Rainbird-need help unscrewing from 3/4 inch old pipe

I really need to remove, without damaging, my old brass impact rainbird sprinklers from the 3/4 inch pipes they are mounted on. Using plumbing wrenches and penetrating oil has not loosen them so far. These sprinklers have been attached for the 50 years I owned this house.

What other methods or materials can I use to loosen either the sprinkler, or the coupler it is attached to?

Thanks, Dave_s

Reply to
Dave_s
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Their probably calicified on good. Try an electric heat gun to grow the female threaded part.

If that doesn't work, try soaking the threads in vinegar or some other mild acid for a day or five using plastic and banding (and maybe tape) to hold the acid in place.

Then repeat the heat gunning and wrenching.

Reply to
mike

Hi, Penetrating oil or vinegar take time to work. At least couple hours or more.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

More info needed. Are you trying to save the 3/4" piping, couplings, or just the sprinklers?

Joe

Reply to
Joe

How long are your wrenches?

Is the pipe still in the ground, or have you been able to spin that out?

If the pipe/Rainbird is out, do the following:

Get a friend to help, and a hammer.

Have your friend hold the pipe with one of the wrenches (pipe wrenches, not channel lock or other type) about 4 inches from the Rainbird (if pipe is long enough), and preload (counter clockwise from top of Rainbird) with the other pipe wrench, making sure that your friends wrench is held firmly on the ground and that your wrench is approximately at the 4 to 5 o'clock position with steady downward pressure. Put all of your weight on your pipe wrench and have your friend smack the pipe with the hammer. This should jar the fitting loose. If the Rainbird slightly rotates, then sticks, have your friend keep smacking the pipe till the Rainbird spins on its own.

Note: Make sure that your pipe wrenches have long handles, or you have 3 foot lengths of pipe handy to slip over the wrenches if the above does not work. If you have a sturdy pipe vise, or bench vise, you may not need the use of a friend. ;)

If still in the ground you will need to dig out enough space to allow at least one pipe wrench with a 3 foot cheater pipe over it. This time you will need the friend. Do the same as above

or

Just try to get the pipe spun out of whatever fitting it is attached to, using the cheater pipe with all your strength. If that won't budge it, get some strong men over to take care of the problem. :)

Reply to
[SMF]

Try a few cycles of tighten, loosen.

Or

Set up the wrench on the pipe with a good heavy block to stop it from moving at all, with the wrench near the sprinkler. Apply maximum loosening pressure on the wrench on the sprinkler, then hit it in the same direction with a hammer to apply impact force.

Reply to
Bob F

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