How to remove and install a keg spear.
Every step as an animation, built from the original CAD data of the keg, spear and tool. For breweries, fillers, keg service companies and homebrewers.
A pressurised keg can be life-threatening.
If a spear comes loose under pressure, it shoots out of the keg neck with great force. This can cause serious and fatal injuries.
- Vent immediately before removal.No time may pass between releasing the pressure and removing the spear. Pressure can build up in the keg again within just a few hours, and considerably more after days, from sun or heat. A keg that was vented yesterday is under pressure again today.
- Treat every spear as if it had no safety system.Even a spear with a safety system, whether type A, G, S or M, may have been tampered with by a previous owner. On type A, for example, cutting off the safety lug is enough. So always expect a spear to shoot out.
- Keep your head and hands out of the area above the spear.Never work with your face over the keg. The space directly above the spear, into which it can shoot out, must always be kept clear.
Vent first, then loosen.
A keg is still under pressure even when empty. Four rules apply to every spear, whatever the system.
Vent immediately before loosening, with no pause in between. Never loosen a spear from a keg that is under pressure.
When venting, the gas escapes under pressure and can carry beer residue and dirt with it. Protect your eyes and hands.
If there is still beer in the keg, it sprays out during venting. A cloth over the tool catches it.
Type A and type S each need their own tools. A look at the head shows which spear is fitted in the keg: with a flange it is type A, without a flange type S.
Two systems, two methods.
Type A flat spearRound flange rests on top of the keg neck. Removal in two steps: vent and unscrew, then unlock with the gun. Types G and M are handled the same way. 
Type S Sankey spear (European Sankey)No flange, the threaded head sits in the keg neck. One key for everything: vent, release the lock, unscrew. Installed by pressing in.Removing a flat spear
Two tools, two steps. First the pressure is released and the spear unscrewed, then the gun unlocks the safety lock and the spear comes out. The type G triangular spear is removed and installed in exactly the same way, with the same tools; only the head differs, and mounting disc LJT-GX-01 is used for tightening.
Part 1 · Release the pressure and unscrew
All steps for Type A and G, the tools and the technical data are in the manual AOB-MAN-01. Disassembling, inspection and assembling are covered in the service manual AOB-MAN-02.
Installing and tightening a flat spear
Installation is removal in reverse, with one crucial step at the end: tighten to 80 ± 5 Nm.
Body seal: the body seal is a single-use seal. Every time the spear is removed, it gets a new one, even if the old one still looks fine. A reused seal can leak between keg and spear body, on the Type A spear below the flange at the edge of the keg neck. Beer or CO₂ then escapes, and the beer spoils. Look at the seal before installation: if it is visibly damaged, replace it straight away.
Only a torque wrench gives you a true 80 Nm.
If it is too loose, the spear loses its seat in circulation: washing, filling and temperature changes work on the joint, and the seal no longer sits tight. If it is too tight, the body seal is crushed and the keg neck is put under unnecessary stress.
A type A spear can also be screwed in with screw-in/screw-out and decompression tool XQ-AX-01, and a type S spear with T-key KSQ-SX-01. That works in an emergency or for the first keg. It cannot be set to 80 ± 5 Nm that way, though.
Our recommendation: mounting disc and ½″ torque wrench. Type A and M: LJT-AX-01, type G: LJT-GX-01, type S and threaded D: LJT-SX-01. Torque wrenches are available from tool suppliers; any wrench with a ½″ drive and a suitable measuring range will do.
Retightening: check empty returned kegs before refilling and retighten to 60 Nm, on the empty, depressurised keg.
| System | Tighten | Retightening | Mounting disc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type A · Flat spear | 80 ± 5 Nm | 60 Nm | LJT-AX-01 |
| Type G · Triangular spear | 80 ± 5 Nm | 60 Nm | LJT-GX-01 |
| Type M · Combi spear | 80 ± 5 Nm | 60 Nm | LJT-AX-01 |
| Type S · Sankey spear (European Sankey) | 80 ± 5 Nm | 60 Nm | LJT-SX-01 |
| Type D · with external thread | 80 ± 5 Nm | 60 Nm | LJT-SX-01 |
Removing a Sankey spear
With the Sankey spear, a single key does everything: vent, release the lock and unscrew. The only critical point is the start: the nose of the key belongs on the cam marked S.
