My shower faucet is kind of old and the push button assembly (Delta single valve) broke off. I'd like to replace just that part rather than the entire system so I don't have to cut into the wall (behind the bathroom is a bedroom wall). Does the piece just screw off and the new piece screw in? If so, is there a good way to get it off? The piece seems to be on there pretty solidly considering its age and there's really not enough space to get a grip with a wrench. Any advice would be appreciated. I have to sell the house!

Most all Delta faucet parts are available for replacement without opening up the wall.

Exactly which push button assembly are you referring to?
Is it pictured here in this illustration?, or perhaps the 'button' is on the bathtub, (diverter) spout...



e-plumber
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"The society which scorns excellence in Plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an
exalted activity will have neither good Plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water." -
John William Gardner 10/8/1912 - 2/16/2002

Repair your leaking Plumbing fixtures ASAP [www.theplumber.com]
This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.

Buy the new diverter. Remove the large trim ring. Unscrew the old diverter with a 3/4" socket. Install the new one, it may have one side labeled "UP", and put everything back together.

It's part #8. Seeing in this picture it's obvious it unscrews (plus the end of the part is shaped similarly to a bolt) but it's pretty tight. I can't really get the wrench in to unscrew it either because the knob above it is in the way and the opening cut out of the wall isn't really large enough. It is only about half an inch to an inch around the push button. I'm sure there must be a way, I'm just not experienced in plumbing but it seems simple enough to do on my own.

Can't I just replace the button? I see they sell just that part. That seems a lot simpler than replacing the diverter. Could I replace the diverter through the existing opening? It seems like a tight space.

The diverter 'valve' is one piece that screws out of the faucet body and a new one goes in.
The round face plate needs to be taken off, maybe the faucet handle as well.

e-plumber
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The society which scorns excellence in Plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an
exalted activity will have neither good Plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water." -
John William Gardner 10/8/1912 - 2/16/2002

Repair your leaking Plumbing fixtures ASAP [www.theplumber.com]
This slow drip will waste 7+ gallons of water per day.

The diverter assembly, #8, is the part you need to replace. It is Delta part # RP5649. It is available from the sponsor of this forum, [www.plumbingsupply.com]

To service this valve, you need to remove the handle and the chrome trim escutcheon. They come off easily.

OK.... it seems simple enough. I get what you guys are saying about being able to just replace piece 8. This is my problem, though (refer to the diagram above)- I removed part 3 (the plastic knob) but everything behind that is still in place. I cant get a wrench to grab the fitting (with the wrench at a vertical angle) because the wall of the shower does not have a big enough hole underneath piece 8 (just enough to let it stick through) and at the top, pieces 4-7 are in the way. I definitely can't do anything with the wrench if it is horizontal, parallel with the ground. I'd like to know whether pieces 4-7 individually unscrew or pop off. I don't want to try too hard until I'm sure which they do. I see from the diagram that piece 5 comes off first but I want to be sure how it all comes apart before I apply force. It's old and there is some sediment around the pieces so I know force may be needed but I don't want to pull when I should be unscrewing or vice versa. I think that if I can get those pieces off then I will have more room to maneuver the wrench. Here is a picture so you can see what I'm talking about.



Edited 2 times.

put the trim ring back in place and use a pencil to out line it.take it off again.you need to remove a little of the tub wall to get clearance to put socket on diverter nut.i would use a hack saw blade to do this just dont get to close to the pencil line .

The button is what is broke and it is an integral part of the diverter. Replacing the diverter is no big deal if you just follow the previous steps to do it. Otherwise call a plumber.

Yeah, I understand what you mean. I previously misunderstood which part was called the diverter. I have purchased one. All I have to do now is manage to unscrew it.... things are pretty tight. Thanks for all your help, though! You guys are fast in responding. I appreciate it.

All you need is a 3/4" deep socket.

and clearance to get it on the nut.

IF you can see the diverter, there is adequate clearance.

Hi! We are in the middle of this problem right now and a 3/4" deep socket does not fit. It looks like 7/8" or 21mm? Are there earlier Delta faucet models this would fit? Ours is about 30 years old.
Thank you.