How do I stop a flippin kitchen tap from moving?

[Cordless Crazy]

Installed a new kitchen mixer tap and sink last week.

Placed all the required rubber seals in the correct places, with th 'c' bracket clamping to the underside.

Tighten the nut as much as I could before the bloody 'c' bracket bega to bend!

Still the tap block can move/twist slightly if put under a littl pressure. Have noticed that after a few days of use it slowly rotates Really annoying considering I tightened it up the best I could.

The rubber seals seems to act like a slip membrane causing it to move

Any ideas?

Thought about taking apart and applying a good bead of clear silicone Re-assemble and allow to cure. Feels like a bodge solution to me.

Where can I buy a new 'c' bracket and does it have a specific name

-- Cordless Crazy

[mrcheerful]

I had this problem. I reinforced the c bracket by welding on extra bits so that it had a decent amount of strength.

mrcheerful

[John]

Have you plumbed it in by using flexible pipes? If yes, that's your problem not the C washer, The C washer is there to hold it to the sink, not stop it twisting.

Definately a bodge and will not help,

Try a plumbers merchant but even a new one will not help, using 2 or 3 together might help but you may have to tighten them that much you might crack the sink if it is a plastic one, you have not said if it is or not. If the sink is a steel one you may get away with making a wooden spacer to give some support, but the best way is to connect the tap with 'solid' plumbing.

HTH

John

[manatbandq]

That's not my experience. Sounds more like a problem with this particular type of tap or fixing.

Not having rigid plumbing means the tap spout can be moved about if the sink isn't rigid enough, and flexes, but the tap shouldn't rotate.

If the tap has rigid tails before the flexible section you could try clamping those to the cupboard/wall under the sink.

MBQ

[The Natural Philosopher]

Always happens with me. I always without thinking use silicone everywhere on every plumbing fitting now because frankly I have yet to find a tap, waste or just about ANY other plumping fitting the goes through a hole that doesn't move, and/or leak without it.

It used to be fine when rigid pipes were de rigeur, but these days with flexi tails, it's almost impossible.

I have been known, on cheap sinks to use 'liquid metal' instead of silicone..the theory being that 99% of the time the sink, worktop and taps will all have a similar usable life of about 5-10 years anyway, by which time someone will have decided to makeover the area and scrap the lot. So they might as well be bonded together.

[dg]

I have had this twice now - the tap works loose within six months.

I was a bit lazy on the most recent one, and left it to be loose for a good few months, in which time its constant movement put stress on the joint of a flexi-hose and cause a leak behind the base unit rear panel, which meant a major removal job and a good 3/4 day to rectify.

If it happens again it will be fixed with a tube of silicone or some other suitable adhesive.

dg

[Chris Bacon]

^^^^^^^^^^

Poxy things.

[Cordless Crazy]

Seems like a few good ideas. Sealant or liquid metal seem to be the wa to go along with strengthening the bracket underneath.

Cheers guys

-- Cordless Crazy