►►► Want to fix your lawn for the long haul but don't know where to start? I can help! Click here right now and get started today: turfmech.link/dont-know-where-to-start ◄◄◄
This was fun to watch, and you look like you're an excellent father. What you said at the very end was the best. I am learning how to do this as well, and I'm actually having fun doing it because if I hired somebody to relocate a sprinkler body, or add a flex pipe, I did not want to have to pay somebody $200+ to do that to do that! The shovel distinction is awesome! Thank you for explaining so far I have learned that the digging is probably the worst part about the whole procedure. It's all the physical labor of digging and digging enough for you to have room to do whatever it is you are going to need to do.
I recommend 4” heads for all grass types. This gives the clearance for longer lawns. Swing joints are also great if you can’t fit a 4” head after cutting the riser. I am also not a fan of Toro, due to the lack of nozzle options. I prefer Hunter and RainBird. The HE-Van are best for high precipitation rates and the MP rotator are best for low precipitation rates for spray heads.
I have personally been using the Rain Bird rotary spray nozzles. I find there really easy to adjust and even on really windy days the spray pattern is not affected. But the he / van novels are not bad I've used a couple of them for my garden beds.
1) Cleaning the pipe matters so you don’t get dirt into the system 2) I buy 2”, 3”, 4” sizes, 90, 180,360 degree bodies and the replacement sprayer nozzles to prevent driving back and forth. 3) I also buy several risers too and return what I don’t use.
I got tired of hosing things off and waiting what seemed like forever for water to seep out of the hole. Especially since all these CA rains have saturated everything so intensely over the past month. It was an aha moment when I started doing that. 😃
After a while it's tempting to look at the ones that are nearly right and say, ill leave it...but it's always something I regret not doing. Had to do this to a few at my old house last year when I cut with rotary down on the first notch. A reel mower would have forced me to do more.
I love the mp-rotators, had them at my last house but where I live now I need to apply water faster to better comply with local watering restrictions, dumb but true so those weren't something I was going to go with on this yard. For normal people I think the slower application of mp-rotators is much better.
way easier then trying to cut with the oscillator that you used. only problem with the oscillator is the risk of nicking up the threads and giving yourself enough room to get the oscillator in.
That's true. When I add new fittings deep underground you have to but when I do a repair like this I've never seen a problem so I just stopped checking. Possibly something I'll regret at some point but like you said, extra mud makes the job less fun.
@@TurfMechanicI keep a grout sponge on hand. Not a cellulose. The grout sponge is much more flexible. I used the sponge to mop up extra water especially when I took the spray body off and water was still running out of the elbow. The water was off so I guess it was just the grade. It's also good to mention that if you are going to cap off a line, you really are going to need Teflon tape. Found that out most recently as well. Wasn't sure if I wanted to move an existing head out 3 ft or cap it off, so I dabbled with both ideas and I learned a lot.
pay close attention to publication dates, this was filmed and published in mid-January last year; it was very easy to thicken it up without doing a major overhaul. I waited until the growing season.
@@EddyScrivner Ohh I see, yeah, you might be right on that however I don't like the heads sticking up above the ground because they are way too easily damaged. It may be easier to thicken turf and grow it taller but the risk of sprinkler damage is still higher. IMO, though it may be a bit more difficult, it's better to just sink them down before they get damaged and need to be repaired more urgently.
Yep, nearly every sprinkler body on my front and back yards are between half an inch to five inches too high. Only a few are where they belong. I only filmed a tiny bit of the repairs. Whoever put them in really didn't try very hard. 😒
@@TurfMechanic my yard was similar, but the opposite problem. Every single head in the front yards were 1-2 inches below soil level. Some were so far down I couldn’t touch them with a finger when retracted.
That might be even more annoying! Digging just to find them and then you have to add to a riser instead of trimming. I have about 2 of those repairs to make along my parkway strip so it's not too bad.
@@TurfMechanic it was definitely annoying but it was rewarding work. I was able to replace nozzles with correctly sized while I was at it. Getting sprinkler setup and timing correct has probably been the single improvement I’ve made in my yard other than regular mowing at proper heights.
@@somethinghandle I bet it did help a ton, im banking on that here too. I still have to prune back my border shrubs too, some of them are blocking sprinklers. Luckily it's been winter so I haven't needed irrigation at all. I've got a ton of time to do the repairs.
►►► Want to fix your lawn for the long haul but don't know where to start? I can help! Click here right now and get started today: turfmech.link/dont-know-where-to-start ◄◄◄
This was fun to watch, and you look like you're an excellent father. What you said at the very end was the best. I am learning how to do this as well, and I'm actually having fun doing it because if I hired somebody to relocate a sprinkler body, or add a flex pipe, I did not want to have to pay somebody $200+ to do that to do that! The shovel distinction is awesome! Thank you for explaining so far I have learned that the digging is probably the worst part about the whole procedure. It's all the physical labor of digging and digging enough for you to have room to do whatever it is you are going to need to do.
I recommend 4” heads for all grass types. This gives the clearance for longer lawns. Swing joints are also great if you can’t fit a 4” head after cutting the riser. I am also not a fan of Toro, due to the lack of nozzle options. I prefer Hunter and RainBird. The HE-Van are best for high precipitation rates and the MP rotator are best for low precipitation rates for spray heads.
