# Trenchless replacement



## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Ok, got a cable puller to replace water lines. Seems easy enough, dig out at house , dig out at water meter, then pull with our truck. Problem is as we pull the poly pipe breaks under ground. Pain because now we have to dig it up in the middle of the yard. We have red clay here and some times tree roots. When we slide the cable in we hit no obstruction. The only thing I can see is maybe as the new Polly pipe is being pulled through the old one there is a lot of friction and this friction could be generating heat which may cause the 2 pipes to grab each other sort of like tape stuck to tape. And yes, the cutter head is cutting the old pipe.

Any trick that I may be missing?
At this rate I would rather stick to using a mini excavator


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

I havent done poly in poly water line replacement, its been copper to copper and we used the old copper line as the cable, braze on the new copper on the house end and chain the old copper to truck trailer hitch and slowly pull...I would guess you need a lubricant like when you pull electric wire through conduit,as the poly on poly like you said is binding.. I think greenlee brand makes the lube for wire, so it shouldnt effect the poly chemical wise...


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

We pull 5-10 times a year. Maybe twice I've had the poly let go. But I can't remember the last time we haven't hit a coupling somewhere in the pull.:furious:


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

I've never had the new line pull off the head. We only pull Uponor pipe though.

What kind of head are you using? Is the pipe breaking or coming off the head?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

plbgbiz said:


> I've never had the new line pull off the head. We only pull Uponor pipe though.
> 
> What kind of head are you using? Is the pipe breaking or coming off the head?




I would love to see how this is done and the tools needed to pull a peice of pex through a copper water line... I assume there must be some sort of expander tool that increases the size of the copper line to make the pex fit???


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

We have a 4 blade cutter head on a 3/8" cable
Supposed to split copper and galvanised


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> I would love to see how this is done and the tools needed to pull a peice of pex through a copper water line... I assume there must be some sort of expander tool that increases the size of the copper line to make the pex fit???


Copper or hdpe or pex is pulled through plastic pipe not through copper. Not often copper pipe fails. You lead the replacement pipe with a splitter head and separate the, usually, polybutylene.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I've replaced 100' water lines in a couple of hours many times by pipe bursting. Of course bursting cast iron pipe is another story.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

So, why does my 180 psi Polly pipe keep breaking just behind the cutter head?


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Bill said:


> So, why does my 180 psi Polly pipe keep breaking just behind the cutter head?


Assuming the head is the one that screws into the pipe...

Poly does not respond well to being expanded. It weakens considerably. Pex, (especially Uponor) handles it just fine.

As far as splitting galvanized goes, we have never got the tool to cut it. It just pulls the pipe out. I prefer pulling out the copper as well. Too much risk of slicing up the pex.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

An intro is requested from all new members. In case you missed it, here is the link. https://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/.

The PZ is for Plumbing Professionals ( those engaged in the plumbing profession)

Post an intro and tell our members where you are from, yrs in the trade, and your area(s) of expertise in the plumbing field.

This info helps members who are waiting to welcome you to the best plumbing site there is.

We look forward to your valuable input.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

. Here's a checklist :

Are you an employee, apprentice, journeyman, business owner?

Tell us if you had to go to trade school. How long?

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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

BaldwinCaleb said:


> Water line is working properly but there is some problem in the spam link, any thoughts on it?



Yeah..my thought is post an intro and noone is interested in the crap your spamming...


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> Yeah..my thought is post an intro and noone is interested in the crap your spamming...


I’m working. He edited his post after I removed his illegal link, then he edited his post. Should be banned sometime today.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Ok banned and cleaned up. see ya bozo.:sorcerer:


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