Pressing in and tightening a Sankey spear
The Sankey spear is simply pressed straight in until the safety clip snaps in behind the seating surface of the keg neck. It is tightened with a mounting disc and torque wrench.
Body seal: the body seal is a single-use seal. Every time the spear is removed, it gets a new one, even if the old one still looks fine. A reused seal can leak between keg and spear body, on the Type A spear below the flange at the edge of the keg neck. Beer or CO₂ then escapes, and the beer spoils. Look at the seal before installation: if it is visibly damaged, replace it straight away.
Reconditioning used kegs properly.
Anyone who wants to clean used kegs, replace seals or adapt the down tube has to remove the spear. With the right tool it takes a few minutes.
- Identify the system: compare the spear with the drawings and top views on the product pages for types A, S, D, G and M.
- Get the right tool for the system: type A screw-in/screw-out and decompression tool and gun, type S T-key.
- Vent the keg completely, keep a cloth ready.
- Remove the spear, check the keg neck and sealing surfaces, replace seals if necessary.
- Always use a new body seal when refitting the spear.
- Install and tighten with the mounting disc and torque wrench.
- Pressurise with CO₂ and check the keg neck for leaks: with a food-grade leak detection spray or, alternatively, with water and a little washing-up liquid.
- Retighten empty returned kegs to 60 Nm before refilling.
Tools, mounting discs and spare parts are available through our sales network in Europe. Request tools · Spare parts · Troubleshooting
Frequently asked questions on removal and installation
How do I remove a keg spear?
First vent the keg completely, then loosen the spear. On the type A flat spear, screw-in/screw-out and decompression tool XQ-AX-01 releases the pressure and unscrews the spear, then the gun KSQ-AX-01 unlocks the safety lock. On the type S EU Sankey spear, T-key KSQ-SX-01 does everything in one go: vent, release the lock, unscrew.
Why must the pressure be released before removal?
Even when empty, a keg is still under the pressure of the dispensing gas. If a spear is loosened under pressure, it can be ejected from the keg neck with great force. This is a danger to life. That is why the keg is vented immediately before removal, until no more gas escapes. Pressure can build up again within just a few hours, and even more from heat or sun.
What torque is a keg spear tightened to?
Type A and G flat spears are tightened to 80 ± 5 Nm, using the matching mounting disc and a ½″ torque wrench. The same torque applies to the type S EU Sankey spear, the type M combi spear and the D spear with external thread; for type S and the threaded D spear, mounting disc LJT-SX-01 is fitted onto the spear.
Can I screw in a spear without a torque wrench?
Yes, with screw-in/screw-out and decompression tool XQ-AX-01 for type A or T-key KSQ-SX-01 for type S. However, this does not let you measure the tightening torque. That is enough in an emergency, but in the long run every spear should be tightened with a mounting disc and torque wrench.
When does a spear need retightening?
Check empty returned kegs before refilling and retighten to 60 Nm, on the empty, depressurised keg. Never on a full or pressurised keg.
Can I reuse the body seal?
No. The body seal is a single-use seal and is replaced every time the spear is removed. In practice it is often reused several times, especially in small breweries without a keg plant or filling head that fill their kegs with the spear removed. A used seal can leak between keg and spear body, on Type A below the flange at the edge of the keg neck. Beer or CO₂ then escapes, and the beer spoils.
How can I tell whether my keg has a type A or type S spear?
The type A flat spear rests on top of the keg neck with a round flange. The type S EU Sankey spear has no flange; it sits in the keg neck with its threaded head, and from above you can see the recess with two cams.
I am a homebrewer. Is the tool worth it?
Anyone who wants to clean used kegs, replace seals or shorten the down tube cannot avoid removing the spear. For a few kegs, a venting tool and removal tool to suit the system are enough. Torque wrenches with a ½″ drive are available from tool suppliers; we supply the mounting disc.