Gerber Shower Valve Parts: How to Replace the 97-022 Kit
A single-handle Gerber Safetemp shower valve keeps the water temperature steady with a pressure balance spool inside the wall. Gerber says the valve meets ASSE 1016, and the ASSE describes this type of valve as one that senses the hot and cold supply pressures and compensates to maintain the water temperature at the outlet.
Our part page lists the signs that the parts in the middle of the valve are worn: the shower drips at the head or the tub spout, water weeps around the handle, the temperature creeps hotter mid-shower, or it surges hot when a toilet flushes elsewhere in the house. This guide names those parts, shows the order they come out in, and walks through the swap. It ends with a step that is easy to miss: setting the limit stop. If you are not sure your valve is a Gerber, start with our cartridge identification guide.
Is this your valve?
This guide is for single-handle Gerber Safetemp tub and shower valves. Gerber's instructions and parts list cover the 49-730, 49-731 and 49-733, and retailers list the same parts for the 49-400 and 49-700 series. Our part page puts it plainly: the original parts come out in pieces, a ribbed white bonnet with a brass stem on top, a white pressure balance spool below it, and a small splined limit stop on the stem. If the old part pulled out as one solid unit, you have a different Gerber series.
| If your valve is | It takes | This guide? |
|---|---|---|
| Safetemp, single handle: 49-730, 49-731, 49-733, and the 49-400 and 49-700 series | 97-022 stem and bonnet with the 97-014 spool | Yes |
| Safetemp II or Hardwater II, including GS-103 and GS-105 | 95-152 or 95-154 cartridge | No |
| 49-300 series | 97-510 ceramic cartridge | No |
| 49-600 or 49-800 pressure balance body | 97-013 cartridge | No |
| Treysta | The Treysta cartridge | No |
| Two or three handles | Separate hot and cold stems or cartridges | No, see below |
Fit from Gerber's parts list for the 49-730, 49-731 and 49-733, and from retailer listings for the rest: NYRP and Noel's for the 95-154 and 95-152, Noel's for the 97-510, F.W. Webb for the 97-013 and General Plumbing Supply for Treysta. Our part page lists the same valves as not compatible.
Not sure of the series, or want to match a different Gerber part? Our sister site keeps an index of Gerber stems and cartridges by part number, with the length and broach of each.
The four parts, and what to call them
The names are easy to mix up. Gerber's parts list calls the 97-014 the cartridge, while many retailers call the 97-022 the cartridge. So go by the part number, not the word.
| Gerber part | Gerber's name | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 92-294 | Safetemp Temperature Limit | Sets how far the handle can turn toward hot |
| 97-022 | Pressure Balance Stem and Bonnet assembly | The brass stem the handle turns, in its bonnet |
| 92-257 | O-Ring | The body O-ring |
| 97-014 | Pressure Balance Cartridge assembly | The pressure balance spool, below the stem and bonnet |
Gerber's instructions say: shut off main water supply before installation. Then open the shower handle to let the pressure out, as our part page says. Gerber also warns that this valve must be set by the installer to a safe maximum temperature, that any change in the setting may lead to hot water burns, and to not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Gerber recommends that plumbing products be installed by a licensed professional. Do not pry or force a part that will not come out. That point is the time to call a plumber, which is our own advice.
What you need
- The replacement kit: stem and bonnet, spool, limit stop and body O-ring. Our kit has all four in one box.
- A Phillips screwdriver and an adjustable wrench, which Gerber lists in its tools. Our part page adds a hex key for the handle and channel lock pliers for the bonnet nut.
- Silicone plumber's grease for the O-rings. Our install steps call for it; the Gerber sheets we read do not name a grease.
- A towel to cover the drain. Gerber's instructions say to cover your drain to avoid losing parts.
Step by step
Step 1: Shut off the water and let the pressure out
Shut off the main water supply, as Gerber says, then open the shower handle to let the pressure out. Cover the drain.
Step 2: Take off the handle, sleeve and escutcheon
Remove the handle. Our listing shows a set screw on the handle that takes a hex key, and Gerber's parts list includes a screw package for the trim. Then slide off the trim sleeve and take off the escutcheon, the round plate on the wall, as our listing image shows.
Step 3: Note how the stem sits, then loosen the bonnet nut
Before you take anything out, look at the brass stem. Gerber describes it as having a short flat side, and in a standard setup the cold supply is on the right and the hot on the left. A quick photo of how yours sits helps when it goes back in, which is our own tip. Pull the 92-294 limit stop off the stem, as Gerber's limit stop steps describe. Then unscrew the bonnet nut counterclockwise, as our part page says, with channel lock pliers if it is tight.
Step 4: Pull the stem and bonnet, then the spool
Pull the old stem and bonnet, then the spool below it, as our part page says. If the spool does not come out with a steady pull, stop. Prying at the valve body can damage it, and a stuck spool is a job for a plumber. That is our own advice.
Step 5: Grease the O-rings and fit the new spool first
Grease the O-rings on the new parts. Seat the new spool first, then the stem and bonnet, and thread the bonnet nut in hand-tight, as our part page says. If your supplies are reversed, hot on the right, Gerber says to rotate the brass stem 180 degrees so that the short flat side is up.
Step 6: Set the limit stop before the water goes on
Our part page says to set the 92-294 limit stop to your maximum hot before turning the water back on, or the handle can travel to full hot. Gerber's instructions give the steps: pull out the temperature limit stop, then rotate the limiter counterclockwise for cold and clockwise for hot. Gerber says not to exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit and that local plumbing code will specify the maximum setting.
