Kegerator Tap Shank Length: What to Check

What a Tap Shank Is

A tap shank is the metal tube that connects the faucet on the outside of a tower to the beer line inside the cabinet. On a listing, the shank is usually named as part of the tap tower or as a separate component. The length of that tube is one of the details that decides whether the faucet sits correctly on the tower wall and whether the handle has room to move.

This article explains what shank length means, what a listing will and will not tell you, and how to check the fit with the tower and the faucet before you buy. Read it alongside the guides for tower thickness and tower height.

Why Length Matters on a Listing

The shank passes through the wall of the tower. A tower with a thicker wall needs a longer shank to reach from the faucet face to the line connection on the inside. A shank that is too short will not reach through the wall; a shank that is far longer than the wall leaves extra metal sticking into the cabinet, which can interfere with the tower base or the lines.

The same length also affects faucet clearance. The faucet threads onto the outside end of the shank, and the handle swings over the top. If the shank is too long, the faucet sits farther from the tower wall, so the handle arc and the space below the faucet change. For a single tap kegerator or a dual tap kegerator, the fit matters in exactly the same way: the faucet still has to clear the tower top and any nearby cabinet edge.

How to Check the Fit

Start by reading the tower details in the bullet list. Look for the tower material, the number of holes, and any mention of the shank as an included part. The tower thickness and the shank length are two separate details: one describes the wall, the other describes the tube.

Check the fit in words, not in a fixed size. Compare the thickness of the tower wall with the length of the shank described in the listing. The shank must be at least long enough to pass through the wall and leave room for the lock nut or coupling on the inside, and short enough that the faucet still sits close to the tower face.

• Read the tower material: stainless steel, chrome, or painted steel.
• Read the hole count: single, dual, or four tap.
• Check whether the shank is listed as included with the tower.
• Confirm the faucet type and whether the faucet is part of the listing.

What a Listing Tells You

Many listings state the tap count, the tower height, and the faucet style in the title, but the shank length is often left to the bullet list. When the listing says the tap tower is included without a shank length, the missing detail is a question for the seller. A separate shank part is also common in listings for kegerator conversion refrigerators, where the buyer adds the tower and the taps.

Compare two listings by the details that are stated: the tower type, the number of taps, the faucet style, and the cabinet width. The shank length belongs in that comparison only when it is actually printed. When it is not, treat the fit as a question, not as a guarantee. Read the box contents list to see whether the shank, faucet, and lock nut arrive in the box.

Shank Length and Tap Count

The number of taps on the tower does not change what a shank is, but it changes how many shanks the listing must account for. A dual tap tower uses two shanks, a four tap tower uses four. The shank length still has to match the tower wall, and the spacing between the tap holes has to allow each faucet handle to swing freely.

Use the tower hole count article to read how holes are described, and the tower tap spacing article to understand the gaps between taps. For a four tap kegerator, check whether the listing names the shank as part of the tower or as a separate purchase.

Questions to Ask the Seller

When a listing does not state the shank length, write down the questions before you decide. The seller is the only source for the details that are missing from the bullet list.

• What is the shank length on the included tower?
• Is the shank stainless steel or brass, and does the material match the faucet?
• Does the tower wall thickness appear in the manual or on the label?
• Is the shank sold with the faucet, or is it a separate part?
• Will the faucet handle clear the top of the tower at this length?

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Is tap shank length stated on every kegerator listing?

No. Many listings state the tower height and tap count but leave the shank length to the bullet list or omit it. When the shank length is missing, ask the seller and read the box contents list.

What is the difference between shank length and tower height?

Tower height is the overall height of the tower on top of the cabinet. Shank length is the length of the tube that passes through the tower wall. Both affect fit, but they answer different questions.

Does a longer shank mean a better faucet fit?

Not by itself. The shank has to match the thickness of the tower wall and leave the faucet close enough to the tower face for the handle to swing. Compare the stated thickness with the stated length.

Can the shank length be changed after delivery?

Shanks are usually sold as separate parts in various lengths, but the listing decides which part is included. Read whether the listing sells the tower with the shank or as separate parts, and ask the seller before you buy.

Does the shank material matter on a listing?

The material is usually named as stainless steel or brass. The material affects the look and the thread match with the faucet, but it does not replace the length check. Read the material and the length together.

Why do two listings of the same cabinet show different tower details?

The same cabinet can be sold with different tower packages. One listing may include a short shank and another a longer one. Compare the stated details of each listing separately.