Bloody mixer taps!

[Harry Bloomfield]

Is it just me, or does everyone else find that the peculiar shaped 'C' washer intended to hold a single hole mounting kitchen mixer tap is just not up to the job?

You tighten them up and two days later the tap is adrift again because the C washer has bent under the strain. Put a new tap in Thursday and by Saturday the new tap was swinging loose again. This is the third kitchen tap I've put in our kitchen where this has happened. This time when it came adrift, I made a 1/4" thick steel replacement for the C washer. A poorly engineered idea, having just one clamping nut off to one side.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I've had no problem with an IKEA one I fitted ~6 years ago. I think it was quite a thick washer.

[Tuthledeen]

arrangement is beyond the wit of man. I constantly dread the cry from the kitchen,"It's loose again". I don't know how tap manufacturers have the gall to launch such a pile of steaming horse c--p on the unsuspecting public, they must know full well the idea simply doesn't hunt.

The only way I found to beat the problem was to make a brass washer to fit between the base of the tap and the sink unit and to bed both the washer/ unit and tap/ washer interface with Plumbers Mait. The Plumbers Mait affords a minimal amount of friction between tap and unit. Seems to work if you dismantle the mixer swivel now and again and apply some silicone lubricant so it swings more easily.

A long way away from "fit it and forget it" I know.

[Harry Bloomfield]

It happens that Andrew Gabriel formulated :

This particular one was about 2mm thick and the neck of the tap was quite tight to turn.

[Andrew Gabriel]

IIRC, the IKEA one had a thick rubber pad glued to one side of the washer. This probably provides a little give and take whilst allowing the components to remain well clamped. Also, I fitted it into the worktop rather than the sink, to make it more rigid.

[The Medway Handyman]

Sorry, I have to say no, not in general & I change a lot of monoblock mixers for people. 30 odd in the last 18 months?

I can only think of two. One was a very tall swan neck version which was very heavy & allowed a lot of leverage. The brass studding snapped off in the tap. Customer took it back & swapped it for a smaller one.

The other had a very stiff swivel action, which caused it to loosen. New O ring & some silicone grease & it was fine.

So, sorry to say I don't have much trouble with them - do you use the right box spanners?

[John Rumm]

I would have to agree... fitted many and not had one loosen yet.