Kitchen sink tap wrench

[yoav]

Is there a special kind of wrench to secure the plastic collar that screws on the underside of the tap? By hand, I can get it almost as tight as it needs to be I feel it needs a bit more tightening. Is there a tool for this?
Thanks.

[Kim]

Aren't these things plastic so that you can't tighten them much beyond hand-tight?  The idea being that applying ham-fisted monkey force strips the threads on the collar, rather than cracking the porcelain.

Of course 'hand tight' is one of those vague definitions.  In my experience it leads to leaky washing machine hoses, wobbly toilet seats and so on.

I'd attack it (carefully) with a plumber's wrench or adjustable spanner.  Preferably one of the expensive ones that can phase through solid matter.

[mrcharly-YHT]

yes - but you shouldn't overtighten as Kim said.

There are two types - a weird looking object called a Basin wrench. It works when vertical, although I've often found not enough room behind basins to use one.

Then there is the monoblock spanner - a cheap socket formed on a tube. These let you fasten the tap, then you screw the tails onto the tap.

[rafletcher]

Then there is the monoblock spanner - a cheap socket formed on a tube. These let you fasten the tap, then you screw the tails onto the tap.

Aka a box spanner - like a spark plug one?

[pcolbeck]

Basin wrench:

[Peter]

P, have you EVER successfully used one of those?  In my (sadly extensive) experience, the main fault with kitchen and bathroom plumbing is a design one, based on the idea that space should be used for people only and not for sensibly positioning (as in further away from the wall) the underside of taps so that their fittings are accessible to a normally jointed arm, which would avoid the need for special tools that are themselves designed by people who never use them.  Such design improvements would go a long way to eliminating plumbers altogether, leaving them free to become car mechanics without having to lose "Mmm, who put that there, then?" type training. 

[Canardly]

Get rid of the plastic nut and replace it with a brass one. The plastic ones always split eventually. Whilst you are at it change the other one as well, as you will have the tool to do it. 

[Ham]

P, have you EVER successfully used one of those?

Absolutely. The main issue is patience setting it up, and then again when it comes off, and again,  but this particular variant is relatively easy, as it has a sprung arm.

For a monobloc fixing, I'd recommend shortening the rod to the exact length needed, then use a 1/4 socket on the nut with extension bars. Loctite never went amiss there, either

[pcolbeck]

Yes basin wrenches work but yes they are a PITA. Get a decent one with sprung jaws, they fall off the nut (a bit) less.

I use a really long screwdriver to poke the thing onto the nut.

If you can get a nice straight access to the nut then monobloc tap spanners are easier:

[yoav]

Thanks for all the suggestions:
1. Hand tight - well, that’s what I’ve done but it’s a bit of a tight squeeze behind the sink to get a good grip on the nut.
2. Plumbers wrench, tried that but difficult to get a good grip on the collar
3. Basin wrench - can’t get it round the collar to get a grip.
4. Monoblock/box spanner - I have these and used it to remove the old tap but the new one does use this system, just a plastic collar, about 5-6cm diameter with a brass threaded insert and a bumps on the outside to grip it.
5. Brass nut - will look into that - sounds better than a plastic collar
6. Shorten the rod - this tap doesn’t have this, the old one had, hence my question.

Looks like I’ll be going back to the plumbers merchants.

[Ham]

If you can get fingers on it, you should be able to get a basin wrench on, too. I've not met any where that is impossible but as pcolbeck says, it can be a royal PITA but the small T-bar lets you tighten adequately without stress. The type in the pic that is sprung can be challenging to get on in the first instance, there is another sort that is unstrung that is easier to get on but then needs to be "caught" on the nut edge to tighten. One other tip that will help avoid it turning (or leaking) is to use silicone under the tap. The "monoblock" is a kitchen mixer tap, where the feed goes into 8 or 10mm tails, and a separate stud is used with a horseshoe clamp to fix the tap.

Fancy taking a photo?