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Lateral connections
Flexible Tap Saddles
A flexible PVC saddle that wraps an existing sewer main and gives you a 4″ or 6″ branch, in tee or wye. Soil-tight on its own, water-tight to 10 psi with the pressure kit.
AIS and BABA compliant
Tee or wye
4″ and 6″ branch
Made in the USA
The smarter way to tap a main
Add a branch. Don’t replace the main.
Adding a lateral to a live sewer main usually means removing a section of pipe and setting a factory wye. A tap saddle turns that into a cored hole and two clamps, without disturbing the rest of the run.
No main replacement
Core the opening, seat the saddle over it, tighten the clamps. The main stays in place and the trench stays small.
Tee or wye
Choose a 90° tee or a 45° wye. The wye gives a flow-directed connection where the specification calls for one.
AIS and BABA compliant
Tee and wye tap saddles are on Fernco’s AIS and BABA compliant list, which matters on federally funded work.
Seal to the spec
Soil-tight for gravity service as supplied. Add the TSPK-46 pressure kit when the job calls for water-tight.
Configuration
Tee or wye, 4″ or 6″
Both configurations take a 4″ or 6″ cast iron or plastic inlet pipe and mount the same way. The choice is about how the branch meets the main.
Tee
TST-4 · TST-6
A 90° branch straight off the main. The shorter footprint of the two, useful where the trench is tight or the lateral leaves square to the run.
Wye
TSW-4 · TSW-6
A 45° branch angled with the flow. Many agencies require a flow-directed connection on sanitary laterals, and the wye is what satisfies that.
Fit
Sized to the main you’re tapping
Start with the branch size you need, then check the saddle against the main. The extra-large apron and locating ring seat the saddle in the cored hole and hold it square while you clamp.
- 4″ saddles fit 6″ to 15″ smooth wall pipe.
- 6″ saddles fit 8″ to 15″ smooth wall pipe.
- Larger than 15″? Add 312-300 extension clamps.
- Core 5″ or 7″, matching the saddle’s locating ring.
Tap saddle models
Inlet accepts cast iron or plastic pipe. Main pipe must be smooth wall.
| Part No. | Branch | Configuration | Fits main | Core hole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TST-4 | 4″ cast iron or plastic | Tee, 90° | 6″ to 15″ | 5″ |
| TSW-4 | 4″ cast iron or plastic | Wye, 45° | 6″ to 15″ | 5″ |
| TST-6 | 6″ cast iron or plastic | Tee, 90° | 8″ to 15″ | 7″ |
| TSW-6 | 6″ cast iron or plastic | Wye, 45° | 8″ to 15″ | 7″ |
Mains larger than 15″: 312-300 extension clamps are available so the same saddles can be used on larger sewer mains.
Sealing
Soil-tight, or water-tight
Decide the sealing requirement first, then order accordingly. The saddle is the same either way; the pressure kit is what takes it to a water-tight joint.
As supplied
Soil-tight
The saddle and its two stainless slip-lock clamps make a soil-tight connection for gravity sewer service.
- For gravity sewer branch connections
- Two 300 series stainless slip-lock clamps
- Tighten to 60 in-lb
Add TSPK-46
Water-tight to 10 psi
The pressure kit adds butyl sealing tape under the saddle and stainless reinforcing bars that spread clamping pressure evenly across the apron.
- Pressure tested to hold 10 psi
- Butyl tape seal, stainless reinforcing bars, two extra clamps
- One size fits TST-4, TST-6, TSW-4 and TSW-6
1. Set the saddle
Install the saddle and tighten the clamps to 60 in-lb.
2. Add the bars
Slide the clips under the saddle to attach the reinforcing bars.
3. Center them
Bars sit centered, overlapping the first set of clamps.
Butyl tape
Butt the strips under the band areas. Do not overlap.
TSW-4 only: because of space restrictions, install the two kit clamps around the host pipe outside the tap saddle bands rather than inside. Test for leaks before backfilling.
AIS and BABA: the tee and wye tap saddles are compliant. The TSPK-46 pressure kit is excluded, so confirm requirements before specifying the kit on federally funded work.
Specifications
Built to sit in the ground
High-durometer PVC with 300 series stainless steel clamps, made in the USA.
Material and performance
| Saddle | High-durometer PVC |
| Clamps | 300 series stainless steel, slip-lock |
| Installation torque | 60 in-lb |
| Standard | Conforms to ASTM D5926 |
| Max operating temperature | 140°F, non-continuous |
| Water-tight rating | 10 psi with TSPK-46 |
| Compliance | AIS and BABA (saddles) |
Resistance
- Root intrusion. Resists root intrusion.
- Chemicals and sewer gases. Resists normal sewer gases and chemical attack.
