# Fixing crooked sprinkler heads



## Patrck17 (Apr 19, 2021)

I've noticed that many of the sprinkler heads are tilted. Probably poorly installed or shifting after the years. When they turn on they are so tilted that they aren't getting very good coverage at one side.

So not expecting their to be any simple hack here. I'm expecting to dig up the head and adjust the position of the feed pipe, then fill in the dirt.

My question is if anyone has done this and if they have any suggestions to make it a little easier. Maybe a tool that would help to dig out around the sprinkler head? I figure a one of those post digging shovels but seems like there may be a better option.


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## Deltahedge (Apr 1, 2020)

I just use a normal shovel. I use it to carefully cut into the ground in a circle around the head, and then I pull that entire piece of dirt out like a sod donut.

Similar to this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTu4NgXZ97c


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## San (Jun 21, 2021)

I had to fix a bunch that were too far down.

If your soil is hard, apply a good amount of water right on top of the sprinkler first, it will soften up the soil around it and make it much easier to dig them up.


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## White94RX (Jan 23, 2021)

I've got similar issues. One or two stick up higher than I'd like, and one is too high and tilted. I guess I'll get around to it one day.....


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## pp6000v2 (Mar 8, 2021)

If they're rotors, and of the Hunter PGP/Rain Bird 5000 variety, the Rain Bird part #232693S is a little snap on bubble level that will help. It's like $12, but if you have a bunch to dig and adjust, it's nice. Otherwise, just a small torpedo level sitting on top will get you pretty close.

For all the heads I had to dig up, a garden trowel and 5-gal bucket got me through it. I used a concrete donut and rubber mallet to compress the dirt in courses as I backfilled.


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## Patrck17 (Apr 19, 2021)

Thanks for the feedback guys. Not looking forward to fixing these.


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## San (Jun 21, 2021)

Patrck17 said:


> Thanks for the feedback guys. Not looking forward to fixing these.


Honestly it was a much smaller job than I anticipated. Once you do one, you'll realize that you might as well get them all done, as it's pretty quick and easy.


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## pp6000v2 (Mar 8, 2021)

Honestly the biggest pain of them was the water that would flood the hole once I unscrewed the head (and dirt getting into the pipe). But even then, I just had to stick a pair of vice grips on the popup riser, leave the nozzle/filter off, and turn the valve on for a couple seconds to flush it out.


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## spaceman_spiff (Feb 5, 2021)

pp6000v2 said:


> Honestly the biggest pain of them was the water that would flood the hole once I unscrewed the head (and dirt getting into the pipe). But even then, I just had to stick a pair of vice grips on the popup riser, leave the nozzle/filter off, and turn the valve on for a couple seconds to flush it out.


Besides digging through soil filled with tree roots, this is easily the worst part about irrigation repair. I can't count how many times I've had to turn the system on to find a leak, then wait hours for it to dry out. Repeat x5, make the repair, then flush the stupid lines out by holding the stem, turning the sprinklers on via phone (Rachio), getting absolutely soaked while fumbling around trying to turn the water off with a wet phone screen.

And yeah, I could use vice grips, but I don't want to risk crunching the stem or the stem slipping out and back into the head, letting more mud get back into it :lol:


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Check out this tool to hold the stem

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=413783#p413783


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