How to Remove a Glued PVC Hub Fitting Without Cutting the Pipe

You're mid-repair, and the fitting is glued solid. The pipe runs through a wall, disappears into a slab, or sits flush against an equipment pad — and you've got maybe three inches of working room. The old approach means cutting the pipe, burning time on extra couplings, and hoping your measurements land clean. There's a better way. The Pinell Tools PVC Hub Remover cuts the glued fitting out from the inside, leaves your original pipe intact, and has you ready for a fresh solvent weld — no extra couplings, no wasted pipe, no rework.

What You'll Need

• Pinell Tools PVC Hub Remover — correct size for the fitting you're removing (see below)
• Standard corded or cordless drill (the tool's 7/16" hex shank seats in any standard chuck)
• Replacement fitting
• PVC primer and solvent cement

No pipe saw. No oscillating tool. No heat gun. That's the point.

Choosing the Right Size

The Hub Remover is available in eight sizes — 1/2" through 4" — and sizing is straightforward: match the tool to the pipe size, not the fitting's outer diameter. If the fitting is on a 2" pipe, use the 2" Hub Remover.

• 1/2" — Standard residential supply lines
• 3/4" — Water supply and irrigation
• 1" — Residential and light commercial supply
• 1-1/4" — Drain lines and older construction
• 1-1/2" — P-traps, kitchen and bath drains
• 2" — Drain and vent lines
• 3" — Soil and main drain lines, commercial builds
• 4" — Main sewer and large-diameter drains

The tool is compatible with Schedule 40 PVC and ABS pipe only. It is not designed for Schedule 80 pipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Shut off water supply to the affected line and drain the system. The pipe must be dry before you begin.
2. Cut any excess fitting material flush with the pipe, leaving only the glued hub portion on the pipe end. A standard pipe saw or reciprocating saw works fine for this step.
3. Select the correct Hub Remover size and seat the 7/16" hex shank into your drill chuck. Tighten it down — the tool needs to be fully secured.
4. Insert the Hub Remover into the fitting hub — the end that's still glued onto the pipe. The tool centers itself inside the socket of the fitting.
5. Apply steady forward pressure and run the drill at medium speed. The precision-machined cutting edges work through the solvent-welded joint from the inside out. Let the tool do the work — no need to force it.
6. Pull the fitting free once the tool has completed the cut. The fitting comes off clean, and the pipe end remains fully intact.
7. Inspect the pipe end. It should be clean and square. Brush away any loose debris if needed.
8. Prime, cement, and install the new fitting using standard solvent weld procedure. No additional coupling required — the pipe end is ready for a direct connection.

Pro Tips

• Drill speed matters. Medium RPM gives you the most control and the cleanest cut. High speed with heavy pressure can cause chatter. Back off and let the tool feed itself.
• On older pipe, check for brittleness before you start. The tool is designed for intact pipe — if the run is already degraded, assess whether the pipe itself needs replacement before proceeding.
• In tight spaces, a right-angle drill adapter works with the 7/16" hex shank and gives you full access where a standard drill can't get the angle.
• Mark the fitting orientation before removal if you're replacing it with the same configuration. It saves time lining everything back up.
• Use the same size tool for all hubs on a fitting. If you're removing a tee, each hub gets its own pass.

Why This Works Better Than Cutting

Cutting the pipe to remove a bad fitting is a workaround, not a solution. Every cut shortens the run, requires a coupling to bridge the gap, and adds two more solvent-welded joints to a repair that already had one fail. In walls, ceilings, slabs, and foundations, you often don't have the clearance to make clean cuts on both sides — and adding couplings in inaccessible locations is exactly the kind of work that comes back later.

The Pinell Tools Hub Remover addresses the actual problem: the glued hub. Its patented, drill-powered design cuts from inside the fitting, leaving the pipe end undisturbed. You remove only what failed, and you replace only what needs to be replaced. The repair is cleaner, faster, and structurally sound from the first solvent weld — not the third.

The tool body is precision-machined anodized aluminum, built to handle repeated professional use. It's made in the USA, covered by a lifetime warranty, and sized to fit every common pipe diameter on a commercial or residential jobsite.

The entire process takes seconds — and that time savings adds up fast across a full day on the job. If you're tired of cutting pipe to fix fittings, it's time to work smarter. Shop the Hub Remover and get the right size for your next job.