fancy faucet - big leaks!

[loseidman]

Hi,

This is my first post and I am desperately in need of help. I have been remodeling a 1962 Avion Trailer all summer and have managed to solve all my problems except one. I bought a new Price Pfister faucet for the kitchen and I can't get the connection from the hot and cold stems to my existing copper pipes to stop leaking. The stems on the faucet are threaded but have flat sides (does anyone know why they do that???). I have tried several adaptors, goop and loads of teflon tape, but the leaks continue. What exactly are these stems SUPPOSED to screw into? Maybe I've got the wrong connections. The pipes in the trailer are 3/8" copper.

THANKS!
Laura

[Verdeboy]

By stems, I assume you are referring to the threaded pipes that protrude from the bottom of the faucet. A flexible supply line should screw onto these fittings easily and you should be leak free without needing any goop or teflon tape. The other end of the supply line should connect to your copper pipe or shutoff valve, if you have one.

Perhaps you can post a photo of your leaky faucet. I'm not aware of any threads that have a flat side.

[plumber1]

Your shank is a running thread and not a pipe.
Go back and adapt the pipe that comes into your cabinet so you can use a flexible supply.

[hj]

Those fittings were not designed to have pipe fittings screwed to them. They put the flat sides on them so you cannot do it, and also to give something to hold onto when you tighten the proper connections to it.

[loseidman]

I've got it all solved. I used a flexible riser and it actually worked. Thanks for your help!