Tap gland/packing/sealing ring - any plumbers on here?

[E55BOF]

Not as straightforward as it might seem, to me at least. I have a swivelling kitchen mixer tap, on which the swivelling head is secured into the body of the tap by a nylon ring/gland/packing/washer/collar which is in turn secured by a grub screw. With time, the ring etc. has worn, and the tap leaks a little when in use.

I'd buy a replacement, if I knew what to call it. I can't find anything that looks right on FleaBay. Could anybody tell me what I should be searching for?

 

[geraldrobins]

Its the sort of thing that B and Q may stock and some of their assistants are knowledgeable and helpful.
Try Plumbcenter as well.

 

[Jonesy161]

Not sure if I'm on the right track but shouldn't there be a rubber O ring in there too, I've just overhauled two of these and both were sealed with rings, the nylon washer only centralises the spout and ensures metal to metal is kept to a minimum.

 

[jonnyboy]

If it's a Franke tap they do all the spares for them. Has it got a makers mark on it?

 

[E55BOF]

Thanks guys. Thank you for that info, Jonesy; yes, there's a rubber O-ring in there as well. I'll try just changing that and see if it helps.

No, no makers' mark; it's cheap crap, because it had to be brown, long after brown had ceased to be even slightly fashionable...

 

[Peter103]

Save yourself hours of frustration looking for bits of tap that merchants don't really want to sell you, because they probably won't fit , or the tap for various other reasons will continue to leak from elsewhere.
Get yourself to a Plumb center, or any proper plumbers merchants not B&Q have a look at some monobloc (if it is a single, one hole sink top) chrome sink mixers, ask him the price, try not to fall over when he tells you, say "what about a bit of discount for cash" you may get 10%pay him, go home and fit them. This is by far your best option. Simples.

Your existing tap is well past its best before date, you said its crap, so bin it.

 

[E55BOF]

Thanks Peter, but I need a brown monobloc tap, not chrome. Some hens' teeth would be nice too...

 

[whitenemesis]

A quick Google brought up dozens of brown monoblock taps

e.g. Economy Dual Flow Kitchen Tap (Mocca). Tre Mercati Kitchen TM-480

Good ol' Amazon..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=brown+kitchen+mixer+tap&tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[E55BOF]

Aye, but they're mostly cheap crap too, and the better-quality ones I don't much like.
If I have to replace it, a Franke would be favourite, but for the moment, I'll try replacing the O-ring and see how long that lasts.

 

[whitenemesis]

This looks interesting, must admit I prefer the non-steel appearance

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0052BQ5HE/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[E55BOF]

Thank you, gents. Sorted with a new O-ring.