# 2-handle gerber tub/shower faucet installed 1978



## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

customer has a 2-handle gerber tub/shower faucet with compression stems and brass seats,gerber makes a ceramic stem to take the place of the compression and seat,got them in the other day,removed the seat,installed the ceramic stems and it was a full flow of water coming out of both of them,hot and cold,could not get them to work,would not shut water off,wouldnt control water at all,seemed like the washer at the bottom of the ceramic stem wasnt big enough to completely cover the seat hole,allowing water around it.anybody had this happen to you????i called gerber and they say it should work,its the only ceramic stems they make for a two handle faucet and that the valve bodys are all the same????any thoughts??????


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

Are the seats supposed to be removed? I can't see it sealing right without some sort of seat in there.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Marlin said:


> Are the seats supposed to be removed? I can't see it sealing right without some sort of seat in there.


They say the seats are to be removed,I may try it with the seats,but they say to remove the seats which i did


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

sparky said:


> They say the seats are to be removed,I may try it with the seats,but they say to remove the seats which i did


I think the tech support is wrong. You have to have seats in there due to the design of the old faucet. The end of the stems have to press against something. Without seats there's nothing for the end of the ceramic disc stems to press against. Maybe they were thinking you had a newer version.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

I would think that ceramic discs setting against a brass seat would not last very long


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

If you replaced it with one like this, then you do need the seats in the valve body. The washer on the bottom makes the seal against the seat and does not rotate with the handle, the ceramic disc is where the notch is near the bottom.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

sparky said:


> customer has a 2-handle gerber tub/shower faucet with compression stems and brass seats,gerber makes a ceramic stem to take the place of the compression and seat,got them in the other day,removed the seat,installed the ceramic stems and it was a full flow of water coming out of both of them,hot and cold,could not get them to work,would not shut water off,wouldnt control water at all,seemed like the washer at the bottom of the ceramic stem wasnt big enough to completely cover the seat hole,allowing water around it.anybody had this happen to you????i called gerber and they say it should work,its the only ceramic stems they make for a two handle faucet and that the valve bodys are all the same????any thoughts??????


 Those two handles T/S are not allowed..... so install a MOENTROL and be a her0..


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

chonkie said:


> If you replaced it with one like this, then you do need the seats in the valve body. The washer on the bottom makes the seal against the seat and does not rotate with the handle, the ceramic disc is where the notch is near the bottom.


This is the exact same stem I tried to install in that tub,sounds like I need to leave the seats in there,thanks guys:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

This reminds me of a funny story....I was an apprentice working with an experienced journeyman. He related a story once. 

A green journeyman called my journeyman for advice ; he {the green j-man} was replacing stems in a tub valve and after replacing the stems, the tub spout was still dripping. So the greenhorn calls the more senior plumber to ask for advice. 

The seasoned plumber asks the greenhorn, "Did you check the seats?"

The greenhorn responds, "What does the toilet seat have to do with it?"....:laughing:


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Tommy plumber said:


> This reminds me of a funny story....I was an apprentice working with an experienced journeyman. He related a story once.
> 
> A green journeyman called my journeyman for advice ; he {the green j-man} was replacing stems in a tub valve and after replacing the stems, the tub spout was still dripping. So the greenhorn calls the more senior plumber to ask for advice.
> 
> ...


Ok enough already,I admit I'm not the worlds expert when it comes to faucet repair,but far from the worst,I mean if two different gerber "technicians" said that the ceramic stems would not work unless the seats are removed,why would anyone think different????lolololololo


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

plumbdrum said:


> I would think that ceramic discs setting against a brass seat would not last very long


At the bottom of the stem a small washer holds the two ceramic discs in place. The washer does not function like a standard compression stem.. Its like any ceramic disc stem with that washer at the bottom that's sometimes red or blue for hot or cold or even black. Its what sits against the inlet ports and seals the stem at the bottom. On an old style faucet that is being converted you would have to have something for the stem to seal against and the old seat is the way to do that.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

sparky said:


> Ok enough already,I admit I'm not the worlds expert when it comes to faucet repair,but far from the worst,I mean if two different gerber "technicians" said that the ceramic stems would not work unless the seats are removed,why would anyone think different????lolololololo


If I hadn't known already I would have been just as confused as you are and would have doubted myself. But tech support can still sometimes be wrong.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

sparky said:


> Ok enough already,I admit I'm not the worlds expert when it comes to faucet repair,but far from the worst,I mean if two different gerber "technicians" said that the ceramic stems would not work unless the seats are removed,why would anyone think different????lolololololo














Sorry Sparky if I implied that you were a greenhorn; I was merely relating a story that had been told to me years ago. 

