Basket Strainer

I've installed dozens of basket strainers and never had this problem before: The rubber gasket on the underside of the locknut kept squirming out from under the locknut. The more I tightened the locknut, the more it squirmed out, until finally the seal was gone. I ended up not tightening it as much as I normally do and using silicone on top and bottom of the strainer to compensate.

I might start using silicone to glue the rubber seal and the cardboard washer to the locknut from now on. Anyone else have this problem?

I have. I tend to use plumbers putty. I started to use less putty and solved the problem.

It sucked the first time it happened because the customer was watching me.

If to much putty is used on the top of the strainer when you tighten it the putty will push under the sink and can push the rubber gasget out.

I always push the strainer down tight with out the tightening nut and gasgets in place, remove any putty that pushed out, then install the rubber gasget and friction washer then the tightening nut.

After I started doing this a long long time ago I never had any problems after that.

It is possible that the gasget was defective and too soft.

I do like Cass does, after pushing the basket down, I remove the excess putty from underneath the sink, and then put the washers and nut up there.

Good point about the excess putty. I tend to use a lot. I'll definitely use less and follow your advice about squishing the strainer down ahead of time and removing the excess before tightening down the nut and gasket.

Is silicone or putty better for this?