Walk me Through replacing Sink strainer Basket?


  #1  
Old 12-02-05, 09:24 PM
Viktoria
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Walk me Through replacing Sink strainer Basket?

I have a new mobile home for only two years now and see that the house must have settled and in the process the sink drain basket has disengaged slightly from the *tailpiece* below?

I would like to try to fix this myself if I can get some advice please? Or, is this something I need to hire a plumber to do. Thanks in advance, Viktoria


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  #2  
Old 12-02-05, 10:36 PM
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Viktoria, Welcome to the DIY Forums.
You will need some Plumbers Putty and a pair of Channelock pliers (large size). Unscrew the black nut that is under the strainer by turning it counter-clockwise (as you are looking at the sink bottom). Then you have to unscrew the large nut that is closest to the sink. This is where the large channelocks come in. You need something that will grab this nut. Once that is removed, the strainer will come out of the sink from above. Clean off all the old putty from the strainer and the sink. Roll up a piece of putty (like a worm) that is long enough to go all the way around the bottom side of the strainer. Push the strainer back into the hole in the sink. From underneath, reinstall the large nut while trying not to move the strainer too much. Tighten it as much as you can. Reconnect the black nut. The putty that squeezed out from the strainer inside the sink can easily be cleaned up. Turn on the water faucet and check for leaks. Good luck.
 
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Old 12-03-05, 09:06 AM
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Ahhhhhh. My field of expertise. I have replaced SCORES of these things! The problem is in getting the old one off! Good luck trying to bust that big lock nut loose on the bottom! I have removed the seized on ones in various ways by outright destruction where I hammer screw drivers riight through the theads and bend and pry, to chiseling or hacksawing the lock nut in half, almost and then bust it off the rest of the way, to squashing the theads around the underside of the nut until the nut breaks free.

Here is MY patented method for replacement and I have told master plumbers about my method. Why? Because *I* am the one repairing the leaky strainer baskets caused by THEM! I have been in this maintenance field for 20 years and have excelled in complex plumbing repairs. I have even diagnosed where a water leak was under a cement floor by sounding and water pressure readings between two faucets. I was an ex-water systems operator even before those 20 years and was working on plumbing. I learned how to find underground water leaks without water clearly noticeble out by the ditch!

Anyway - *I* do not use plumbers putty! Too many people don't know what they are doing with the stuff. They put it on too cold and too thick. If you use it, you have to kneed it in your hands till it gets warm and gooey and don't put it around the rim TOO thick, as if you don't get enough to squish back out when tightening the locknut, you will have problems in the future when the putty gets cruchy in the future, and it breaks loose on some hapless plumber who is retightening the tailpiece nut just below it! And all that excess plumbers putty gets locked into the threads! and seizes it on!

Therefore, *I* use another one of those rubber gaskets up under the top lip INSTEAD of the plumbers putty!). You can buy these for 99 cents each at home centers. But you have to make sure that the stamp out for the strainer basket, in the sink bottom, is deep enough to accomodate the extra thickness of the rubber gasket! Or, go to a specialty plumbing shop an see if they have garbage disposer ones that are thinner. It doesn't matter how thin the rubber. It wil seal perfectly, everytime. I have never had one leak one drop -EVER. No call backs - ever! Not in 20 years- ever! Not even when people use Drano and you think maybe that would wreck the gasket rubber. No, it may damage, in theory, some of the edge of it, under the rim, but that's about it.

Okay, this is how it's done: You take the new sink basket (the kind with all the threads) and you slip on one of those thin rubber o-ring flat gaskets I am talking about. Then, you use plumbers grease (I'm sure any grease or Vaseline would work) and you butter up the threads, but don't get any on the rubber! Now set the unit thru the sink hole. Position the writing on the basket so it is the way you like it. Now slip on in this order: First put on the other rubber o-ring flat washer, so it butts up against the sink bottom. Then slip on the wax paper gasket so the wax side is down (I even put a thin layer of grease on IT). Now thread the nut on. Careful. They go on easy. Do not start to cross thread. Always try to start a nut by reverse direction first, to set the first thread. Then tighten the right way. As soon as the locknut 'bites' you will not have to worry about the strainer basket squirting around on you in the sink, like with plumbers putty! It actually starts to grip and never moves!