I don't fault you for removing the seats and not replacing them. If the mfg. led one to believe the seats were to be removed and left out with their fancy new ceramic disc stems, then one should do it the way the mfg indicates until it gets field tested.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Tommy plumber said:


> Sorry Sparky if I implied that you were a greenhorn; I was merely relating a story that had been told to me years ago.
> 
> I don't fault you for removing the seats and not replacing them. If the mfg. led one to believe the seats were to be removed and left out with their fancy new ceramic disc stems, then one should do it the way the mfg indicates until it gets field tested.


Oh no I'm was just joshin with you,no worrys from me brother:thumbup::thumbup:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

sparky said:


> Oh no I'm was just joshin with you,no worrys from me brother:thumbup::thumbup:












Excellent!.....:thumbsup:

It is difficult {if not impossible} to convey our tone of voice, joking style, etc. with the keyboard.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

*Update*

Just wanted to let yall know that I went back to install the new ceramic stems in the 2-handle gerber tub faucet.well I removed the compression stems,left the seats in the valve body and installed the cold ceramic stem against the seat.it shut the water off but it would not quit leaking around the seat,where the washer contacts the seat.i said wtf is goin on???so just for poops and giggles,I removed the seat and installed the ceramic stem in the valve body,IT WORKED!!!so I do the same on the hot,remove the seat screw the ceramic stem into the valve body and bam,,it worked,just as the gerber techs said it would!!all I can figure out is the first set of ceramic stems that I tried to install the other day where broke,and allowing water to run continiously,that is all I can figure out,but I did have to remove the seats to install the ceramic stems in place of the compression stems,go figure


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

I guess we were wrong in this case. There are ones just like that where you do leave the seats in though. Thanks for updating us.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

chonkie said:


> I guess we were wrong in this case. There are ones just like that where you do leave the seats in though. Thanks for updating us.


I know man I was about to throw the towel in and install a moentrol Lololo,but on the hot side when I screwed the stem in with the seat in place it kept leaking at the end of the stem at the seat,so I tight her up more and more tryin to stop leak,well the ceramic busted where the seat went thru the bottom of the stem,luckily I had another set that gerber had sent me,so I removed the seat and it worked,now I do know on central brss compression faucets,if you change out to the ceramic stems you have to remove the seats for the ceramic stems to work.it was weird to say the least,heck I was tryin to find different seats with a larger head area for the ceramic stem to go against,it was crazy:laughing:


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Sorry for steering you in the wrong direction. At least we all learned something. It's tough to retain everything about everything like Redwood. Lol.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

sparky said:


> Just wanted to let yall know that I went back to install the new ceramic stems in the 2-handle gerber tub faucet.well I removed the compression stems,left the seats in the valve body and installed the cold ceramic stem against the seat.it shut the water off but it would not quit leaking around the seat,where the washer contacts the seat.i said wtf is goin on???so just for poops and giggles,I removed the seat and installed the ceramic stem in the valve body,IT WORKED!!!so I do the same on the hot,remove the seat screw the ceramic stem into the valve body and bam,,it worked,just as the gerber techs said it would!!all I can figure out is the first set of ceramic stems that I tried to install the other day where broke,and allowing water to run continiously,that is all I can figure out,but I did have to remove the seats to install the ceramic stems in place of the compression stems,go figure


Glad you got it sorted out.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

chonkie said:


> Sorry for steering you in the wrong direction. At least we all learned something. It's tough to retain everything about everything like Redwood. Lol.


No brother I was really hoping you were right,that gerber tech did say that sometimes the ceramic stems get broke but I didn't believe her,guess she showed me :laughing:lololo,I appreciate the help chonkie


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