Any tricks for removing stuck keg posts?

[robnog]

I recently purchaced some kegs and two of them have stuck posts. One has a stuck gas post and the other has a stuck liquid. I have tried soaking the posts in a warm oxyclean bath and I have tried using a little spray of liquid wrench. Neither method loosened them up. (The liquid wrench did work on another keg with a stuck post).

Is there anything else I should try?

 

[TheJadedDog]

What I do is get my wrench tightened down with as much room for me to turn the handle as possible and then use a hammer to knock that bad boy loose.

 

[Jester369]

Overkill, but I have used my impact wrench on the lowest torque setting to get a particularly stubborn one off.

 

[Poindexter]

My half inch drive torque wrench is currently undefeated against stubborn Cornelius posts. I have a good selection of deep 1/2" drive sockets to start with.

I got the $25 torque wrench at AutoBoyyzzz to carry around in my car in case I get a flat, use that one, the cheap on, on kegs.

What you got to do see is wrap your thighs around the keg and squeeze while you apply torque. Wear long pants for this.

 

[Donasay]

get a socket wrench and apply steady pressure while tapping the socket wrench with a hammer. This is the cheap way to imitate the use of an impact wrench, which works wonders. If you happen to be near a garage or car shop go in and ask them to use their pnuematic impact wrench (the air gun they use to take off lug nuts) on your keg. It takes all of 10 seconds with one of those things.

 

[sirsloop]

Id use an impact too...

 

[Bobby_M]

It helps to lay the keg down and straddle it for leverage. Holding the keg still is harder than applying enough pressure to the ratchet. I've never had to break out the impact gun though.

 

[mr x]

Sometimes a little temperature shock can help as well. I've used both dry ice and heat on metal. Obviously, flame is out of the question, but if you can get some dry ice, it might help.

 

[robnog]

Thanks for all the tips. I finally broke down and bought a 90 degree socket wrench, which worked a lot better than my old one which was basically a screw driver with an adapter (I know, the right tools make all the difference. I'm just so damn cheap). I set the keg on its side so I was able to get my full weight behind it and they came right off.

 

[jdoiv]

I just use a rubber mallet and give my socket wrench a little tap with it and they come right off.

 

[BeerCanuck]

Glad to see no explosives experts chimed in on this one

Cheers
BeerCanuck

 

[ptakers]

I'm reviving this thread because I've just spent an hour trying to get the posts of my corny and all I've accomplished is destroying my ratchet from hitting it too hard with a hammer. No amount of torque can get these goddamned posts off.

 

[WortMonger]

Try a cheater bar. Slip it over the handle of your socket wrench and get more leverage.

 

[azscoob]

I use my 1000 ft/lb impact to spin em off, never failed me yet, I might break a threaded post off some day, but once I get them stripped down and cleaned, the new o-rings are lubed and the posts are wrench tightened. I've never had an issue dismantling for cleaning after that initial tear-down and cleaning.