Shower Rod Problem - Help Please

[Dottie]

Three years ago I had the bathroom done over and the man who laid the tile hung the new shower curtain rod. I got one of those that bows out in the middle for more space -- and he didn't save the package it came in and the instructions about hanging it. The rod is sagging and I have just come from the store where they have a completely new design on their rods - guaranteed not to sag. I can't figure out out to either tighten it or take it down. It has a very small hole -- visiting brother in law said Allen wrench -- but I don't have one that fits at home and when I go to the hardware store I can't be sure which package to buy. Do any of you have experience with these? What is the best thing to do? I have never used an Allen wrench.... The part of the rod that attaches to the tile is fine. Its just the piece that holds the rod and fits into the wall part that is the problem.

[Joe]

Most hardware stores will have sets of low cost Allen wrenches which are sure to contain the size you need. Typically in the price range of $10 or less. Good luck.

Joe

[Evan]

Three years is a long time of pulling the shower curtain open and closed and maybe yanking on it too hard once or twice so it has worked loose and is now sagging...

You just need to push it back up and tighten it in place unless one of the attachment points is actually broken...

If you can't figure out which allen wrench set to buy or how to use them call a handyman service -- even swapping out the whole rod would take less than 30 minutes...

~~ Evan

[hrhofmann]

Dottie:

Good to hear you're still doing things yourself, haven't seen a posting from you in seeral months.

When you buy an allen wrench set, get one with allen wrenches in English sizes, 1/4, 1/8/ 3/16., etc. They also come in metric (millimeters-mm), but the odds are very good the installer used English units, fractions of inches.

[HeyBub]

Better, buy every set of small allen wrenches the store has (I can't imagine more than three). Return the ones that don't fit.

[dennisgauge]

There are only two types: Metric and SAE (inch). Get a set with both types and you'll have all your bases covered.

Why couldn't your handy-dandy visiting brother in law take care of the problem while he was there?

[Dottie]

Thanks to everyone! My neighbor loaned me his to try for size and it worked just fine. I went to Lowe's and got a set of SAE (inch) ones for $7 because I am sure I will need them again. If my eyesight holds out -- those are awfully small things to deal with.

[Harry K]

Yep, you will need them sometime. I musst have at least 3 or 4 sets and am ecstatic when I find one of them when I have a need :).

Harry K

[DerbyDad03]

I never have any trouble finding one or more of the multiple sets I have.

I'm ecstatic when the set I find has the wrench I need. :)

[micky]

You should be able to tell. Take a flashlight and look in the hole. Is there a hexagon shaped hole part way in? That's where the allen wrench fits. Allen wrenches are just pieces of 6-sized rod, like a square but with 6 sides instead of 4.

5 dollars or less, last I looked. .

Look for one with little packaging, so you can see whether it fits and take it back if it doesn't. Some stores might even take it back even if you opened the packaging, even if it can't be resealed, nicely or at all,

All you do is put the hex wrench in the hole,twist it a little until it goes all the way into the hole second hole, and then turn counterclockwise to release. They almost never require much effort, but one can be fooled into thinking a wrench too small or too big is actually in the second hole. Once in a while a set with 10 wrenches won't have the write size and you need a set with 20. Still very cheap.

Do you plan to replace the rod, or keep this one from sagging? For the laatter, ask again for details.

[DanG]

Dotty, everyone needs one of these type things with all the interchangeable tips for heaven only knows what fastener:

I'm not pushing a brand, just the idea of a bunch of different tips that interchange on one handle:

[willshak]

I have a set of each, SAE and Metric. They are all together in a Swiss Army Knife type holder. Just swing out the size you want.

[HeyBub]

I had a similar set (see later post by me). One broke. By broke, I mean snapped in two.

Use caution, including gloves and eye protection.