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Quick answer from a licensed plumber: Kohler sells Rite-Temp trims “trim only” for a Rite-Temp valve, so the first check is the valve number: the older K-304-K / K-304-KS (the -K is now marked discontinued) or the current K-8304, both 1/2-inch pressure-balancing bodies sold for “Rite-Temp valve trim” (Kohler’s deep rough-in article also covers the K-305, K-306, K-11748 and K-2971). Kohler’s Purist Rite-Temp trim page recommends the thermostatic K-28304-KS-NA as its valve, so that body takes the same trim; its cartridge is different. If the valve sits too deep, Kohler’s deep rough-in kit chart is by trim collection, and the K-8304 uses the universal 10350-NA.
A current trim and valve pair: the Kohler TS35320-4-CP Elate Rite-Temp valve trim on the Kohler 8304-K-NA Rite-Temp valve body and cartridge kit (both Amazon-sold on September 25, 2026).
Step 1: Which Rite-Temp Valve Is in the Wall
Kohler’s trim pages say the trim is only half the product: “Trim only; requires valve to complete installation (sold separately).” The valve that matters for most homes is the 1/2-inch Rite-Temp, and Kohler has sold it under two body numbers. The K-304 is the older one: Kohler’s K-304-K page now carries a “Discontinued” flag, and lists it as a “Mixing valve cycles from "cold" to "hot"” with a “Rite-Temp® pressure-balancing diaphragm design” and “Antiscald protection”; the -K is “Without screwdriver stops” and the K-304-KS has “Integral screwdriver stops allow you to turn off the water supply at the valve.” The K-8304 is the current body: “Includes valve body, pressure balance cartridge, rough-in guide, and mudguard,” rated “5.0 gpm (18.9 lpm) maximum flow rate at 45 psi,” with a cartridge that “is reversible for installations where hot and cold supplies are reversed.”
Kohler’s deep rough-in article is the quickest list of the valve family: kits exist “for your K-304, K-305, K-11748, K-306 or K-2971,” with separate notes that “For older Coralais shower Valves (K-15700 or K-15701) use deep rough-in kit 500151-**” and “For K-8304 Rite-Temp shower valves, use universal deep rough-in kit 10350-NA.” If the valve is stamped with one of those numbers, you have your answer. If not, Kohler’s service article names the cap and cartridge you will see when the handle comes off a K-304: the “mixer cap GP77759 and pressure balancing unit (PBU) (GP500520) or the mixer cap and PBU kit (GP76851).”
| Kohler valve | Status / notes (Kohler) | Stops | Service parts named by Kohler |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-304-K | “Discontinued” on its product page; brass; “Back-to-back installation is ideal” | “Without screwdriver stops” | GP77759 mixer cap, GP500520 PBU, GP76851 kit |
| K-304-KS | Same valve with stops | “Integral screwdriver stops” | Same |
| K-8304 (-K, -KSL, -US, -KPF, -UXPF and other suffixes by inlet and stops) | Current 1/2″ Rite-Temp; K-8304-UXPF has “1/2″ PEX Expansion (F1960 style) inlets” | By suffix (KS = with stops) | Deep rough-in kit 10350-NA |
| K-28304-KS | Kohler’s Rite-Temp thermostatic valve body and cartridge kit; the valve Kohler recommends on its Purist trim page | With service stops | Thermostatic; different cartridge |
| K-15700 / K-15701 Coralais | Older single-control valves | — | Deep rough-in kit 500151-** |
Step 2: What “Rite-Temp Valve Trim” Means on the Box
Kohler’s trim titles carry the valve family. A “Rite-Temp® valve trim with lever handle” such as the Purist K-TS14423-4 “Includes faceplate with handle,” and “A single handle controls both on/off activation and temperature setting.” Kohler’s page for that trim lists a Rite-Temp valve under “Items Required for Install”, and the valve it recommends there is the K-28304-KS-NA. The Amazon listings for Kohler’s Elate trim say the same thing: “Trim only; requires valve to complete installation (sold separately)” and “Antiscald protection.”
What the trim pages do not do is print a compatibility list of body numbers, so use two checks. First, the valve family name in the trim title (Rite-Temp) must match the valve. Second, both are 1/2-inch Rite-Temp pressure-balancing bodies, and Kohler’s deep rough-in article covers the K-304 family (K-304, K-305, K-11748, K-306, K-2971) with a chart by trim collection and gives the K-8304 its own universal kit; that chart gives, for example, “Archer: 1073881,” “Bancroft & Forte: GP1025388,” “Devonshire: GP1030932” and “Loure: 1139260.” If your valve sits deeper than the trim allows, that chart is where the fix comes from.
I send an occasional note when a new guide goes up — repairs worth doing yourself, and the parts that actually last. No spam, no course funnel; written by a licensed Georgia plumber.
