I’ve had a flex arm that literally drooped mid-shower, like it just gave up on life. Swapped it for a solid brass one and haven’t looked back. Pipe dope’s my go-to too, but I’ll admit I once overdid it and spent half an hour scraping the threads clean... lesson learned.
Can’t blame you for ditching the flex arm—those things sag over time, no matter how tight you get them. Brass arms are way sturdier, just gotta watch for overtightening and cracking tile. And yeah, pipe dope’s a lifesaver, but a little goes a long way. Been there with the gunky threads... patience is key. Sounds like you’re on the right track now.
Yeah, flex arms are handy at first, but I’ve had the same issue—after a few months, they just start drooping no matter how much you tighten them. Brass is definitely sturdier, but I get nervous about cranking down too hard, especially since my bathroom tile’s not exactly top notch. One hairline crack and suddenly you’re out way more money than you planned.
Pipe dope’s a must, but man, I learned the hard way once—used way too much and ended up with a sticky mess all over the threads. Took forever to clean up and I still wasn’t sure it was sealed right. Less is more, for sure.
Sounds like you’re handling it smart though. Sometimes it’s just about taking your time and not rushing to get it done in one go. Hope the new setup keeps the water going where it’s supposed to—no one wants a surprise shower to the face at 6am.
I’ve been down that road with flex arms too—looked great for about a month, then suddenly the shower head’s pointing at the ceiling and I’m getting soaked trying to fix it. I get what you mean about over-tightening brass, but honestly, I’d rather risk a gentle snug than deal with another cheap fitting giving out. Pipe dope’s tricky... I switched to Teflon tape after a similar fiasco and haven’t looked back. It’s cheaper, less mess, and honestly, I trust it more for small jobs. Just gotta make sure you wrap it the right way or you’re back to square one.
Flex arms are basically a gamble—looks cool at first, then one morning it’s like your shower’s trying to water the ceiling fan. Been there. I’m with you on Teflon tape over pipe dope, especially for shower heads and those smaller threads. Here’s what’s worked for me:
- Always wrap tape clockwise (facing the threaded end) so it doesn’t unravel when you screw it in.
- Two to three wraps, not more. Too much and you’re fighting to get the threads started.
- Don’t cheap out on the tape itself. The thicker stuff holds up better, especially if you need to reposition.
As for fittings, I’d rather spend a little more on a solid brass arm than mess with those flex ones again. The cheap ones just don’t last. And yeah, snug but not cranked down—learned that after cracking a fitting and having to redo the whole thing.
Honestly, sometimes I think these “easy install” solutions just create new problems. Give me the old-school setup any day.
