# Stuck Moen cartridge



## dcentuori (May 21, 2011)

I have two Moen faucets, both two handle sinks, with leaks and I can't get the darned cartridge out! The nice diagram shows one had with a needle nose pliers sliding the old cartridge out with ease. Silly me to believe that...

Any advice out there? If it helps, the kitchen faucet is a model 87400 and my bath sink is a 4720. Both use the 1224 cartridge.

Thanks!

Dante


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Go get a Moen cartridge puller---About $12.-(Home Depot)---It is a must have tool---if you snap off the stem with a pair of pliers you will not be happy.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Google Image Result for http://www.moen.com/shared/images/ko_weblarge/104421.jpg

Good luck!!!


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

I used the old "Alan style" method again the other day, and ended up snapping my first stem off after about a minute of pulling. 

I did get enough of the cartridge out to grab ahold of the plastic part though. 

:thumbsup:

I would love to have a puller. My boss says they cost too much for what they do. Eh I don't care, it all pays the same.


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## dcentuori (May 21, 2011)

Thanks. I'm glad I aborted what I thought was a simple repair attempt at 9pm the other night. A snapped cartridge and no kitchen water really would have landed me in the doghouse! "Retreat is the better part of valor"...especially in home repair 3 days before Thanksgiving!!

Dante


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## dcentuori (May 21, 2011)

Hmmm. I just took a closer look at that cartridge puller before I left work and I see it says it is for 1200 or 1225 or 1222 cartridges, not 1224. I'll stop by Home Depot on the assumption that there is one for a1224 on the rack, and what Oh'Mike posted was just an example of the kind of tool to look for.

But if anyone knows for sure if this will or will not work on a 1224, please let me know!

Thanks,

Dante


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## broox (Nov 30, 2010)

I think the puller that everyone is describing is for a single handle valve, but I believe you say you have a two handle and I don't think they have a puller for the two handle. I think you just really have to pull on it.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

broox said:


> I think the puller that everyone is describing is for a single handle valve, but I believe you say you have a two handle and I don't think they have a puller for the two handle. I think you just really have to pull on it.


We have one smart fellow---Thank you Broox--

Forget what I said---that is for the single handle only---Let me google up instruction for your TWO handle moen---


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Installation Help / Animated Tutorials for Moen Faucet


Once you remove the cap nut those usually just pop right out with a pair of pliers--Alan Style--

I never needed a puller for one of those---I'll see if there is a puller made for those......


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## dcentuori (May 21, 2011)

OK, this helps. The illustrations in that link are identical to what came with the cartridge, but the addition of instructions in full sentences helps immensely! It seems I may need "tool #14272" to get that last locking ring off my widespread kitchen faucet. However, my bath fixture is the 2" one, and according to this it should be coming off, but it's not.

I guess this is mostly ergonomics. I'm sure I could pull that cartridge out if I could stand on the sink and pull it straight up. But I'm leaning 2' over the sink and trying to yank that sucker out from under a medicine cabinet with 3" of clearance. Any suggestions on how to get leverage? I'm thinking of modifying either my battery cable puller or faucet removal tool. Chiseling it out may be an option at some point....

Dante


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Clamp a pair of vice grips onto the stem---then tap upward on the vice grips using a small heave tool like a pair of linemens pliers---that works for me---


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Did you make sure to leave it in the on position when you try to pull it out? That helps break the suction.

Other than that, it shouldn't be that hard to get out. You're sure you got the nut off of it that holds it down?


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## dcentuori (May 21, 2011)

I will start off by saying: No, I am not trying to fix this faucet at 9:30pm the night before Thanksgiving!

But I did try to size up the kitchen faucet situation. I picked up that "tool #14272" today, but that doesn't appear to be what I need. Even though it is the 4" widespread, it doesn't appear to have a place where that tool would fit, nor does it have the stem extensions.

If it helps, here is a link to the exploded diagram of my model:

http://www.moen.com/shared/docs/exploded-parts-views/87400pt.pdf

Before I start trying to yank the cartridge, I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

Thanks!
Dante


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## OhioHomeDoctor (Sep 27, 2011)

dcentuori said:


> I will start off by saying: No, I am not trying to fix this faucet at 9:30pm the night before Thanksgiving!
> 
> But I did try to size up the kitchen faucet situation. I picked up that "tool #14272" today, but that doesn't appear to be what I need. Even though it is the 4" widespread, it doesn't appear to have a place where that tool would fit, nor does it have the stem extensions.
> 
> ...


:thumbsup:


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

what I do is grab with channel locks use small block of wood pry up against locks pops right out.....leverage is the answer.....


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## zircon (Sep 24, 2007)

The cartridge is round. Grab the stem with pliers and turn the cartridge a quarter or half turn. It will break it loose and it will lift right out. Put a thin coat of plumbers waterproof grease on the new cartridge before installing.


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## dcentuori (May 21, 2011)

Thanks, I got one out! (Did I update this to say I discovered I had two Moen faucets dripping?) Next I'll do the kitchen faucet. Then that drippy Delta in the other bathroom....

Dante


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## dcentuori (May 21, 2011)

Got it! Thanks for the help. I just didn't want to force something out until I was sure there wasn't something I was missing. They were both stuck in there real good! 

And as an aside, I used this opportunity to take apart all the handles and really clean out the gunk....whoa... And I bought these fixtures new 5 years ago. I'm glad I took apart the sprayer hose too!

Dante


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## alexcobav (Jul 18, 2014)

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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Alex--start a new thread on this---you aren't the first one to do this---but member seldom want to read the whole thread to see what's going on---Mike---


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