# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  How to tighten nut in tight spot?

## gt88

Hi. The nut holding down the kitchen tap has loosened. However I cant tighten it as the the two bowls are close to each other and the nut is close to the wall. The bowls are probably 300mm deep from the bench top so the nut is quite high and there is very limited room to get even a 1/5 of a turn in. Ive tried using a small adjustable wrench and spanner to no avail. Is there a special plumbing tool or tricks of the trade in tightening nuts in these odd positions? 
Thanks.

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## Uncle Bob

> Is there a special plumbing tool or tricks of the trade in tightening nuts in these odd positions? 
> Thanks.

  Yep, it called a Basin Spanner or wench A basin wrench...not always required.How to use one - YouTube

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## Bedford

Is it a flickmixer or conventional taps?

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## Uncle Bob

Depending on the angle that you can get in there, sometimes you can knock them round with a long flat blade screwdriver and a knockometer (hammer) also.

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## plum

> Depending on the angle that you can get in there, sometimes you can knock them round with a long flat blade screwdriver and a knockometer (hammer) also.

  Sorry Uncle Bob, but that is crap advice. The O.P. has a loose flickmixer and an extended tube spanner is required to tighten it, can be sometimes awkward to tighten for a novice, but for gods sake keep your hammer away from it....

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## Uncle Bob

> Sorry Uncle Bob, but that is crap advice. The O.P. has a loose flickmixer and an extended tube spanner is required to tighten it, can be sometimes awkward to tighten for a novice, but for gods sake keep your hammer away from it....

  No worries Plum. I'm still going to leave it as is though, because it's still a good old trick to loosen/tighten nuts in hard to get areas.  
So OP, listen up to Plum, and don't use UB's rough old tricks of the trade  :Smilie:

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## gt88

> Is it a flickmixer or conventional taps?

  Yep its a flickmixer. What also makes it odd is that the bolt is quite long which doesn't help getting a spanner around the bolt. But ill head down to bunnings and get myself one of those basin spanners.

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## Bedford

> The O.P. has a loose flickmixer and *an extended tube spanner is required to tighten it*

   

> But ill head down to bunnings and get myself one of those basin spanners.

  No, listen to Plum, you need a long tube spanner.

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## anangia

I think this is what you are looking for. Tube spanners Spanner Tap Kit Haron Mixer Mts - Bunnings Warehouse 
I had the same issue and this product was useful.

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## ringtail

The former motor mechanic in me just uses a long 3/8 drive extension and a tube socket. Easy as pie. Gotta love having 3 different trades.

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## cyclic

> The former motor mechanic in me just uses a long 3/8 drive extension and a tube socket. Easy as pie. Gotta love having 3 different trades.

  Ringtail is almost correct except it is not always a 3/8, there are other sizes in some mixer taps, so the answer is a Plumbers Mixer Tap tool set which comprises a ratchet handle, a number of tube sockets (as opposed to tube 
 spanners) and about 2 or 3 extensions, all in a nice tidy box. 
The sets are available from most Plumbing Supplies, mine cost $76 about 15 years ago, so should be cheaper now. 
Here you go Specialty plumbing mixer tap socket set ridgid rothenberger | Hand Tools | Gumtree Australia Wyong Area - Charmhaven  I think a bit overpriced but I have been wrong before.

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## ringtail

> Ringtail is almost correct except it is not always a 3/8

  
The 3/8 drive is the size of system, not the socket itself. As in 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 inch drive :Tongue:

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## cyclic

> The 3/8 drive is the size of system, not the socket itself. As in 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 inch drive

  My mistake, ringtail is correct.

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## Handyjack

The set from Bunnings covers most flick-mixers. (9, 11, 12 & 13mm)
Just my luck, one I looked at last week, the nut was 15mm.  :Eek:

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## cyclic

> The set from Bunnings covers most flick-mixers. (9, 11, 12 & 13mm)
> Just my luck, one I looked at last week, the nut was 15mm.

  But are they long enough to reach up behind and between what GT88 describes as 300 deep bowls in a tight spot ? and once up there, can you turn them enough to tighten the nut ?

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## jetpatcher

Hi,
I have the same problem with space to tighten nut although the brita mixer i have has a 38mm nut which attaches to a threaded pipe screwed into the base of the mixer with the hoses brought through the centre. Any ideas would be helpful as i cannot tighten it enough to stop the whole mixer turning. Thanks.

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## plum

These type of taps require a 'basin spanner' [telescopic], they are a pain when installing insitu.

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## cyclic

> Hi,
> I have the same problem with space to tighten nut although the brita mixer i have has a 38mm nut which attaches to a threaded pipe screwed into the base of the mixer with the hoses brought through the centre. Any ideas would be helpful as i cannot tighten it enough to stop the whole mixer turning. Thanks.

    One way is to buy a 38 mm tube spanner if available and affordable, and weld an extension onto it or 
do what I did years ago and make a tube spanner using pipe and dress the end to suit 38 mm. For memory I think I used 2" exaust tube all those years ago. 
If you can make something reasonably strong you will probably only need to do it up hand tight, or, drill a hole through it and use a screwdriver/rod etc.

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## jetpatcher

Thanks Plum,
i borrowed a basin spanner from a plumber at work and it worked a treat. All tight and ready to use.

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