Kifco E30x660 400,000 - Present Operator Manual - Manual (Page 38)

P/N 19302460 Copyright © May 2013 by Kifco ® Inc.
Maintenance & Adjustments
Installing Polyethylene Tube Fittings
Danger! Installing fittings or repairing polyethylene tube used on your Water-Reel is haz-
ardous! The tube has a shape memory from being coiled on a reel and will coil back with
great force as the tube is released from one end or severed. This condition poses a seri-
ous hazard to personnel and/or property. The tube must be properly restrained anytime
the tube or the tube fittings are being repaired or replaced.
The fittings used on the ends of the polyethylene tube are made to screw into the tube much the same way as
a field repair of a hydraulic hose. A threaded insert screws into the inside of the tube while an outer sleeve
keeps the tube from enlarging as the insert is installed. This provides a watertight seal and a secure grip on
the tube for dragging.
The following steps should be followed when installing fittings:
1. Secure the end of the tube by fastening it to a tractor or other heavy object. Cut the tube. Make sure the
cut on the end of the tube is square.
2. Chamfer the inside of the tube by using a sharp knife, wood rasp or a reamer. Reamers are available for
tubes 2.5 inch I.D. through 4.5 inch I.D. Your dealer may have a reamer that you may rent or buy. The
tube should be chamfered evenly until approximately ¼ of the threaded portion of the fitting can be freely
pushed into the tube by hand without turning.
3. Before putting the sleeve on the outside of the tube, screw the threaded portion of the fitting into the
tube. Take care to keep the fitting and the tube aligned while threading. This process cuts a partial
thread in the tube which makes it easier to keep the fitting straight during the final installation. Remove
the fitting.
4. Now place the sleeve on the tube and push it on until it is flush with the cut end of the tube.
5. Apply lubricant to the fitting and to the inside of the tube. The best lubricant is liquid dishwasher soap.
Now screw the fitting in until all the threads are in the tube. Again, take care to keep the fitting straight.
Reach inside the coupling and remove any shreds of polyethylene created as a result of cutting the thread in
the tube. These may foul the sprinkler.
Tools used during installation depend on which fitting is being installed. To install a flange-style fitting, use bar
5 or 6 feet long placed between two bolts inserted through the holes in the flange. For the spool elbow, use a
pipe and/or a large pipe wrench. For fittings with drive lugs inside the fitting, a special installation tool is re-
quired. This tool is not provided with the fittings.
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