Kingston Brass Tub and Shower Faucets: Complete Set, Trim Only or Valve Only, and Which Tub Spout

The Kingston Brass KB2631DX and KB2631DXTSO have a lot in common: both are Concord, polished chrome, with a single cross handle on a 7-1/2 inch faceplate. The first is a complete tub and shower faucet. The second is a shower trim only, and Kingston tells you to buy the KB3631V valve to finish it. Before you compare finishes, check what each listing includes, then choose the tub spout.

Complete set, trim only or valve only: what each listing includes

Kingston's site lists these products under separate headings, among them Tub and Shower Faucets, Tub Only Faucets, Trim Only, Rough-In Shower Valves and Tub Spouts. On the product pages we checked, the title and the feature list say what comes with the item. Five examples from Kingston's pages, a selection rather than the full range:

The title carries the difference: the KB6341BXTO spec sheet reads Tub and Shower Faucet, Tub Only, the KB2631DXTSO page Shower Faucet, Trim Only, and the KB3631V spec sheet Valve Only. In these examples the letters at the end of the number follow the title (TO, TSO, V), but go by the title and the feature lines, not by the letters alone. Our guide to Kingston Brass model numbers and finish codes explains the rest of the number.

Trim only: buy the valve the trim page names

Kingston's article How to Choose a Rough-In Valve for Your Shower says each rough-in valve is generally designed to fit specific trim, and the two are usually not interchangeable.

The Kingston page for the KB2631DXTSO Concord shower trim names its valve: "Must purchase valve item # KB3631V to complete trim kit". Its Compatible Parts box lists the same valve, and the feature list adds that the tub spout and the cartridge are sold separately. On the KB3631V page, a Duraseal washerless cartridge is listed among the valve's features. Before you order a trim on its own, look for that valve line on the trim's Kingston page. No such line? Send us the trim number first.

Which tub spout: with or without a diverter

A tub and shower valve feeds two outlets. Kingston's rough-in article describes a shower mixer valve with two inlets, hot and cold, and two outlets, one for the showerhead and one for the spout. The diverter is the part that switches the water between them. In Why Won't the Water Flow from My Tub Spout Switch to the Showerhead?, Kingston explains that where the diverter sits depends on the valve. It may be on the spout, on the valve itself as a button or lever right below the handle, or, in some showers, an independent diverter in the wall above the valve.

Two Kingston spouts show the choice:

• K2189T0, a 10 inch Shower Scape spout: integrated diverter on top of the spout for switching between tub and shower, standard 1/2"-14 NPT connection, 8-15/16 inch spout reach.
• K187E5, a 5-5/16 inch Shower Scape spout: listed as a tub faucet spout without diverter, standard 1/2"-14 NPT connection, with a 3-1/16 inch decorative flange.

The complete KB2631DX set has its diverter on the spout; its page lists "Diverter included on tub spout". The KB3638ALSO and KB2631DXTSO pages say the tub spout is sold separately but do not name one. Send us the faucet or trim number before you choose a spout with or without a diverter.

Both spout pages link an installation sheet. The one linked on the K2189T0 page gives separate steps for four connections: 1/2 inch copper pipe, a 1/2 inch male pipe with a threaded end, a 1/2 inch male threaded connection and a 3/4 inch male threaded connection. For copper, the pipe should extend at least 1 inch and at most 2 inches from the finished wall. Those figures come from the sheet for the K2189T0; the K187E5 page links installation instructions of its own.

KB3631V rough-in valve: figures from its installation instructions

The KB3631V is a Kingston pressure balanced tub and shower valve, with shut-off stops that close with a screwdriver. The figures below come from its installation instructions (PDF) and apply to this valve only:

• The valve goes 1-5/8 inches from the centerline of the inlets to the surface of the finished wall.
• A minimum of 8 inches from the bottom outlet to the tub spout elbow.
• For the tub outlet, a stub-out with a 1/2 inch male fitting thread protruding 4-1/4 inches from the finished wall, drawn in the sheet with a threaded tub spout.
• No PEX piping between the valve and the tub spout. According to the sheet, it restricts the flow, creates back pressure and makes water drip from the showerhead.
• Back-to-back bathrooms: the valve's reversible cartridge lets you change the direction of the water supply without moving the pipes. One of the steps is to turn the valve stem a full 180 degrees.

Other Kingston sheets give figures of their own. The KB2631DX spec sheet, for example, marks Min 1 inch and Max 1-5/8 inch on the side view of the valve, and the KB6341BXTO spec sheet marks Min 1-5/8 inch and Max 2-3/8 inch. Work from the sheet for your model and from your local plumbing code. Kingston's rough-in article also recommends consulting a professional or the valve manufacturer's manual.

Pressure balanced valve and the temperature limit ring

Kingston describes the KB3631V as pressure balanced to prevent spikes in water temperature, and the pages of the three faucet sets in the table that include a valve say the same. Kingston's rough-in article adds that a pressure balance valve does not regulate the overall water pressure. It balances the ratio of hot and cold water. The KB3631V instructions also describe a temperature limiting feature: a ring on the cartridge that limits the range of motion of the lever, with the steps to set it.

Kingston Brass tub and shower faucets at The Builders Supply

• Shower faucets and showerheads: Kingston faucet sets, shower trims and rough-in valves
• Bathtubs and tub faucets: Kingston tub only faucets and tub spouts
• All Kingston Brass products
• A worn cartridge in a Kingston faucet: Kingston Brass faucet cartridges

Have the faucet, trim or valve number at hand when you get in touch. Our customer support team is available Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM Central Time, at 1-888-800-7789 or [email protected].