Pool cover anchor tubes

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jtech1

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Jul 9, 2009
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I have a Merlin Smartmesh cover. It was installed about 5 years ago. The installer used aluminum paver tubes in my paver deck. Many of the anchors threads are seized or barely usable any more. I bought new anchors, but getting the old ones out of the tubes is nearly impossible. I figured I would just buy new tubes until I see that are about $13 a piece... this is crazy! Because of that slight indent inside the end of the tube for the anchor to slip into, they are that expensive?

Anyone have any tricks to get the old anchor out of the tube? I have tried hammering a rebar in the other end.. but with so little lip around the anchor, it is almost impossible to brace the end.

Or, anyone have any cheaper workaround/source for new tubes?

Thanks!
 
WD40 works for me for any that get stuck since the last time I used them. For me it’s usually sand/dirt clogging up the threads and once it breaks free they spin freely. If yours was particularly seized/dirty you could let the tip soak overnight in a ziplock sandwich bag with a healthy spray of WD40.
The threads on the one you hit with rebar might not recover but the other ones will probably work.
 
jtech1 said:
I have a Merlin Smartmesh cover. It was installed about 5 years ago. The installer used aluminum paver tubes in my paver deck. Many of the anchors threads are seized or barely usable any more. I bought new anchors, but getting the old ones out of the tubes is nearly impossible. I figured I would just buy new tubes until I see that are about $13 a piece... this is crazy! Because of that slight indent inside the end of the tube for the anchor to slip into, they are that expensive?

Anyone have any tricks to get the old anchor out of the tube? I have tried hammering a rebar in the other end.. but with so little lip around the anchor, it is almost impossible to brace the end.

Or, anyone have any cheaper workaround/source for new tubes?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I'm thinking your problem getting them out of the tubes is related to non similar metals coming in contact with each other and coroding. The anchors are brass and you said you have aluminum sleeves in the deck.
 
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Thanks. I bought anchors from amazon cheap. By the tubes seem to be very expensive. I will give the oil a try. Always avoided it since I figured that would trap more junk in there. I use a copper pipe brush to clean the socket threads. Anything better?
 
Get a metal tube that exactly matches the diameter of the existing tube and put the tubes end-to-end. Then, put the tube on the ground and hammer the anchor out.

Alternatively, put a metal rod inside the tube against the anchor and hold the tube and bang the metal rod against the ground.

If you use a heat gun on the tube, it will cause the tube to expand some and make the anchor pop out easier.
 

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Thanks, James. I tried a piece of rebar in the end of the pipe and hammer it out... problem is the lip of pipe is so small and corroded, it is hard to get it to sit on another piece of pipe or anything to get good leverage. Without leverage, no amount of force gets the anchor moving... I will try the heat gun approach. I may just nee dot buy regular aluminum pipe and flare the end a bit to get the new anchor in. Should be a bit cheaper.
 
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