Perhaps you started a plumbing project that involved disassembling your Moen single-handle kitchen faucet. The project was only supposed to take half an hour, tops, and you’re a few hours in. Or, maybe you need to disassemble the faucet and have absolutely no idea where to begin.
Either way, it’s frustrating, particularly when a quick fix magically multiplies into a day-long affair. Luckily, we’re here to help. So, if you’re in a bind, trying to disassemble (or reassemble) your Moen one-handle kitchen faucet, you’re in the right place.
Parts Of A Moen Faucet
All faucets are slightly different, yet they share the same basic components. We’ve found that it can be helpful to know what each of these little parts is and where it goes in the grand scheme of things. This is where a Moen faucet repair diagram comes in handy.
Generic Body Diagram
Moen provides installation instructions with its kitchen faucets. For a generic profile view of Moen’s single-handle kitchen faucets, let’s look at the diagram accompanying the 7200 model series faucet.
Let’s start with the picture that isolates the faucet set-up from the below-counter attachments. If you look in the middle, you’ll see the support block. This is the basement that your faucet rests on above the counter. Anything that sits above it is visible; anything below it is beneath the countertop.
Obviously, the spout, handle lever, and spray head sit above the countertop. Beneath the spray head, you’ll also see the escutcheon. These components are the generic components most of us think of when we consider a faucet.
Now, moving below the support block, look at the parts hidden underneath the counter. You’ll see the supply lines that join up with your water supply lines, as well as the spray hose. A deck gasket organizes the hose.
You’ll see the threaded diameters within the body flat, located underneath the support block. These are helpful for measuring the deck thickness. Also, beneath the counter, there is a washer and a locknut.
The diagrams offer specific measurements that are important bits of information critical for proper assembly. These measurements include:
- Distance from spout head to base: 130mm
- Distance from spout base to spray base: 102mm
- Distance from base to handle top: 171mm
- Maximum deck thickness: 19mm
Components Within The Faucet
Within the faucet itself, there are various small parts, each vital for proper faucet function. This diagram gives us a breakdown of these components. The diagram displays each part as it fits into the assembly.
If you completely disassembled the faucet itself, you may find this diagram a helpful tool to organize the parts in the order they fit in. Generally, you’ll need to disassemble the faucet, either partially or fully, to change the cartridge or O-rings.
Cartridge Diagram
The cartridge is a vital component in your Moen single-handle faucet. You’ll find it beneath the handle, hidden within the faucet. Its purpose in the faucet is to regulate water flow. It seals off water flow, preventing it from leaking out when the faucet is off. If your faucet is leaking, the cartridge might be the culprit.
The cartridge assembly has two parts: the valve body and the spout body. The valve body sits above the spout body and serves as the seal. The cartridge stem is the main portion of the cartridge, as it is where the water emanates from.
Other parts within the cartridge assembly include the spout seals and the clip and sleeve ear.
Here is a link to the instructions on the Moen website.
How To Disassemble A Moen Single-Handle Kitchen Faucet
If you haven’t disassembled the faucet yet, use this guide. If you already took it apart, jump to the next section for a detailed description on reassembling each component. As with any plumbing project, start by turning the hot and cold water supply lines beneath the sink off.
Some sinks don’t have an isolated shut-off valve specific to the sink. In that case, you’ll have to shut off the water supply to the entire house. Be sure to warn your family, so there aren’t any unexpected surprises (oops, someone is stranded in the shower).
Once you shut off the water, either to the sink or the entire house, drain both water supply lines. Do this by turning on the faucet to relieve pressure, ensuring the water is entirely off and there isn’t water in the lines waiting to give you an impromptu shower.
Here’s what you’ll need for the project:
- A flat-bladed tool of your choice
- Philips screwdriver
- Moen cartridge twisting tool or Moen cartridge puller
- Pliers
- Allen wrench
- Replacement parts (as necessary)
Cover the drain with a small towel to prevent any parts from escaping down the drain. Next, take a flat-bladed tool and carefully pry off the handle cover. Using a Philips screwdriver, remove the handle screw. Lift the handle up and remove it.
Remove the collar and pivot retainer once the handle is out of the way. Next, unscrew the retainer nut and thrust washer and remove both. Using the screwdriver, pry out the cartridge clip.
Moen has specific cartridge twisting tools that you can use for this next step. Otherwise, you can use a Moen cartridge puller. Using the tool of choice, wiggle the cartridge shell back and forth to get it to loosen. Once it’s loose and moveable, use a pair of pliers to grip the cartridge and pull it up and out of the faucet body.
Now that the faucet is in its major pieces, you can complete whatever repair or replacement is necessary. To reassemble the faucet, backtrack these steps or jump to the next section, where we explain it in detail.
Reassembling A Moen Single-Handle Kitchen Faucet
If you have already disassembled the faucet and are at a loss when it comes to putting it back together, we’re here to help. So you don’t have to backtrack the detailed disassembly process carefully we outlined above, we’ll review each step of piecing the faucet back together.
Before you start, make sure all of the necessary pieces are within easy reach. Start by aligning the cartridge sleeve ears with the slots in the valve body, front to back. Then, with the cartridge stem facing up, insert it into the assembly by pushing firmly down on the top of the cartridge sleeve ears.
Next, re-install the cartridge clip, as well as the retainer nut and thrust washer. Replace the pivot retainer, taking care to face the grooves towards the back of the faucet. Fit the collar back into place and tighten it by hand until snug.
Hook the handle lug into the pivot retainer groove, ensuring the cartridge stem notch faces forward. Carefully align the handle connector with the cartridge stem, then gently push the handle into place on the cartridge stem.
Screw in the handle screw, then press on the handle cap. Once the faucet is back into place, re-install the faucet to fix it to the countertop and reconnect the water supply lines (if applicable). After everything is hooked up and in its proper place, turn the water supply on and check your handiwork.