# Ridgid K-50



## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

Hey guys got a question for you. Are either of the K50's on ebay right now worth buying. They both look pretty beat up but I hear its a pretty rugged machine so they might not be too bad. What do you think?


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I have gotten lots of K-50's at rock bottom prices due to the seller says they do not run any more. The biggest mistake people make is never drop the motor, and clean all the built up muck from the gears. 

Every one I have got my hands on I dropped the motor, cleaned and greased the unit and it ran like brand new. The major wear part is the clutch jaws which is cheap enough.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

It's an alright deal but not a great deal. I've seen complete packages go for 3-400. If you already have the cable and accessories, I would try to lower the price a bit and go for the k50 that has the drum. Clean the drum up and sell it for an easy 75 and get some money back. Greased lightning works great on sewer machines.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

*What is greased lighnening*

greased lighteneing/


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Greased lightning is a cleaner degreaser often found at auto stores.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

I've noticed people over the years wondering about the steel dragon tools version of the k-50. I know protech did the review on their version of the K-60. So I took the liberty to email some of the people who purchased it from that ebay store and was surprised by the feedback. 

The 6 people who emailed back said that they were impressed with it 4 of them were drain guys who claimed they used the machine at least once a day. One guy told me he has one on all 4 of his trucks and haven't had one issue in the 6 months of owning them. He even said he has a ridgid k-50 and switched the motors to see if the parts were interchangable and they were. 

Just thought a few guys might have been interested in what I found out. Sounds like its a decent cheap alternative to the K-50. I still want a actual k-50 tho :laughing:


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

I purchased mine off of craigslist for $150 and stopped on the way home and augered a kitchen sink for $150:yes:.

If time is on your side watch craigslist as it seems they go alot cheaper there. I had one bought about a month ago for $30, but when I met the guy it just seemed shady and I was afraid it was stolen and backed out.

Sewerratz was spot on in repairing them. And if I might add the cords and GFCI's also can be a problem particularly on an abused machine. Sometimes the fix is as simple as putting the cord back on the terminals.


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## Fullmetal Frank (Jul 11, 2012)

Nice light weight machine, watch out for the legs they tend to break off.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

Fullmetal Frank said:


> Nice light weight machine, watch out for the legs they tend to break off.


Did you drop it off a roof?:laughing:

I have dropped, tripped over, leaned on, and just about every other normal abuse and have yet to break a leg off of one? Every one i have ever used has legs made of 1/2" pipe!


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Fullmetal Frank said:


> Nice light weight machine, watch out for the legs they tend to break off.


I replaced the legs on mine with sch 80 galv. pipe, it solved the problem.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

deerslayer said:


> I purchased mine off of craigslist for $150 and stopped on the way home and augered a kitchen sink for $150:yes:.
> 
> If time is on your side watch craigslist as it seems they go alot cheaper there. I had one bought about a month ago for $30, but when I met the guy it just seemed shady and I was afraid it was stolen and backed out.
> 
> Sewerratz was spot on in repairing them. And if I might add the cords and GFCI's also can be a problem particularly on an abused machine. Sometimes the fix is as simple as putting the cord back on the terminals.


There are a ton of them on craigslist in other states I've only seen one for sale in California and when I called the guy he had already sold it.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

Killertoiletspider said:


> I replaced the legs on mine with sch 80 galv. pipe, it solved the problem.


How are ya'all breaking a piece of 1'2" pipe that is a foot long?

Ya'all might wanna layoff the donuts:laughing:


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

deerslayer said:


> How are ya'all breaking a piece of 1'2" pipe that is a foot long?
> 
> Ya'all might wanna layoff the donuts:laughing:


Rolling in the back of the truck.


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## rooterboy (Jul 16, 2009)

gear junkie said:


> Greased lightning is a cleaner degreaser often found at auto stores.


Thanks I had assumed it was a lubricant. :laughing:


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## Fullmetal Frank (Jul 11, 2012)

Killertoiletspider said:


> I replaced the legs on mine with sch 80 galv. pipe, it solved the problem.


Don't get me wrong I love the machine, and have made the same upgrade with the legs I even put threaded PVC caps on the feet to keep it from scratching tubs and collecting dirt. But it is still a week point in the design. If it falls from the roof or out of the truck ect ect. The casing around the threads breaks off, there is a pile of k-50 at my old shop, with broken casing around the legs just laying there waiting to be use for change out parts.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Fullmetal Frank said:


> Don't get me wrong I love the machine, and have made the same upgrade with the legs I even put threaded PVC caps on the feet to keep it from scratching tubs and collecting dirt. But it is still a week point in the design. If it falls from the roof or out of the truck ect ect. The casing around the threads breaks off, there is a pile of k-50 at my old shop, with broken casing around the legs just laying there waiting to be use for change out parts.


Same here. That is one of the reasons we moved to K-60's.


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