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Review on πŸ”§ Kohler GP77548 Coralais Valve Kit - White by Robert Ryokan

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Upgrade your faucet

My Kohler Fairfax single stage faucet seemed sturdy and flashy. It had to be that cartridge, and it was. It's silky soft now and I feel a lot better washing myself since I also replaced the body spray (different review). You can watch a specific video channel you know and get instructions. Of course, dismantling an old faucet is not that easy. Here's how: 1. Lift the top/cold cover.2. Remove the screw (some may have Allen screws, I had a Phillips screw). Be careful as they may get stuck.3. Remove the lever assembly. It can also get stuck. Pick it up and somehow push it away. If it's still sticking, take a piece of wood about 3/4 thick, push on the lever from the front and place the wood between the back of the lever dome and the ledge on the piece underneath. Lift the handle and the lever assembly will release.4. Now there's a domed thing with a hole in the middle where the top of the valve sticks out. Unscrew it. Mine was pretty light but some might stick. It is IMPORTANT that the faucet body does not rotate as this will ruin the small hoses that screw into the faucet. You can buy them, but they're expensive and usually only available online. You could try penetrating oil or maybe a hair dryer, a tricky way to grab things and twist them off. Now there is a latch holding the valve. It can also get stuck. Lift the pivoting faucet up and hold the bottom with a pipe wrench or pair of curved pliers so you can push on the top nut fairly firmly. The bottom wrench should be on the thin underside, not on top where the faucet parts rotate. Again, no part of the housing must rotate.6. Raise the valve. There is a pad on the underside. Make sure the old one is out of the faucet. Sometimes they detach from the old valve and you don't need two gaskets. Insert a new one. Please note that there are two tabs on the valve that fit into the notches on the valve.7. With the rotating part of the faucet turned off, clean the surfaces and lubricate the O-rings with silicone grease. I suggest ordering a set of o-rings at the same time as the valve, it's pretty cheap and comes with lube. The faucet will leak at the base if these seals are bad. The turning movement becomes beautiful again. If something is really stuck, take out the faucet and sort it out on the bench. Assembly is easier than disassembling old plumbing parts. You have a beautiful, elegant faucet that wasn't cheap to buy, comes with parts to fix it, and will likely last for decades. I did everything above and now it's like new.

Pros
  • Great for a small home
Cons
  • A dubious purchase for seniors