get better faucets for reasonable prices.
I would not waste any time and money trying to deal with this rough in, and replace it.
You can get a Moen, body and trim, for under $100. Other house brands for even less. Some with life time warranty.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[MACPLUMB]

Like dj2 posted time to replace that shower valve complete, !

 

[clix]

Thanks, that's what I was thinking might be the answer. I went ahead and tried to re-form the valve opening a bit and the retaining nut has stayed in place and the valve works now but I'm going to replace the valve when I have time, just to avoid a bigger headache down the road in the event my "fix" doesn't hold.

From what you're describing, this rough in is shot. Avante faucets were popular in the 70s, but today you can get better faucets for reasonable prices.
I would not waste any time and money trying to deal with this rough in, and replace it.
You can get a Moen, body and trim, for under $100. Other house brands for even less. Some with life time warranty.