How to straighten tap

digannio

Hi, apologies for the extremely low level of this enquiry but can someone give me the complete idiot's guide to how to straighten up this tap as it points slightly towards the outside of the sink. Obviously I would like the guide that involves a simple adjustment to one of the visible nuts and is guaranteed not to leave a drip afterwards 

It's rock solid and doesn't move around. If this involves adjusting from underneath the sink, what tool would I need to loosen the tap as it seems fairly  inaccessible for ordinary spanners/grips and I don't have specialist plumbing tools. 
Thanks

GDB2222

You may find a tool like this useful.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amtech-C2700-Fixed-Basin-Wrench/dp/B0017VW0JU

However, without some photos of the underside of the basin, who can tell what’s going on?

GDB2222

Just to add, none of the nuts in your photo will make any difference 

Section62

digannio said:

Hi, apologies for the extremely low level of this enquiry but can someone give me the complete idiot's guide to how to straighten up this tap as it points slightly towards the outside of the sink. Obviously I would like the guide that involves a simple adjustment to one of the visible nuts and is guaranteed not to leave a drip afterwards 

It's rock solid and doesn't move around. If this involves adjusting from underneath the sink, what tool would I need to loosen the tap as it seems fairly  inaccessible for ordinary spanners/grips and I don't have specialist plumbing tools. 

This is one of those DIY jobs where when you've finished you might pause to think about the inordinate about of time and not inconsiderable amount of money, not to forget the bleeding knuckles, and wonder whether the wonky tap didn't look so bad to begin with.

In theory it is a simple job, but a lot can go wrong.  A photo taken from the underside of the basin will help us give you better advice on how easy/difficult it might be.

ThisIsWeird

GDB2222 said:

Just to add, none of the nuts in your photo will make any difference 

Not even the reflected nut?

digannio

The view from below makes it look roomy but it's anything but. There looks to be a lot of scope for the wrong thing moving after use of a big wrench and the dreaded drip of water appearing.

digannio

Section62 said:

digannio said:

Hi, apologies for the extremely low level of this enquiry but can someone give me the complete idiot's guide to how to straighten up this tap as it points slightly towards the outside of the sink. Obviously I would like the guide that involves a simple adjustment to one of the visible nuts and is guaranteed not to leave a drip afterwards 

It's rock solid and doesn't move around. If this involves adjusting from underneath the sink, what tool would I need to loosen the tap as it seems fairly  inaccessible for ordinary spanners/grips and I don't have specialist plumbing tools. 

This is one of those DIY jobs where when you've finished you might pause to think about the inordinate about of time and not inconsiderable amount of money, not to forget the bleeding knuckles, and wonder whether the wonky tap didn't look so bad to begin with.

In theory it is a simple job, but a lot can go wrong.  A photo taken from the underside of the basin will help us give you better advice on how easy/difficult it might be.

Maybe sounds a bit more astute than my first thought which was to give the spout a couple of "gentle" taps with a rubber mallet!

kimwp

digannio said:

Section62 said:

digannio said:

Hi, apologies for the extremely low level of this enquiry but can someone give me the complete idiot's guide to how to straighten up this tap as it points slightly towards the outside of the sink. Obviously I would like the guide that involves a simple adjustment to one of the visible nuts and is guaranteed not to leave a drip afterwards 

It's rock solid and doesn't move around. If this involves adjusting from underneath the sink, what tool would I need to loosen the tap as it seems fairly  inaccessible for ordinary spanners/grips and I don't have specialist plumbing tools. 

This is one of those DIY jobs where when you've finished you might pause to think about the inordinate about of time and not inconsiderable amount of money, not to forget the bleeding knuckles, and wonder whether the wonky tap didn't look so bad to begin with.

In theory it is a simple job, but a lot can go wrong.  A photo taken from the underside of the basin will help us give you better advice on how easy/difficult it might be.

Maybe sounds a bit more astute than my first thought which was to give the spout a couple of "gentle" taps with a rubber mallet!

I think you'll have to loosen the nut under the sink with a basin wrench, then position the tap and re- tighten it. It might reposition itself while it's being tightened and you might loosen other joints.
I don't do much manual work ATM, so wrist and arm strength not great, but I couldn't loosen the nut on mine until I cut the pipe so I could get in closer and manipulate the basin wrench properly - the angles of the pipe made it very difficult. 

Based on my (admittedly fairly limited) experience with plumbing, I'd disturb existing plumbing only when necessary.

CliveOfIndia

digannio said:

The view from below makes it look roomy but it's anything but. There looks to be a lot of scope for the wrong thing moving after use of a big wrench and the dreaded drip of water appearing.

What you need to do is slacken off that top nut (the one closest to the sink) just a smidge, rotate the tap to the desired position, then tighten the nut back up again.

In theory you should be fine, you're unlikely to disturb anything important if you're only moving the tap very slightly.  However ..... famous last words ..... !!

Getting to the nut is the awkward part.  It's sometime possible, with a lot of fiddling and cursing, to get at it with an ordinary spanner, but it can be a right pain the backside.  Ideally you want a basin wrench, as linked by GDB2222 previously (that's what a plumber would use).  Whether it's worth buying one just for a one-off job is questionable - unless you happen to have one of those "tool libraries" nearby where you could borrow/hire one?

digannio

Thanks all... looks like the mallet is out then!

stuart45

It helps to have someone hold the tap for you when you tighten up the backnut.
You might find the adjustable type basin wrench easier to use.