Changing mixer tap - do I need to renew the fittings too?

NSG666

If the tap is tight on the sink i.e. you cannot turn it then it must have clamped the washer at both sides and it is just the thickness of the washer that is making it proud. Do both taps have a rubber washer above and below the sink like this one appears to?

Working_in_pyjamas

NSG666 said:

If the tap is tight on the sink i.e. you cannot turn it then it must have clamped the washer at both sides and it is just the thickness of the washer that is making it proud. Do both taps have a rubber washer above and below the sink like this one appears to?

The tap is doesn't wobble (it's a mixer tap same as the pic below) but is has a silver collar between the tap and the deck which is just a above the green line in my pic and that is rattling around nowhere near flush. The back nut has a rubber washer above it and has zero give in it. Just occurred to me the sink might be bent on the bit where the tap is mounted?

NSG666

Ah now I see what type of tap it is, can you push it down further at that side? It could be the fixing nut has reached the end of the thread before it has tightened to the sink or it could be the sink as you suggest.

plumb1_2

With it being a s/steel sink you need to fit top hat washers underneath, or about 4 plastic washers ( not rubber)on each underneath, as I bet the brass thread on the tap doesn’t go all the way up

Working_in_pyjamas

plumb1_2 said:

With it being a s/steel sink you need to fit top hat washers underneath, or about 4 plastic washers ( not rubber)on each underneath, as I bet the brass thread on the tap doesn’t go all the way up

Unfortunately that would involve having to remove the entire tap to put some washers underneath, and so removing the pushfit connector on the cold tap too (which I struggled massively to get the old one off) so I think I'll have to live with the gap/rattle!

NSG666 said:

Ah now I see what type of tap it is, can you push it down further at that side? It could be the fixing nut has reached the end of the thread before it has tightened to the sink or it could be the sink as you suggest.

I think it's the latter going by the above reply too. Nothing is ever easy eh! Either way I now have a shiny new tap that doesn't drip. Really appreciate everyone's tips and help to know what to buy.

NSG666

In fairness you don't need to remove the push-fit tap connector from the copper pipe. Slacken the brass back-nuts then undo the tap connector - the tap will be able to move up allowing it to be disconnected then you can remove the brass nut and fit the washers / top-hat. Refit in reverse.

plumb1_2

Ya you don’t need to remove the plastic tap connector just turn it anti clockwise 
Dont leave the tap loose like that you’ll regret it, plus I don’t want you blaming a tradesman when someone visits and mentions the loose tap😂
Youve done the hard bit tackling the job in the first place.

Working_in_pyjamas

NSG666 said:

In fairness you don't need to remove the push-fit tap connector from the copper pipe. Slacken the brass back-nuts then undo the tap connector - the tap will be able to move up allowing it to be disconnected then you can remove the brass nut and fit the washers / top-hat. Refit in reverse.

The plastic connector had to be ‘spun’ on to the tap thread first and the whole connector moved round, including the bottom bit (which at that point wasn’t connected to the copper pipe). I thought the threaded bit would have moved independently but it was a rigid piece so it can’t be unscrewed unless th push fit bit isn’t connected to anything 

hopefully this pic shows it’s one solid piece (it was a 2 pack so I have a spare) I was envisaging the top bit to spin around freely but it doesn’t 

Working_in_pyjamas

plumb1_2 said:

Ya you don’t need to remove the plastic tap connector just turn it anti clockwise 
Dont leave the tap loose like that you’ll regret it, plus I don’t want you blaming a tradesman when someone visits and mentions the loose tap😂
Youve done the hard bit tackling the job in the first place.

See my post above, not sure if I have rare/dodgy tap connectors but it can’t be undone without removing the connector?!

NSG666

One of the benefits of push-fit is that the fitting and pipe can turn in relation to each other. If you undo the 'nut', the whole fitting should rotate on the copper pipe infinitely. It sounds like the old fitting was difficult to remove because it was scaled up and if you didn't clean up the end of the copper pipe a bit before fitting the new tap connector the crud could be stopping the fitting turning on the pipe.