Kitchen mixer taps come loose

[Carl1]

My kitchen tap was leaking a bit, so I replaced the tap glands as recommended by somebody at B&Q. It stopped the leak, but now, the taps keep coming loose over the space of a few days, and I have to keep taking off the red/blue piece and tightening the screw underneath. I suspect the tap gland was slightly different to what was originally there - can anyone help identify the correct piece to get?

 

[Chuck]

It stopped the leak, but now, the taps keep coming loose over the space of a few days, and I have to keep taking off the red/blue piece and tightening the screw underneath.

The spline on the new cartridge is a smaller diameter than the old one, which is the cause of your problem. If you measure and count the teeth on the splines of the old and new cartridge you may be able to find a suitable 'Tap Valve Spline Adaptor' on line.

If not you may need to see if you can source cartidges that are a closer match to the originals than the standard ones sold by B&Q.

I hate this type of job: waste hours trying to find a suitable spare part and then find it isn't quite right and have to replace the whole tap anyway. These days I tend to jump straight to the 'new tap' part and save myself the misery.

[Edit - Note added later: My reply assumed that your photos show the old and new cartridge respectively. If they are both of the new with/without a brass spline adaptor and the only trouble is the cap-securing screw coming loose then a dab of Loctite threadlock on its thread may be all that's needed.]

 

[JCplumb]

What bit is coming loose?
The whole brass valve or the handles?
If it's the handles then is there a grub screw on the part that the handle atttaches to, if so tighten it more. Sometimes with taps that have an added bush like yours, the original valve had a flattened part in the splines that the grub screw meets and the new valve doesn't, so just needs to be tighter .
If the only screw is the one under the cap and it goes through the bush into the valve splines, it is possible that your new valve has slightly smaller splines than the old valve. You can get spline guides, or use a micrometer to determine.
You can also take the bush, the old valve and new valve to a plumbers merchants (not B+Q) who will be able to source the exact valve for you with hands on replacements and better knowledge than Malcolm the ex DIY ''plumber'' at B+Q

 

[Carl1]

[Edit - Note added later: My reply assumed that your photos show the old and new cartridge respectively. If they are both of the new with/without a brass spline adaptor and the only trouble is the cap-securing screw coming loose then a dab of Loctite threadlock on its thread may be all that's needed.]

Thanks for this. All photos are new; if I still had the old cartridge, would have a better hope of identifying it. I'll see if I can find some loctite threadlock.

 

[Best]

Always take the tap handle when looking for a suitable matching tap valve. The handle should be a tight fit and won't rock about on the valve if it is correct size and matching splines.

 

[Carl1]

What bit is coming loose?
The whole brass valve or the handles?
If it's the handles then is there a grub screw on the part that the handle atttaches to, if so tighten it more. Sometimes with taps that have an added bush like yours, the original valve had a flattened part in the splines that the grub screw meets and the new valve doesn't, so just needs to be tighter .
If the only screw is the one under the cap and it goes through the bush into the valve splines, it is possible that your new valve has slightly smaller splines than the old valve. You can get spline guides, or use a micrometer to determine.
You can also take the bush, the old valve and new valve to a plumbers merchants (not B+Q) who will be able to source the exact valve for you with hands on replacements and better knowledge than Malcolm the ex DIY ''plumber'' at B+Q

Thanks. Just the handles are coming loose. But I don't think there is a grub screw.

 

[Welder]

Sounds to me that the handle isn't seating correctly. That the handle slides on simply means its the same splines. Typically it sits against a shoulder machined into the spindle. When you tighten the screw in the handle it clamps down to the aforementioned shoulder. If there is a gap then the screw bottoms out and never tightens properly. Measurement of tap cartridges is easy when you know what you're doing but afraid no one can help once you've lost the original.
In this instance, I'd try packing the spindle with a few washers that are no wider that the spline depth. Very faffy but should stop this from happening in future.