# Merits of air rams



## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

Ran into a stubborn tub drain this past week that wouldn't take a cable,, and one of the journeyman suggested using the m12 AirSnake on it. It did the trick.

How many of you that run drain cleaning trucks have an airsnake or kinetic water ram? What do you like about it? What do you use it on? What do you not like about it?

I ask cause I'm still an apprentice, and while most of our trucks have drain cleaning equipment, not all have an air ram, and the tradesmen and journeys seem pretty divided over whether it's worth carrying one or not.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

hewhodigsholes said:


> .............I ask cause I'm still an apprentice, and while most of our trucks have drain cleaning equipment, not all have an air ram, and the tradesmen and journeys seem pretty divided over whether it's worth carrying one or not.


@Tango has one and uses it occasionally.

I clean drains all the time and have never used one, never seen a need for it. If I want to blow a drain open I will use either a blow bag/ball or most often, a fernco drain cap. The drain cap is nice because if it doesn't clear you can drain it back out into a bucket with no mess.

Frankly, I don't see an air ram being more effective than a good WB orange plunger. I put an insert adapter into one of my plungers so I can use it with my hand pump or a hose attached. I have a small air tank I could hook to it and make an air ram, never felt the need to do so. Shop vac would seem superior as you're sucking the clog out instead of risking it clogging farther down which can easily happen with old galv pipe.


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## The cable guy (Oct 31, 2020)

I imagine they’re good for hidden drum traps but there’s other ways around that. Waste of money and space


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

There's a few threads about it, you should look into them. I'm not getting rid of mine even if I use it very rarely, it saved me plenty of times when cabling didn't work. Some times I clear a clog in 30 seconds and no need to get all the cabling gear inside. It has other uses other than drains but I'm not discussing that on the open floor.

It can tell you how tough a clog is before putting a cable in.

I have the toilet attachment and I suggest you never use it unless you aren't afraid to get poop and urine in your face and all over the floor. Plus you might pop the wax and create water damage between floors or a slow leak and rots the floor, walls, studs, joists or the other floor below over a couple months.


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## Venomthirst (Jun 20, 2018)

Shop-vac is just as good as air ram.. I prefer to suck blockage out rather than drive it further in... 

just like tango said if its further than toilet and you use air ram toilet seal gonna blow out.. 

Not saying that the air ram doesn't have a use but it would be last resort haven't needed one yet..


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## Nazareth (Sep 30, 2017)

I have one on my van. I use it on drum traps. I've also blasted blockages out of back to back tub or back to back showers where your cable keeps going into the other shower. I put a test ball in the opposite tub/shower and blast that crap down. Works pretty well. 

I try not to pull it out unless I have no other options


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Venomthirst said:


> Shop-vac is just as good as air ram.. I prefer to suck blockage out rather than drive it further in.....


I agree. I don't have an air ram, never have. Never used compressed air on any drain. If I need to pressurize something I use water. Used my shop vac plenty of times.

There's a difference between drain cleaning and opening. I know in certain cases the air ram does do a fine job, but it can't always do what a cable/jetter/water can. 

People don't pay our rate for a temporary fix. I can't guarantee it will be good if I only use air to push it farther. Even a shop vac is rarely the proper fix, just a good starting point.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Sometimes size does matter! Can you fit your air ram under a faucet? lolz


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

skoronesa said:


> Sometimes size does matter! Can you fit your air ram under a faucet? lolz


I have all the attachments and accessories so I think it would work.


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## hewhodigsholes (Oct 28, 2020)

I have a 45 and several extensions, so I can fit my ram wherever I please!


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