Garbage Disposal Leak/Loosens up

[kevin]

This is becoming a too frequent issue. The hand tightened white plumbing connection to the drain pipe that came with the disposal loosens up, slides down and leaks and sometimes we have the whole beneath the sink splattered with water and debris.

I have been to several local home improvement stores and the responses have ranged from that should not happen to just a deer in the head light blank stare to aiding in the training of new associates with the age old ---"sir, I do not work in this department, let me get someone who does".

My thoughts? The plastic drain piece coming out of the garbage disposal curves down as I guess it should (not an expert on disposal plumbing anatomy) but that is it ---it curves. It has never been cut to shorten the length and in my opinion the end I slide the drain pipe on should have more straight length. Because there is very little staright portion to slide the drain pipe on the drain piple hand tightens curve of the garbabe disposal drain. The other thought is the garbage disposal vibrates and vibrates the hand tightened piece off and voila yukfest underneath the sink.

I really want to add an exentension to the garbage disposal drain and glue the extension on. BUT-----that means glueing and dealing with the very sharp curve in the garbage drain pipe. Lookforward to your help.

Thanks

[Jeff Wisnia]

I'm not trying to be offensive, but....

What do you mean by "slide the drain pipe on" Usually the garbage disposer out let goes "into" a drain pipe.

Because there is very little

Are there some words missing there? It doesn't quite make sense to me.

The other thought is

Again, which parts are you trying to describe? The word "drain" is usually used in reference to the parts which remain under the sink if you remove the garbage disposer.

Can you post a photo of what the pieces look like and put a link to it in a post here.

It sounds like you may need to extend the drain fitting UP, and not the disposer outlet DOWN.

Jeff

[trader4]

Try going to the disposal manufacturers websites and looking at the install instructions and pics. Actually you could also try any other manufacturers site, as they pretty much share common install settups. It sounds like something is very wrong here, not installed correctly and it's likely a simple fix.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

There should be enough material to make a good connection. As long as the nut tightens securely, that is all the length you need. Less than an inch can work.

Because there is very little

How little is very little? If the part was 6" longer, it would not grip any better as long as there is enough for the gasket to grab. Do you have the proper fitting and gasket on the drain line? Is the drain line long enough to reach the disposal?

You are blaming the disposal for not reaching the drain, but it seems that possibly the drain is not meeting the disposal. You can cut and put a longer section in, using a coupling. Drains have almost no pressure in them so it is fairly easy to work with them. Is the drain line easily moved or is it properly supported? If you reverse your thinking from focus on the disposal to focus on the drain line, I'd bet you can solve the problem easily. Well not that easily because sometime working under a sink can be a real PITA.

[kevin]

[Oren]

Do you have the clear/white vinyl "thing" on the pipe, before you hand tighten the pipes? It compresses/seal when the pipes are connected. If it is missing, damage or the wrong size the pipes can leak.

The disposal drain pipe should slant down towards the trap. This prevents water from re-entering the disposal via the dishwasher or sink drain. (more yuck). I like the pipes to fit nice so when I do tighten there is no binding or difficulty.

Loosen the disposal from the sink a little and try to re-seat it and see if that helps reduce the vibration.

Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

[mm]

In=sink-erator says it makes 4 out of every 5 garbage disposals (in the US, I presume they mean).

Barely looking, I've found two other brands that seem just like them and say on the box that they are made by them. Sears and a "wholesale" place.