Squirming kitchen faucet

ben_in_jersey

I just replaced a leaky old kitchen faucet with a Kohler faucet. Installation guide is here:

http://www.us.kohler.com/webassets/kpna/catalog/pdf/en/112897_2.pdf

Four holes: hot, cold, diverter, sprayer. Everything went well. Installed a new shutoff, no problem with the soldering or compression fittings. Tee off to dishwasher. No leaks.

Only problem is that the faucet is loose on the sink, and is squirming around. I used the plastic undercover, which came in the box, but is not mentioned in the installation guide. I also applied Sta-Put putty underneath the outside edge of the undercover. I've tightened the plastic wing nuts as much as I can. They are quite tight, but the faucet still moves easily on the sink.

Any tips?

Thanks

TheEplumber

You might have too much putty. I usually don't use it, except for around the deck holes if needed.

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ben's plumbing

did you overkill with putty.. don't need much just around holes.......did you tighten hold down nuts with basin wrench.... or just hand tight...

epson

Just a thought, when you put the nuts on did you by chance cross thread them and they are not sitting flat under the sink?

ben_in_jersey

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I will try removing most of the putty.

ben's plumbing: will the basin wrench work on those plastic wing nuts, or does it need a real hex nut to grab on to?

ben's plumbing

basin wrench will work very well on those plastic nuts...grab it by the wings on the nut....

AllanJ

Maybe the putty has clogged the threads of the wing nuts.

Then if you use any significant amount of force you will chew up the wing nuts without getting it tight enough.

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DannyT

a few pictures would help also

ben_in_jersey

I removed most of the putty, applying just a bit around the holes and the outside of that undercover gasket. (Do pros use that gasket?) More importantly, I got myself a basin wrench. 15 minutes later, I'm all set, the faucet is on there solidly, no squirming.

That basin wrench is a great tool. It's hard to believe it works so well with that flexible jaw. It took me a few seconds to realize that to tighten the nut, I had to swivel it around 180 degrees so that closed part of the jaw was pushing the right way.

Thanks guys for all your help! I couldn't have done it without you.

ben's plumbing

tools make a differance in all phases of work...good to hear you got it..