That bottom circle, from which the hand-held emerges, is a suction cup? Wow! Who would know looking at it? Normally I use spit with suction cups (sorry, gross), but this is something else.

Not much help here but I have to ask....do you have the installation instructions for this fixture? I can't imagine that is right... suction cups are not in any way permanent solution. I hope that does not fail while someone is in the shower!

That is a weird setup. I would be concerned that if the bottom came loose while grabbing the hand shower that one might torque off the end that is attached to the plumbing. Maybe not, but couldn't be good for it.

Can you silicone caulk it into place?

Is this the suction cup?

Oh boy, don't use that slider bar as a grab bar!!! Surely there is a way to perman en tly glue it to the shower wall.

-Babka

Yes, the circled part is the suction cup. I, too, was surprised that this was supposed to be considered a permanent solution. UGH!

Yeah, I know about the spit thing, but yeah, gross, and NOT a permanent solution. I have so many installation instructions for various things hanging around here, that I'm not sure if I have the correct one or not. I'll have to look.

Silicone caulk? My husband probably has a little of that hanging out around here someplace.

Thank you!

Donna

Donna, make sure you use an ADHESIVE caulk. There are many types of caulks and lots of them are not adhesive. Here are two good links to get you started:

Choosing the right caulk
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advice/choosing-the-right-caulk.shtml

Caulk Buying Guide
http://www.lowes.com/cd_Apply+Caulk_779276357_

Carol in Jacksonville

Thanks for the help Love :)

Who is the manufacturer of that fixture anyway?

Carol

After a little looking around, I found a number of these type of fixtures. For example, Price Pfister makes one called a "Drilless Slide Bar Volume Control Shower Faucet with Hand Shower". "Drilless" is the key. I saw similar fixtures from American Standard, Waterpik, Peerless and others. The instructions for one reads as follows:

The slide bar can be mounted using the preassembled suction cup or by using the optional adhesive pad. The suction cup can only be used on smooth, flat surfaces. If your shower wall has a rough surface, or if there is a grout line present, then you will need to use the adhesive pad. Note: Some tub-surrounds will appear to have a smooth, flat surface, but will actually have a light texture that is not noticeable at first. If this is the case, it will prevent the suction cup from maintaining a hold, and you will need to use the adhesive pad. To remove the suction cup from the slide bar, rotate suction cup counter clockwise (while suction cup is facing you), and then thread on the adhesive pad.

Did you have the optional adhesive pad?

Carol

Sorry for the delay in response; we went out of town after Christmas and I didn't think to check this forum.

I'll have to look around and see if we have the adhesive pad someplace. We probably do. I just have to find it.

Donna

Yup, I've seen that shower head. It seems like the ideal solution for someone who doesn't want to have a hole cut in their tile. I hope the adhesive will solve the problem for you!

OK -- found the little adhesive thing yesterday, and had hubby install it for me. It was supposed to dry for 12 hours, so I refrained from using that shower. Hopefully this WILL hold permanently!

Oh, this was American Standard, from what my husband told me. He had to take the original one I chose back (which was different) because it was definitely not going to work. So he chose this one. Other than this suction cup thing, it's a nice system.

Donna

Why not use a hot glue gun?

The stuff sticks until you want to remove it. And when you do, it doesn't cause any damage.

If you hot melt a block to a granite countertop and whack it with a hammer, the block and glue will take some countertop with them on the way out. Don't ask how I know this, please.

An alcohol soak will release hot melt.

Initially I could not get the suction cup to stay even using the round plastic plate provided in the box.

After some research I cleaned the disk and the rubber cup with a lint free cloth. Now it holds.

Other options I was going to try are

Wet the rubber cup

Apply Vaseline to the edge of suction cup

Use 2 sided industrial Velcro tape

Apply clear silicone to the edge of the rubber suction cup.