I have personally been using the Rain Bird rotary spray nozzles. I find there really easy to adjust and even on really windy days the spray pattern is not affected. But the he / van novels are not bad I've used a couple of them for my garden beds.
6” sprays are better when trying to maintain a 4” fescue. 4” rotors no problem.
@@zacharykorbet9690r vans are good but they aren’t low precipitation
1) Cleaning the pipe matters so you don’t get dirt into the system
2) I buy 2”, 3”, 4” sizes, 90, 180,360 degree bodies and the replacement sprayer nozzles to prevent driving back and forth.
3) I also buy several risers too and return what I don’t use.
"My 2-year old sometimes demands my time" that's an understatement, I hear ya.
Sometimes code for nearly all the time! 😂
The scrubber and cup of water is a good idea.
I got tired of hosing things off and waiting what seemed like forever for water to seep out of the hole. Especially since all these CA rains have saturated everything so intensely over the past month. It was an aha moment when I started doing that. 😃
I’m actually going through this exact same scenario! Changed 10 bodies so far. Many more to go! 4:06
After a while it's tempting to look at the ones that are nearly right and say, ill leave it...but it's always something I regret not doing. Had to do this to a few at my old house last year when I cut with rotary down on the first notch. A reel mower would have forced me to do more.
I recommend sharpening the edge of your flathead shovel with a file or bench grinder. It will cut through sod like butter.
For those types of heads I like the mp rotator heads instead of the standard ones, since they spray more even and more effectively. Just a thought
I love the mp-rotators, had them at my last house but where I live now I need to apply water faster to better comply with local watering restrictions, dumb but true so those weren't something I was going to go with on this yard. For normal people I think the slower application of mp-rotators is much better.
Thanks for the tips and you're a great Dad!!.................
#Dedication
Great vid, thanks B.
It's a labor of love 😊
How did you pick Toro? My yard has a mix of Orbit, Hunter and Rain Bird ... trying to figure out which I like best.
You’d like hunter the best, without a doubt the most durable
A pvc pipe cutter will cut the risers cleanly.
Ooo, great idea. I have one of those too! I'll use that on my next one to see how easy it is. Thanks for the help!
way easier then trying to cut with the oscillator that you used. only problem with the oscillator is the risk of nicking up the threads and giving yourself enough room to get the oscillator in.
That riser was upside down.
That mug though 12:18
love that mug, it's got my first born son as a baby making a similar face on the other side. 😍
Thx.
I like to try and test it before I put the soil back in but that will also fill the hole with water which makes it muddier.
That's true. When I add new fittings deep underground you have to but when I do a repair like this I've never seen a problem so I just stopped checking. Possibly something I'll regret at some point but like you said, extra mud makes the job less fun.
@@TurfMechanicI keep a grout sponge on hand. Not a cellulose. The grout sponge is much more flexible. I used the sponge to mop up extra water especially when I took the spray body off and water was still running out of the elbow. The water was off so I guess it was just the grade. It's also good to mention that if you are going to cap off a line, you really are going to need Teflon tape. Found that out most recently as well. Wasn't sure if I wanted to move an existing head out 3 ft or cap it off, so I dabbled with both ideas and I learned a lot.
By the looks of your grass, it seems it would be easier to grow your grass thicker
pay close attention to publication dates, this was filmed and published in mid-January last year; it was very easy to thicken it up without doing a major overhaul. I waited until the growing season.
@@TurfMechanic what I meant was, it would be easier to thicken your turf instead of lowering your sprinkler heads
@@EddyScrivner Ohh I see, yeah, you might be right on that however I don't like the heads sticking up above the ground because they are way too easily damaged. It may be easier to thicken turf and grow it taller but the risk of sprinkler damage is still higher. IMO, though it may be a bit more difficult, it's better to just sink them down before they get damaged and need to be repaired more urgently.
Get a Hunter hiser!
We’re all of yours those small bodies on uncut risers? Looks like someone didn’t have the right tools or parts and just said “eff it”
Yep, nearly every sprinkler body on my front and back yards are between half an inch to five inches too high. Only a few are where they belong. I only filmed a tiny bit of the repairs. Whoever put them in really didn't try very hard. 😒
@@TurfMechanic my yard was similar, but the opposite problem. Every single head in the front yards were 1-2 inches below soil level. Some were so far down I couldn’t touch them with a finger when retracted.
That might be even more annoying! Digging just to find them and then you have to add to a riser instead of trimming. I have about 2 of those repairs to make along my parkway strip so it's not too bad.
@@TurfMechanic it was definitely annoying but it was rewarding work. I was able to replace nozzles with correctly sized while I was at it. Getting sprinkler setup and timing correct has probably been the single improvement I’ve made in my yard other than regular mowing at proper heights.
@@somethinghandle I bet it did help a ton, im banking on that here too. I still have to prune back my border shrubs too, some of them are blocking sprinklers. Luckily it's been winter so I haven't needed irrigation at all. I've got a ton of time to do the repairs.
Swing arms
Cute kid
really? for god sake, just unscrew the riser.