Curb key for water shut off

Oct 23, 2007 10 Replies
S

The kid from the trailer park used a rather old looking wrench to shut off my water yesterday. Since the water is still leaking, it's going to have to be shut off again. Ideally, I'd like to get such a tool, and not have to bother them. Also to have the tool in case myself or someone else needs water shut off in case of emergency.



A google products search for curb key reveals several for sale, which are 3,



4, or 5 feet long. The one he used was about one foot long. The ones sold on Google have a plain tubing handle. The one he used has a 2 inch spanner to engage the holes in the cap, over the shut off tube. To help get the cap off.

A quick look under my trailer last night reveals that the shut off tube is



3/4 ID. The tab that needs turning is about 6 inches from the end of the tubing, so an 8 or 12 inch long tool is plenty long.

I also looked on Ebay, but could not find anything. Any ideas where to get such a tool?


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H

Big box store. Couple of bucks.

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S

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Further research finds something suitable at Harbor Freight for ten bucks. It doesn't have the prongs to help get the cap off the tube, but that's OK. Mine isn't tight, and I could always use a pipe wrench if needed.

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L

I was shocked to find a brass "meter box" key is now about $18 at Lowes. I only paid $6 back in the '90s.

--Larry/Dallas.

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M

I got mine at Harbor Freight (Portland) about 5 years ago for under $10.

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B

Have you looked at the price of copper and brass recently?

Bob

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H

But with lead being essentially banned...

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S

The curb key from HF is too wide. The shutoff I have is about six inches down into a tube which is 3/4 ID. Any one know of such a tool? I'm likely going to have to build my own.

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S

Havn't tested it yet, but did build a curb key. Ground and filed away part of the female end of a ratchet socket extension, and figure to turn the male end with a crescent wrench. I'll let you know how it goes.

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S

The answer ended up being to take a 3/8 inch socket wrench extension. Use a grinder to cut away part of the female end of the extension. Make a Y shape out of the end that goes to the ratchet handle.

Slip the Y end down into the hole, and turn with a crescent wrench on the exposed square end. Got the job done, even if it isn't a proper T-wrench. Plumbing now repaired, and water turned back on.

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Here's how it looks. Well, not really.....

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