Rattle on Towel Rail

wildebus

wildebus

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Looking for how to access the fixings to fix this rattle ...

One side is fine but the other .. :(
The front of the fitting turns as you can see in the video. I thought this might have some kind on bolt on it that tightens but no. Tried pulling it if it is just a cap, but not giving. It is some kind of ring that turns as the end piece does not rotate with the bit that turns so is a separate part.

Any suggestions or info, folks?
 
The end cap should pop off try using a small screwdriver, you will more than likely gain access to a screw down at the bottom of the bracket.
 
Scotia said:
The end cap should pop off try using a small screwdriver, you will more than likely gain access to a screw down at the bottom of the bracket.
Click to expand...
I'll give that a go :) I didn't want to risk forcing it and snapping some thing.
 
It looks as if there will be a ring formed on the spigot and a swage on the cap which will snap into place.
 
Well, if I break it, I know who told me what to do, I know where you live, I will find you and I have a special set of skills.....


(Unfortunately, fixing towel rails is clearly not one of them :) )
 
Ok.
scratch the popping the end cap off I think!
I got a fine tip in there and the cap moved out a touch but there was a real resistance. put another on the other side to make it even and still no go. Removed the screwdriver and the cap immediately closed back up - seems to be on some kind of spring.
Emailed Autotrail with a link to the video - hopefully they will be able to tell me how to access.
 
This may give you a better idea, you want to remove item 7 which will have a ring/swage on the male part the piece fitted to the wall 5 will have a groove so when inserted they snap together. Screenshot_20210513-104656_Chrome.jpg
 
Thanks for diagram.
#7 just does not want to part from the fitting. What I don't see on the diagram, and I can't work out exactly what purpose it has is the ring that is between the cap and the main outer 'shaft'. It just turns with no resistance.

I could have a look at the other end and see what the bits feel like there - might indicate if something is broken off and so allow to move freely when it shouldn't - but the rail is just a classic "tighten the bolt needed" thing so don't think anything is actually broken.
I'll see what Autotrail come back with ...
 
The ring is the retainer to keep the cap in place. The diagram is for a radiator bracket which is similar to the towel rail.
 
Yup. in this case the cap looks to be more than just help in place by tabs or similar - we are talking significant springback when I let go.
 
I'm interested to see how it comes apart now.
 
Ok,
the good news is you can both sleep easy in your beds and won't wake up dead :p
Unfortunately Autotrail had the same line of disassembly thinking as you did, however .....
The secret of the Towel Rail has been solved without needing to engage Nicholas Cage (got to keep the 🎥 references :D )

While it kind of looked like the diagram posted, it was actually very different. There are 5 parts to the towel rail rod support.
1 of which (not shown) is a plate that fixes to the door (or a wall); the other 4 are in the photo below.
1620995448873.png
The long bolt with the screwhead goes into the larger round plate (middle right), right through the post and tightens on the end cap (top middle).
This bit is shown below
1620995562156.png
The problem was the bolt was loose allowing the post to wobble around. Turning the end cap made no difference as it just meant you were turning the entire bolt - and there was nothing to stop the bolt head turning as well so could have turned for ever and it would not have freed it further - and pulling the cap just meant you were trying to pull the head through the small entry hole, which is not going to happen either.

When I was looking closer at the fitting with a torch, I spotted a tiny flat-head screw at the bottom of the larger round fitting - you can see it on the left of thre picture above. Undoing this released it from the door/wall fixing plate, allowing the whole set above to be freed and the screw tightened :D
Once you know how, was the work of a minute to fix the rattle and refit :)
So I have now added "towel rail repair operative" to my Liam Neeson style special set of skills - and hopefully this post will be of use to anyone with the same style of rail (y)
 
I honestly was not worried as it would have been you that broke it. 🤣 Great that the problem has been solved. Was going to ask how the end cup fitted but can see the screw holds it in place from the bottom of the pillar.(y)
 
Well that's one way of doing it I suppose...

If you can be arsed a bit of thread lock (or your favourite bright red nail varnish) on that bolt will stop it happening again 🤣
 
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