DIY Sanke Valve Removal Tool suggestions

[wilserbrewer]

The OEM spiral rings work well as they are designed to compress the o-ring seal in the keg stem as they are worked into place.

 

[tdibratt]

HI there I am new to this forum and been fighting with a Sanke Keg I purchased off of Kijiji. Here are some pics..

The retaining ring does not align with the slot in the keg. So using a screwdriver in the slot is trying to pull on the lower loop of the ring. I tried a pulley puller and tightened it up with a socket sitting in the keg opening and with all my might then tried to move the retainer clip and it does not budge. Is the compression on the spear supposed to lower the spear enough for the clip to come out? It does not work for me.

Any suggestions?

Thx

 

[wilserbrewer]

NO PICS HERE?

The ring could be stuck and glued in with sticky dried up beer, perhaps some hot water soaking.

When you pry the ring free, you must be very careful to only be prying the top half of the spiral ring, if you are prying both halves you will fail. The top ring is pried free, then it is spiraled out the reverse of installation.

 

[DrunkleJon]

HI there I am new to this forum and been fighting with a Sanke Keg I purchased off of Kijiji. Here are some pics..

The retaining ring does not align with the slot in the keg. So using a screwdriver in the slot is trying to pull on the lower loop of the ring. I tried a pulley puller and tightened it up with a socket sitting in the keg opening and with all my might then tried to move the retainer clip and it does not budge. Is the compression on the spear supposed to lower the spear enough for the clip to come out? It does not work for me.

Any suggestions?

Thx

I dont know if they let you post pics for your first few posts.

I have had troubles in the past with this when I don't install them properly. Here are the tricks that have worked for me.

-Make sure that the keg is fully depressurized. The pressure will push the spear up and pinch the o-ring to make it harder to remove. I have found that the handle of a pair of pliers (rubber) or wrapped in some cloth to protect the ball and wedge it in there with the ball pressed, you will ensure that you have no pressure in there and could push down the spear to loosen things.
- Use the screwdriver (a smaller thin one), make sure it is only one layer of the ring deep (as close to the end as possible) and pry in and you should still be able to get the ring to come out.
-If it is cemented in place with beer, try hot water to loosen things up.

Keep working at it, it will work eventually. And once you get it out my favorite trick is to scratch/mark the lip where the lower end of the spiral ring should be so that everything lines up properly when I reinstall it.