Step 7: Put the trim back and check the temperature
Refit the escutcheon, the sleeve and the handle. Turn on the main water supply. Gerber's instructions say to check the water temperature and reset the limit stop if required. The ASSE paper recommends checking the outlet temperature with a thermometer. Gerber also says this valve does not automatically adjust for inlet temperature changes, so it suggests readjusting the stop for a cooler setting in summer and a warmer one in winter.
Two or three handles? You have stems, not this kit
A Gerber tub and shower valve with separate hot and cold handles does not use the 97-022 kit. Many older ones take compression stems: Gerber sells the 98-673 for the hot side and the 98-674 for the cold side, and retailers list the Danco 11B-1H/C stem for the Gerber BATH 60, 80, 82, 100, 582, 642 and 800. Gerber also sells 98-705 ceramic disc cartridges for two- and three-handle tub and shower valves, so shut off the water, back one out and look before you order.
Our stem replaces the 98-673 and 98-674 and serves either side. Stems for this Gerber application are sold in more than one length and broach pattern, so measure your old stem end to end and count the splines where the handle mounts before you order. The brass seat and the bonnet packing nut are not included. If a handle spins without turning the water on or off, our guide to a shower handle that spins freely covers the stem broach.
Cross-references
| Part | Aftermarket equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gerber 97-022 and 97-014 | Everbilt 43284 | Home Depot lists it as a direct replacement for both, 4-3/4 in. with a rectangular broach |
| Gerber 98-673 | Danco 11B-1H/C (15354B) | Danco's stem includes a faucet seat; ours does not |
When to stop and call a plumber
Each of these is our own advice, not a Gerber rule.
- The spool or the stem and bonnet will not come out with a steady pull.
- The bonnet nut will not turn, or the valve body moves when you turn it.
- Water leaks behind the wall or from the valve body, not only from the showerhead or spout.
- Your valve is not on the list above, or the old parts do not look like the kit.
For other signs that a shower cartridge is worn, see 5 signs your shower cartridge needs replacing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Gerber 97-022 the same part as the 97-014?
No. They are two parts that work together in the same valve. Gerber's repair parts list for the 49-730, 49-731 and 49-733 valves names the 97-022 the Pressure Balance Stem and Bonnet assembly and the 97-014 the Pressure Balance Cartridge assembly, which sits below it. Retailers often call the 97-022 a cartridge and the 97-014 a spool. Our kit has both, plus the 92-294 limit stop and the 92-257 O-ring.
Will this kit fit a Gerber Safetemp II valve?
No. Retailers list the 95-152 and 95-154 cartridges for Safetemp II and Hardwater II valves, including the GS-103 and GS-105, and our part page lists Safetemp II as not compatible. Check the series on your valve before you order.
Why is the shower too hot after the repair?
The temperature limit stop sets how far the handle can travel toward hot. Gerber's instructions say to pull out the limit stop and rotate it counterclockwise for cold and clockwise for hot, and warn not to exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Set it before anyone showers, and check the water temperature after.
Do I need to shut off the main water supply?
Gerber's instructions say to shut off the main water supply before installation. Gerber sells the 49-730 and 49-731 without stops and the 49-733 with a stop, but the instructions we read start at the main, so we do too.
Does the 97-022 kit fit a two-handle or three-handle Gerber shower?
No. Those valves use separate hot and cold parts. Many older ones take compression stems such as the Gerber 98-673 hot and 98-674 cold, and Gerber also sells 98-705 ceramic disc cartridges for two- and three-handle tub and shower valves. Shut off the water, then back one out and match it before you order.
Sources
The steps above come from these pages and from our own part pages, except where a step says the advice is our own. We opened each one on October 12, 2026. Retailer pages are used only for part numbers and fit, where we could not open a Gerber page.
- Gerber, Safetemp Pressure Balance Tub and Shower Faucet installation instructions, 49-730, 49-731, 49-733 (rev 06/23) (water off, stem orientation, limit stop, 120 degrees, ASSE 1016).
- Gerber, Safetemp and Hardwater Pressure Balance instructions with repair parts list (rev 10/17), hosted by PlumbersStock (part names and numbers, cover the drain).
- Gerber, Safetemp Pressure Balance Valve spec sheet (rev 12/20), hosted by PlumbersStock (with and without stops).
- ASSE International Scald Awareness Task Group, Adjustment of Automatic Compensating Valves to Prevent Potential Scald Hazards.
- Retailer fit and part numbers: Wal-Rich Safetemp set for 49-400 and 49-700, NYRP 95-154, Noel's 95-152, Noel's 97-510, F.W. Webb 97-013, General Plumbing Supply, Treysta.
- Two-handle parts: SupplyHouse, Gerber 98-673, PlumbersStock, Gerber 98-674, SupplyHouse, Gerber 98-705, The Home Depot, Danco 11B-1H/C and HD Supply, Danco 11B-1H/C.
- The Home Depot, Everbilt 43284.
- FourHome part pages: Gerber 97-022 and 97-014 kit and Gerber 98-673 and 98-674 stem.
Replacement parts for Gerber, Moen, Delta, Kohler, Pfister, Sayco and more, shipped from Amazon fulfillment centers with Prime delivery.
See the full FourHome assortment on AmazonFourHome is an independent brand and is not affiliated with Gerber, Everbilt, Danco, ASSE International or the retailers cited. Brand names and part numbers are used only to identify compatibility or to cite their published instructions. Shut the water off first, set the limit stop before anyone showers, and call a licensed plumber for anything beyond a parts swap.
FourHome is not affiliated with or endorsed by any faucet manufacturer. Brand names and part numbers are used only to identify compatibility.