Sorry, I messed that first thread up. My problem, 4" cast bell has been cleaned
Of all lead and oukum without breaking the bell. Intended on replacing with sch 40
Pvc and fernco donut gasket. I have read the answers, such as greasing only spigot
And inside of gasket. I cannot get this joint to make and I am nervous about beating
On the rubber so much that I loosen the lead joint on the opposite side of the ell. Are
There any other tricks. I'm at a stand still having yanked 70% of the main drain out of
The house. All help is greatly appreciated.

Sorry, I messed that first thread up. My problem, 4" cast bell has been cleaned
of all lead and oukum without breaking the bell. Intended on replacing with sch 40
pvc and fernco donut gasket. I have read the answers, such as greasing only spigot
and inside of gasket. I cannot get this joint to make and I am nervous about beating
on the rubber so much that I loosen the lead joint on the opposite side of the ell. Are
there any other tricks. I'm at a stand still having yanked 70% of the main drain out of
the house. All help is greatly appreciated.

You have read this? Insert the neoprene gasket, into the hub. Do not grease the outside of the gasket before inserting. Now take a file and bevel the edges of PVC, so the pipe won't hang up on the ridges in the gasket. Next lube the pipe and the inside of the gasket with Dual-Tite Lubricant or a heavy grease. Push the pipe in, making sure that it's lined up until it seats on the bottom of the hub. We use a Johnson Bar for leverage but you can use a 2X4. If the pipe's difficult to start it's OK to trim back the first few ridges of the gasket with a sharp knife.
If I read you correctly you're having a problem with inserting the PVC into the hub and not a problem getting the gasket into the hub. Right?
OK! Here's a few tips. The PVC must be perfectly straight in line with the gasket. If the pipe's too long to handle then take a short piece of PVC a foot or so long and insert it and then use a PVC coupling to complete the run. Let me know how you make out. Good luck, Tom

Tom thanks for the quick reply. You are exactly correct. I followed your advice by also putting a bevel on the sch 40 pipe,
which is in fact 12 inches in length so I could connect a clean-out tee. I trimmed the first 2 ridges from the inside of the gasket and used white lithium grease for the inside of the gasket and outside of the pipe, lined the pipe with the gasket already installed into the hub and was able to push the pipe in a mere 3/4". The ID of the bell is 4 7/8" and the OD of the pipe is obviously 4 1/2" , leaving 3/16" inch gap around the pipe. The gasket is tappered and starting width is 3/16". Do I have the wrong gasket? FERNCO 4" x 4". Thanks again

I just add my 2 cents to your issue - if you don't mind : You can actually get Fernco fitting that fits Over the Hub and than the 4" pipe. They make them in just about every size you can dream off. These fittings (all rubber with 2 s.s. bands ) are easy to use and Home Owner friendly.

Just a suggestion here.

Make yourself a clamp to press pipe into hub.

Get 4' foot of 3/8" threaded rod, heat and bend in the middle into a U shape.
Cut a 6" piece of 2x4. Drill two holes to match your U shaped threaded rod.

Put you U rod around pipe and your 2x4 over end of PVC, thread on nuts and washers and tighten, pressing pipe into hub.

I trimmed the first 2 ridges from the inside of the gasket and used white lithium grease for the inside of the gasket and outside of the pipe, lined the pipe with the gasket already installed into the hub and was able to push the pipe in a mere 3/4".
I don't understand the problem here. The hub is 3 1/2" deep and yet you could only get 3/4" of the PVC in the hub? Why? We never used Fernco gaskets. We always used Duel-Tite Gaskets and never had a problem.
Follow Harolds advice and let us know how it goes. Good luck, Tom

Just a suggestion here.

Make yourself a clamp to press pipe into hub.

Get 4' foot of 3/8" threaded rod, heat and bend in the middle into a U shape.
Cut a 6" piece of 2x4. Drill two holes to match your U shaped threaded rod.

Put you U rod around pipe and your 2x4 over end of PVC, thread on nuts and washers and tighten, pressing pipe into hub.

Harold, finally got it using somewhat of a similar method. What I did was use a rachtet strap. The bottom of the 90 ell is buried so I wrapped the strap around the bottom of the top bell and than over the top of the 12" long pipe and back down to the bell. Torqued down the rachet a great deal and gently tappped on the top of the pvc and she slipped in just like everybody said she would. I believe since the cast 90 is buried in the dirt that I had no solid support underneath. I have to let Tom know because it seems that I had
An abnormal expereince here. I want to thank everyone for giving me your time and expertise. John


I don't understand the problem here. The hub is 3 1/2" deep and yet you could only get 3/4" of the PVC in the hub? Why?? We never used Fernco gaskets. We always used Duel-Tite Gaskets and never had a problem.
Follow Harolds advice and let us know how it goes. Good luck, Tom

I don't know why except that I had an abnormal situation here. Harolds advice, though I didn't read it until 15 minutes ago was the deal except I used a rachet strap around the bell of the cast and over the 12" pipe and back down again. Did take a lot of torque but
Gentle taps and she went right in. I just responded to Harold also and wanted to thank
You guys for your time and expertise. I'd like to do the scales for a rating ? But I haven't
Figured out how to do that. Also I went to a plumbing supply house in my area and asked
For dual-tite and they only sold fernco.
Thanks again John

We're just glad you got the job done. Good work! Tom