New Steam Valve will not connect to Old Radiator tail piece

barnic · April 8

Hello,

We are going through a kitchen remodeling project and the old steam valve with handle was disposed of during the demo. The new valve will not connect to the union nut on the tailpiece in the radiator. Are these not standard, or is there something else we should be looking at? Plumber could not remove the tailpiece with a spud wrench (a piece inside broke). 1 1/4" Pipe Size. I am assuming the new valve was bought from supplyhouse.com.

Thanks

Valve Tailpiece.png

ethicalpaul · April 8

They are not standard. You have to install the one that came with the new valve. You can search youtube for videos, or this forum for written instructions about how to remove the spud from the radiator. You basically carefully cut it and chisel it out. It's not as bad as it sounds. Don't cut into the threads. You've been warned!

ChrisJ · April 8

You remove the old spud using a pipe wrench.

You cut the nut off and then you can get a pipe wrench directly on it.

The spud wrench is only used for installing new spuds, it'll break on old ones.

The new valve should have come with a new matched spud. There is no standard.

I like the digital calipers though…………. Nice choice.

mattmia2 · April 8

if you jam a rod or pipe or something nearly the same od as the id of the spud in to the old spud it will lessen the likelihood of the spud collapsing and increase the chances of it just unscrewing with the pipe wrench vs having to cut it out in pieces.

ChrisJ · April 8

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1893905#Comment_1893905

You mean something the same OD as the ID of the spud, I think?

Do they often crush? You're not grabbing it right by the radiator.

mattmia2 · April 8

Depends on how stuck it is. You can get a lot more torque on it if you have something solid in the middle of it

EBEBRATT-Ed · April 9

They usually don't crush but they can.

EdTheHeaterMan · April 9

Most of the spuds are brass or some other alloy, They don't get rust/welded into the radiator like a steel or iron pipe would. It comes out with some heat and some persuasion. You just need a bigger wrench.

Patterson · April 16

To play it safe, always fill the void on the spud to be removed with something. The spud wrench can work. Or on a 1/2 inch trap side, I have used an Allen wrench. And then a larger pipe wrench can be used to make it easier. The collar on the spud will also disintegrate until you have something solid to grab.

STEAM DOCTOR · April 16

My somewhat new crusade. Get rid of the shut-off valve entirely. You never shutting that valve anyway. And they are notorious leakers. Has zero function in your average residential setting. Or just about any residential setting.

barnic · April 20

Thanks for all of the comments. I watched this video and it did not go as planned. The metal seemed to be soft and brittle, not just soft. When trying to fold the metal in, it broke off instead. Ended up using PB blaster, then using and punch and hammer to rotate it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSPGLJXypK0

mattmia2 · April 20

it might be worth trying a wrench again after you cut the slots, they might relieve enough stress to unscrew it. you need the chisel pretty close to the face of the bushing.

New Steam Valve will not connect to Old Radiator tail piece

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