Hi

I have a hudson reed KC317 side action rinser tap. It is a mixer tap that has two tails for hot and cold that fit inside the tap. The instructions say tighten with a wrench but this is impossible as there is no room in the space even for a finger. I tightened by hand just turning the tails. It didn't last long and now they are leaking. How do I tighten them?

Many thanks

STeve

Don't know, show us a picture

An OPEN END WRENCH should work for you... available at all home improvement stores.

Mark

HI Mark

Thanks for the answer but I'm still strugling. I have an open ended wrench but I can't fit it inside the body of the tap where they are attached. There are hot, cold and the mixer tube and there is just no room. Maybe there is a special tool for jobs like this. I am sctratching my head.

I can't see how to attach a pic.

Thanks

Attachment 47584Attachment 47585

After making a post click on "Go Advanced" button next to "Post Quick Answer".

Click on "Manage Attachments". Browse to find picture (JPEG format). Click on "Upload", click on "Done". This is computer format, have no idea about cell phone format.

Ok thanks. I managed to add some photos on my pevious post. They are not great but you can see that there isn't much room for a wrench.

Can't see the attachment. For some reason The Attachments don't work for me, (Don't think the work for other people but don't know)

Attachment 47586Attachment 47587

Can you see these?

Will that chrome piece you have your hand on screw off or maybe just pull off?

No, that is the base of the tap and it's all in one piece. The insructions are very basic. 'just tighten with a wrench'. I am a novice but I can't see how you can get anything in there to tighten.

There is no way you are going to get a wrench down in there to tighten any thing.

I see a threaded mounting rod, two flexible braided supply tubes. What you are calling tail pieces. I see a hose (black) that I assume goes to the tap head. I also see a threaded discharge port (hole) from the valve to which the hose to the head must be attached.

The parts that the supply tubes (tails) attach to may be brass and rigid. Or they may be copper and bendable. If copper you could spread them apart and then use a socket to tighten but you would never get a socket over the other end of the supply tube (tails). Plus you would need to hold the copper to tighten.

Plus there is no way to tighten the hose that goes to the tape head. The chrome sleeve must come off or the valve (the inner working parts) must come out. Just no other way.

Next step would be to call manufacturer if chrome sleeve won't come off.
I have Goggled "Hudson reed KC317" but nothing comes up as far as instructions. Images only shows the pretty parts, not what we need.

Thanks that makes sense but I think I have a problem. The parts they attach to look like brass and are rigid. If you try and tighten by hand by twisting them they just start to spin without moving the nut so you can't get them very tight at all.

That part of the tap is all one piece and there is no way to remove it. Nothing in the instructions either. It looks like it's a design issue but this was a pretty fancy tap so I thought they would get it right. I will contact the manufacturer. Thanks for the advice.

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hand by twisting them they just start to spin without moving the nut so you can't get them very tight at all.

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Assuming you are speaking about the brass tubing that is screw into the valve.

Is this a new tap? The threaded mounting rod looks like you may have it for some time? Has anyone else ever worked on it?
Will the brass tubing unscrew from the valve?

This is a pretty new tap. 2 months. I think the mounting rod has tarnished as it's been leaking a bit for a while. My wife's dad who is not a pro, but good, fitted it for me. More info than you need but he's not too well right now so I don't want to ask him.

THe working parts inside the tap are fixed solid. I've tried to see if anything can be removed but I can't. What I meant by twisting to tighten, was turning the flexible supply tubes. As there is so little room, the only way I can screw them in to the brass fittings is by holding the tubes and turning them in. Obviosuly this can't get them very tight and they leak.

Before I called a pro I thought I'd see whatI could find out. I'm trying to be logical and think what am I missing but I'm struggling.

Cheers

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More info than you need but he's not too well right now so I don't want to ask him.

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Sorry your father-in-law is not well. Good reason to be nice to us old people, you never know when you will need us.

There is no way you are going to get a wrench in there to tighten the supply tubes.
Tightening by hand is not going to be enough to prevent a leak. The flexible supply tubes use "O" rings to seal and are pretty good but you need about a 1/2 turn with a wrench to seal.

If you (we) are missing something it is not very obvious. It just shouldn't be this hard. I'm at a loss.

Let us know what you find out from manufacturer.

It is a hand-tighten type water supply line. It has "O" ring on the threaded side. Make sure that "O" ring is not nipped. If you see any imperfections, replace it with new one. Re-insert and hand-tighten again

FYI: This type of installation is NOT about how tightened the water supply is, but if it is screwed in all the way. You screw it in by hand and as far as it goes. "O" ring does the sealing part, not threads

Hope that helps

Milo

Thanks for all your input. I will speak to the manufacturer tomorrow and post here with what they say.