How to fit kitchen taps with a narrow screw fitting and c plate underneath?

Question

Have an Astracast tap, which has flexible tail pipes fitted underneath, and has a thin bolt with a nut screwed on to it hold the tap onto the worktop. The nut has become loose and I can't work out how to tighten it up as the flexible hoses are in the way. Is there a type of socket you can buy which will allows you to tighten the bolt without removing the flexible pipes

Answer 1

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9271741&fh_start_index=54&fh_sort_order=1&fh_sort_by=_price_rrp_min&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=mono+spanner&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1198447787070&isSearch=true

These are the specific spanners for monoblock taps.

Answer 2

Go into any plumbers merchant and buy a set of long box spanners this is the only tool that will do this - they are metric and this tap fitting has about a 12mm nut on a long brass stud. Before fitting the tap assembly make sure the flexible tap tails are secure - they have a rubber 'o' ring washer which should be fitted with a little silicone grease and carefully tightened but not so much as to push out the washer. Then fit the assembly with the correct sequence of washers either side of the big hole. Make sure its central and tighten the whole thing up but just enough for it to be firm and not to squeeze out the washers. Then connect the tails.
Ian C

Answer 3

I've used a simple box spanner in the past and that worked a treat but some of the securing nuts also gave a slot in the bottom and you can sometimes use a screw driver to tighten them as long as the screw is no too long. Box spanners are cheap and easyly avaiable. However, I have also had a sink that where access was so restricted I had to remove the water pipes first. So good luck.

Answer 4

Astracast Kitchen Taps

Answer 5

Hi,

Yes, what you need is a set of tubular box spanners.

They are the sort that you can but at a car parts store.

They come as a pack of 5, they are quite cheap.

What you do is to put one inside the other and make a long tube, that will reach the nut under the tap so you can put the tommy bar in the bottom hole and tighten the nut.

The spanners are the sort that have a tube in the middle and a hexagonal hole at each end with a hole at each end through the tube to put the tommy bar.

As the hexagonal ends fit inside each other they make up a long spanner.

Hope that helps.

Arnak

Answer 6

you need a deep socket nut-driver. It works just like a screw driver, just be sure you get one with a deep receptacle. Most faucet mount nuts of this type are 7/16 in., but I have seen a few 3/8 in. This IS what you need, don't try any wrenches, you could kink the supply, or worse, break it.

Answer 7

I think you need a Fawcett Wrench.
It has a handle about 9-10 ", with a swival jaw that will open to fit the nut and tighten as it's turned.
Any hardware, Lowes, or HomeDepot have them.

Answer 8

Yes , your local hardware store has faucet wrenches specifically for tightening nuts under a sink... I think this is what you need ... I may be wrong ...

Answer 9

box spanner