Over the years, your Delta bathtub faucet may begin to show some leak, which is a common problem that can be often solved with a new rubber seat and spring. Even a small leak can waste a substantial volume of water each day, so you might want to fix it for the sake of your water bill. This faucet repair guide will show you how to repair this type of problem without seeking the help of professionals.
1. Secure the things that you will need, including a 1/8-inch Allen wrench, tongue-and-groove pliers, needle-nose pliers, screwdriver, new rubber seat and spring, stem grease and possibly a new stem.
2. Turn off the hot and cold water supply valves that are located underneath your sink and then turn on the tub faucet to completely let the last of the water drain out the water lines.
3. Using a screwdriver or an Allen wrench, remove the handle but you have to remove the screw cover first. Then, lift off the handle, though in some instances, you have to remove the cap from the top of the handle to be able to access the screw.
4. Once the handles are removed, you can access the bonnet nut that is holding the stem in place. Since the seat and spring are situated under the stem, you will need to remove it. With the use of a pair of pliers or a crescent wrench, unscrew the bonnet nut and pull it straight up.
5. To remove the adjusting ring, unscrew the dome-shaped cap by placing a piece of cloth over the cap to provide you with proper grip and then use the tongue-and-groove pliers to unscrew it. Make sure not to use too much pressure in removing the cap or it might bend.
6. Pull the round metal stem out, but during the process, make sure you remove the ball and the piece called the “cam and packing”. If your faucet is dripping from here, replacing this component should resolve the problem.
7. Check the valve and you will see a small mechanism that is called the seat and spring, where the former is a small circular part and the latter is located underneath the seat. With your Allen wrench, you can pry out these components for both hot and cold water.
8. Insert the new set of seat and spring into the holes, and then thread one set onto your Allen wrench through the seat’s flat side and through the spring’s skinny end. Use your wrench to tip the seat and spring on to the valve hole.
9. Replace the ball assembly by aligning the valve and the pin to the slot on the ball and then replace the cam and packing in a way that it aligns the tab on the cam with the slot on the valve. Only using your hand, screw the cap on the valve and replace the adjusting ring, tightening it with needle-nose pliers. By this time, you can reinstall the handle.
10. Turn the water back on to see if you have fixed the leak.
By following these steps, you have fixed the leak of your Delta bathtub faucet!