Step 3: Trim Redesigns That Change the Mounting
Kohler changed how some trims attach in 2009, and it affects what you take off the wall. For the Memoirs and Revival lines: “The original Memoirs Classic and Revival trim used two screws to secure the faceplate to the valve.” The original Memoirs Stately trim, Kohler says, used a collar and sleeve instead. “The new trim features a retainer secured to the valve. The bonnet on the handle assembly threads onto the retainer, trapping the faceplate to the wall.” Kohler dates the changeover: “Changeover Dates by Line 4/3/09” for Memoirs Classic and Stately, and “10/13/09” for the Revival and the Memoirs Stately in the AF finish. If your old faceplate has two screws and the new one has none, that is the reason.
If the Valve Is the Problem, Not the Trim
A Rite-Temp that drips or will not hold temperature is a mixer cap or PBU repair, and Kohler sells those parts separately from trim. Its service article: remove the two screws, the collar “(sometimes it may not be present),” the cap assembly, then “Remove the pressure balancing unit (PBU) using a pliers.” It adds a compatibility note for older caps: “If installing a new PBU with an early pressure-balancing valve brass cap (three-ribbed stem model), the installation requires the GP876851 mixer and PBU combination.” And the PBU article: “Discard the thick washers (#1 from Fig. 1). These washers are only used when installing a PBU in the Coralais® K-15877 valve.”
The Kohler-branded service part that was Amazon-sold on September 25, 2026 (the GP500520 PBU alone only appeared as look-alike kits, and the GP76851 kit listing was down to a few units from a third-party seller, so neither is linked):
- Kohler GP77759 mixer cap for the 1/2-inch pressure balance shower valve — listing: “Compatible with most Rite-Temp shower valves.”
Need a second outlet? Kohler’s K-304 note: “If additional ports are needed for your shower configuration when using a K-304 valve, an additional valve can be added above the top port,” and it “recommends a K-728 transfer valve or K-737 diverter valve.” Its warning is worth repeating: “Do not install a valve with a shut-off after the shower port, as this may result in cross-flow between ports.”
FAQ
Does Kohler Rite-Temp trim fit a K-304 valve?
Rite-Temp trims are sold trim only for a Rite-Temp valve. Kohler’s deep rough-in article covers the K-304, K-305, K-11748, K-306 and K-2971 with one chart and gives the K-8304 a universal kit; both the K-304 and the K-8304 are 1/2-inch Rite-Temp pressure-balancing bodies. The K-304-K is marked discontinued on Kohler’s site; the K-8304 is the current 1/2-inch body.
Is the Kohler K-304 discontinued?
Kohler’s product page for the K-304-K carries a Discontinued flag. Its service parts (GP77759 mixer cap, GP500520 pressure balancing unit, GP76851 kit) are still listed, and the K-8304 is Kohler’s current 1/2-inch Rite-Temp body.
What is the difference between Kohler K-304-K and K-304-KS?
Stops. Kohler lists the -K as without screwdriver stops and the -KS with integral screwdriver stops that let you turn off the water at the valve. The K-8304 uses the same suffix idea (KS with stops).
Why does my new Kohler Memoirs trim have no faceplate screws?
Kohler redesigned the Memoirs and Revival Rite-Temp trims in 2009. The original Classic and Revival trims used two screws through the faceplate; the new trim uses a retainer on the valve, and the handle bonnet threads onto it to trap the faceplate.
Which Kohler parts fix a dripping Rite-Temp valve?
Kohler’s service instructions name the GP77759 mixer cap and the GP500520 pressure balancing unit, or the GP76851 kit that includes both. Older three-ribbed brass caps need the GP876851 combination instead.
Why Trust Plumbing Picks
Plumbing Picks is written by a licensed Georgia journeyman plumber. Every part number, model list, size, setting and fit on this page comes from the manufacturer pages and documents listed below, which we opened and read; product details come from those makers and from the Amazon listings, not from hands-on testing. Each linked product was shipped or sold by Amazon, new and in stock, when we checked on September 25, 2026. Where a link goes to Amazon we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nobody pays to be included here. More on who writes this and how we pick.
Sources
- Kohler: K-304-K Rite-Temp 1/2″ pressure-balancing valve (marked Discontinued)
- Kohler: K-304-KS Rite-Temp pressure-balancing valve with screwdriver stops
- Kohler: K-8304-UXPF Rite-Temp pressure-balancing valve body and cartridge kit
- Kohler: K-TS14423-4 Purist Rite-Temp valve trim (trim only; requires valve)
- Kohler Assist: Deep Roughing-In Kits for Rite-Temp Valve Trim
- Kohler Assist: Rite-Temp K-304 Service Part Installation Instructions (GP77759, GP500520, GP76851)
- Kohler Assist: Pressure-Balancing Unit (PBU)
- Kohler Assist: Memoirs and Revival Rite-Temp Trim Redesign
- Kohler Assist: K-304 Valve, Adding a Transfer/Diverter Valve
Bottom Line
Find the valve number first. A K-304 (discontinued) or K-8304 is a 1/2-inch Rite-Temp and takes Rite-Temp trim; a K-28304 is the thermostatic body Kohler pairs with the same Purist Rite-Temp trim. Buy the trim by collection, check the deep rough-in chart if the valve is buried, and fix drips with the GP77759 cap or GP76851 kit rather than new trim.