IF it ever leaked in the future? It would take you just a few minutes to redo again because no muss with the putty, and the grease on the threads will allow easy removal of the locknut!
 

Last edited by ecman1; 12-03-05 at 09:19 AM.
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Old 12-03-05, 10:07 AM
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Them

I am one of THEM! Since you don't have any idea how to take a basket strainer out you think that the original installer is some kind of a fool; GET REAL!
 
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Old 12-03-05, 12:26 PM
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Originally Posted by shacko
I am one of THEM! Since you don't have any idea how to take a basket strainer out you think that the original installer is some kind of a fool; GET REAL!
Explain more, please. You tell me how you take out a bloomin seized on one where some moron never considered someone years later might have to remove it! Just like the dumb plumber who never used plumbers grease on the splines to a faucet knob! I have even ruined pullers trying to remove some. All work *I* do comes apart years later, with ease. How do I know? I have worked for one guy alone, for 16 years and have had to rechange out washers in the same faucets I have worked on. Everything comes right apart.

If you are going to get all hostile, say more to back up your claims, please.
 
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Old 12-03-05, 12:35 PM
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majakdragon - haven't you ever had to try to take apart a corroded on white metal tailpiece nut on the bottom of the strainer basket because you have to change out the leaky tailpiece gasket, and even if the basket was not leaking - that when you go to unscrew the tailpiece nut that has darn near formed one piece of metal with the strainer baket threads (again, no plumbers grease was used here either) that then the whole sink basket spins out of the plumbers putty? With my gasket method, this can't happen. It's a frictional thing that just won't allow it. Why wold you even want to mes with plumbers putty?

Also, those sink baskets that have the spin in basket to stopper it? Those, if people reef too hard on tightening them, can crack loose the plumbers putty seal.
 
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Old 12-03-05, 02:45 PM
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I have ran into this problem more times than anyone can imagine with self proclaimed experts.

I am a master plumber, I also am a hiring agent for subcontractors and maintenance men / grounds people for just a little over 3400 units covering 24 properties. I also have a plumbing contractorship. I do have a clue about a few things.

I see the very problem you described in your repairs using the rubber instead of plumbers putty. Water will remain in the sink for years after the repair is made. Plumber putty pulls up tight and the basket strainer will allow all the water to drain out. Using too much putty as you described will have poor results as you stated, but only because no one ever showed you how to do it properly.

Follow Majak's directions and no problems will develop.
 
  #8  
Old 12-05-05, 03:13 PM
Viktoria
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People I really appreciate this help! Thanks everyone because I thought I would have to do a lot more than this. Now I just hope I can get it apart without causing further problems.

I am wondering if I should put new baskets in but these look okay for now, I guess? I am off for some supplies! Thanks I'll post again to show the results!
 
  #9  
Old 12-05-05, 04:16 PM
Viktoria
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Um, there is a large rubber washer that is under the basket--I took it out easily, by the way--so does this mean both sides of the minor debate are correct? This basket of mine is lightweight aluminum with plastic--everything is plastic in these new mobile homes--and I don't recall seeing a rubber washer on any of the nice shiney baskets at Lowes, the new kits I was eyeing...
 
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Old 12-05-05, 04:36 PM
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The rubber washer really does go under the sink, not the basket strainer flange. Just buy a little container of plumber's putty and using just a small amount of that for the seal between the basket strainer flange and sink hole.

Good luck with your project and if you run into any problems, give us a holler and someone will answer you...
 
  #11  
Old 12-05-05, 05:00 PM
Viktoria
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That was easier than I thought--thanks so much. I think that rubber gasket is needed under there to seal between where the plastic and aluminum meet--there is a seam...

Thanks again.
 
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Old 04-06-09, 12:47 PM
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removing zinc collar that holds strainer in place

After reading a lot of advice about replacing a sink strainer, my best tip is one that was discovered through necessity. It was impossible for me to get the zinc collar under the strainer off - it just wouldn't budge. Out of desperation, I used needle-nose pliers and worked at pulling out the black rubber washer (the edge was barely visible just under the sink). After about 30 seconds, the washer was off and the zinc collar unscrewed by hand.
 
 

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