Help identifying these pin lock keg posts?

[hecvil]

Pictures of the posts, and comparison to another pin lock of a smaller (regular?) size...


I am trying to recondition some old kegs and cannot seem to track down what kind of posts these are. What is puzzling me is that they seem to be much taller and have a wider interior diameter than the other pin locks I have. They also have this plastic post insert piece (pictured).

I found those plastic post pieces as part of something called a John Wood keg, but cannot find replacement posts like these anywhere. Any suggestions? Thank you!

 

[Dr_Jeff]

I have some plugs like those on some older, all steel kegs. (steel handles and bottom chine)
The short plug in image 3 is a Cornelius plug.

 

[hecvil]

Yes! My kegs are all steel, too. Do you know if there are replacements available for these posts?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

I haven't seen them for sale anywhere.
You are the only other person that I have heard of that has any, I've never heard anyone else on the forum mention anything about them.

BTW- If I take beer anywhere, it's the keg that I prefer, because the bottom of the keg is metal and sits in the bucket of ice, and I feel that it is capable of doing a better job of keeping the beer cold.

 

[hecvil]

Thanks! That settles it for me then, I'll try to brush these up and try to get some of these plastic post inserts. Thanks for your help!

 

[Deadalus]

Does your keg have any writing on it?

I have a keg with those plastic pieces. Off hand I don't know the manufacturer but I will lock at it. It's a ball lock though, but maybe the information might aid your search.

 

[Deadalus]

The keg I have those on is a 5 gallon ballon lock Firestone Spartanburg with a racetrack lid. The posts are pictured. I have not managed to get the keg to pressurize. I recently replaced the lid but need to replace the plastic inserts. The keg was part of an estate sale. Given the dip tube layout and that the posts thread properly, I assume the posts are correct.

 

[Deadalus]

Now I have another set of posts sort of similar (pictured). Note the post height. No plastic insert but a metal insert similar to the plastic ones you have pictured. One post may be missing the metal insert hence the short piece of tubing instead. I did not add that. This is from a mysterious ball lick 3 gallon Firestone Challenger VI keg I own. It has a circular lid, completely round. I have not gotten it to pressurize either and I have a separate thread started on it.

 

[lump42]

I've seen those poppets and plastic inserts on @KegconnectionLLC . I'd reach out to them to see if they can confirm these are the correct replacement parts.

https://www.kegconnection.com/poppet-valve-pin-lock-cornelius-and-italian-ball-lock/https://www.kegconnection.com/plastic-post-insert-2/

 

[Deadalus]

Thanks! I had another site in mind to go looking for them but hadn't done so yet. I can't think of the name of the other company either but I bought a plastic gas tube from them and I know they have some of the more hard to find keg parts.

Interesting what they say in the description for the inserts, especially since mine is a racetrack.

Plastic Post Insert for Older Keg Posts. Most posts do not require these. These are made for John Wood Ball Lock Kegs, but they will also work on other posts that require them, including many Racetrack Kegs. In some cases this may not be the exact size, but this is the only one still made.

 

[Deadalus]

The other company wasn't Williams Brewing (I am trying to recall) but I did get the plastic gas tubes from them and Williams also has the plastic inserts.

Firestone Nylon Insert

and they say

White Nylon Insert for some older Firestone Challenger (no V or VI imprint) and John Wood 85 ball-lock kegs. 7/16" tall, by 5/8" wide white nylon.

My racetrack does not say Challenger at all but it is a Firestone. No writing in the spot it usually says Challenger.

My caliper says my insert is 21/64" tall and 19/32" wide. 19/32" is really close to 5/8" wide but the height is off by 7/64" which is just about 1/8". The reviewers at the KegConnection site say theirs are too tall and so are the Williams Brewing. Probably the same source.

 

[Deadalus]

More clues...
The OP seems to have an old Firestone or John Wood keg. An Amazon reviewer for these poppets says

These work very well for the right pin lock kegs and will not work at all for the wrong ones, they are too long.

The kegs that they don't work on have short pin lock posts, an incomplete or broken top plastic protective ring and a CURVED dip tube.

The kegs they do work on have tall pin lock posts, a complete unbroken top protective ring and a STRAIGHT dip tube.

Hope this helps when choosing the correct poppets.

I only took a star off because for lack of a better description.

 

[Deadalus]

I think this might be a replacement post.

 

[Deadalus]

Here's clearly a ball lock post with the insert. Firestone Challenger and John Wood 85.
https://www.americanbrewmaster.com/...d-ball-lock-?sort=pd.name&order=DESC&limit=50

 

[Deadalus]

ChiCompany was the site I couldn't remember! They have the insert and mention the keg type and again how it might need to be filed down.

https://www.chicompany.net/tank-pos...estone-challenger-tank-post-spacer-p-775.html

 

[lump42]

ChiCompany was the site I couldn't remember! They have the insert and mention the keg type and again how it might need to be filed down.

https://www.chicompany.net/tank-pos...estone-challenger-tank-post-spacer-p-775.html

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the supplier for Keg Connection and Williams. It also mentions filing it down to the correct size. I've never used CHI Co., but have had good experiences with both Keg connection and Williams.

 

[day_trippr]

I have bought a crapton of kegging parts from Matt at chicompany.net. Good guy, good company.
I did see he still has a few odds and ends for pin lock kegs but also saw lots of notes about suppliers discontinuing manufacture of some parts (posts).
Time to get your pin lock kegs squared away

Cheers!