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]

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.

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

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It happens that Andrew Gabriel formulated :

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

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

 

[Andrew Gabriel]

It happens that Andrew Gabriel formulated :


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

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]

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.

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]

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