Snapped off Moen 1222 shower cartridge

[Ivan Blackford]

Hi all,

I have a friend with a snapped off Moen 1222 cartridge. I'm tasked with removing and replacing it. I've done one in the past years ago, and I struggled with it...the old cartridge came out one piece at a time, and it took a while. I'm looking for tips on how to remove it quickly without damaging anything. My plan is to drill out the brass and keep increasing the drill size until just the plastic shell remains, and then hopefully pull it out. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. Note that we live in a very hard water area, and I suspect that even if it weren't snapped off, it would require a removal tool to extract it.

Thanks in advance, Ivan

i

 

[Breplum]

Always a bear...done it many times...drill method obviously about the only way I've ever imagined.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

I have no experience. I am wondering if one person holds something over the cartridge, to catch the cartridge, and stop the water from spraying. Then a second person turns on the water, and see if the cartridge gets ejected by the water. Seems like it could work.

 

[Bannerman]

As it was not mentioned, the chrome bezel plate and the extension tube surrounding the brass valve will first need to be removed to gain access to remove the cartridge retainer clip. The retainer clip maybe easily pulled upward using needle nose plyers.

Each replacement cartridge comes equipped with a removal tool which may help with your predicament. The plastic tool is intended to be engaged over the notch on the plastic cartridge body surrounding the stem, and a wrench is to be utilized to twist the tool clockwise to twist the cartridge to loosen and dislodge it from the valve body. Vice Grips or a similar locking wrench maybe preferable since you can continue to place inward pressure on the tool to ensure it remains engaged with the cartridge while turning.

 

[Jeff H Young]

there is a good thread here on removing moen cartridges bunch of you tube videos as well. some people run a drywall screw into the white plastic and pull from those . but id have a look at a few videos

 

[Ivan Blackford]

Success! I may have stumbled upon a lesser known method:

I did the following method, based on a little inspiration from here and youtube:
1) Remove all the various covers and clips as if it were a normal cartridge removal
2) Drill the centre of the cartridge out with a 27/64" drill bit. You will want to drill through both the plastic and all of the brass. Eventually the drill will hit the stainless steel part of the cartridge. Stop drilling.
3) Tap the hole with a 1/2"-13 Tap. As the tap bottoms out past the brass part of the cartridge, it will start pushing against the stainless steel plug. As the tap goes deeper into the cartridge, the plug will push against the back of the valve, and push the cartridge out. If you don't want to risk getting your tap stuck in the stainless steel, you can switch out the tap for a bolt once the hole has been tapped all the way through.
4) Once enough of the cartridge body is clear of the valve, use pliers to twist and pull the cartridge out.
5) Spend the next 30mins or hour in the bathroom with the door closed, make sure to bang tools around and shout expletives loud enough that your significant other or client knows what a struggle it is.

 

[Jeff H Young]

congratulations they arent all that easy Ive pulled mostly 1200 (brass) and 1225 plastic . basically the version befor the 1222 came out all the 1222 were easy but I could have been lucky I used the 1/2 inch tap and bolt trick on the 1200 as well

 

[Ivan Blackford]

congratulations they arent all that easy Ive pulled mostly 1200 (brass) and 1225 plastic . basically the version befor the 1222 came out all the 1222 were easy but I could have been lucky I used the 1/2 inch tap and bolt trick on the 1200 as well

Yeah, I can't speak to other cartridges other than the type that I worked with, but if you have a similar model to mine, then the process works. It looks like there's a difference between the 1222 and 1222b? Anyone know what it might be?