- Ultraviolet and fungus. Resists UV rays and fungus growth.
Limits
- Smooth wall mains only. Not for corrugated pipe.
- Gravity service. Soil-tight as supplied; 10 psi with the pressure kit.
- 15″ and under without extension clamps.
Installation
Cored, clamped, connected
The whole job happens from outside the main. No bypass, no cut-out, no factory wye.
1
Core the main
2
Set the clamps
3
Seat the saddle
4
Torque to 60 in-lb
5
Connect the lateral
Choosing
Tap saddle or QwikSeal?
Both add a lateral to an existing main. They seal differently and suit different specifications, so start with what the job requires.
You are here
Flexible Tap Saddle
- Tee or wye branch, including a 45° flow-directed connection
- AIS and BABA compliant (saddles)
- 4″ and 6″ branch, smooth wall mains 6″ to 15″
- Soil-tight as supplied, 10 psi with TSPK-46
- Saddle wraps the outside of the main
The alternative
QwikSeal
- Straight tap into the cored hole, no branch hub
- Not AIS or BABA compliant
- 4″, 6″ and 8″ laterals; also fits corrugated mains
- Water-tight as supplied, no kit required
- Seal sits inside the hole, minimal protrusion
Short version: if the specification calls for a wye or the job is federally funded, use a tap saddle. If you need an 8″ lateral, a corrugated main, or a water-tight joint without a kit, use QwikSeal.
Ordering
All part numbers
The saddle, the pressure kit if you need water-tight, extension clamps for larger mains, and the cutter that matches the branch size.
| Part No. | Description | Pairs with |
|---|---|---|
| TST-4 | 4″ cast iron or plastic inlet, tee tap saddle | 6″ to 15″ main · 5″ core |
| TST-6 | 6″ cast iron or plastic inlet, tee tap saddle | 8″ to 15″ main · 7″ core |
| TSW-4 | 4″ cast iron or plastic inlet, wye tap saddle | 6″ to 15″ main · 5″ core |
| TSW-6 | 6″ cast iron or plastic inlet, wye tap saddle | 8″ to 15″ main · 7″ core |
| TSPK-46 | Pressure kit for a water-tight seal | All four saddles · one size |
| 312-300 | Extension clamps for larger sewer mains | Mains larger than 15″ |
| QS-5x4HS | 5″ OD × 4″ deep hole saw with arbor | TST-4, TSW-4 · plastic pipe |
| QS-7x4HS | 7″ OD × 4″ deep hole saw with arbor | TST-6, TSW-6 · plastic pipe |
| QS-5x14CB | 5″ OD × 14″ abrasive coring bit | TST-4, TSW-4 · concrete and clay |
| QS-7x14CB | 7″ OD × 14″ abrasive coring bit | TST-6, TSW-6 · concrete and clay |
Note: the TSPK-46 pressure kit is excluded from the AIS and BABA compliant list. The saddles themselves are compliant.
Dimensional drawings
One drawing per part, for submittals and spec packages.
Documents
Sell sheet, saddle installation, pressure kit installation and the AIS and BABA scope list.
Common questions
Which saddle do I need?
Start with the branch: 4″ takes TST-4 (tee) or TSW-4 (wye); 6″ takes TST-6 or TSW-6. Then check the main. The 4″ saddles fit 6″ to 15″ smooth wall pipe and the 6″ saddles fit 8″ to 15″. For anything larger than 15″, add 312-300 extension clamps.
Tee or wye?
A tee brings the branch off the main at 90°. A wye angles it at 45°, with the flow. Many agencies require a flow-directed connection on sanitary laterals, so check the specification before ordering; where either is allowed, the tee has the shorter footprint in a tight trench.
What size hole do I core?
5″ for the 4″ saddles and 7″ for the 6″ saddles, matching the saddle’s locating ring. Use a hole saw on plastic pipe and an abrasive coring bit on concrete or clay. Part numbers are in the table above.
Is the connection water-tight?
As supplied the saddle makes a soil-tight connection for gravity sewer service. Adding the TSPK-46 pressure kit, which uses butyl sealing tape and stainless reinforcing bars, gives a water-tight connection pressure tested to hold 10 psi.
Can I use a tap saddle on corrugated pipe?
No. The saddle seats against smooth wall pipe. For a corrugated main, use a QwikSeal lateral connector instead.
Are tap saddles AIS and BABA compliant?
Yes, the tee and wye tap saddles are on Fernco’s AIS and BABA compliant product list. The TSPK-46 pressure kit is excluded, so if the project requires compliance and a water-tight joint, confirm the requirement before specifying the kit.
What is the installation torque?
60 in-lb, both for the saddle clamps and for the connection to the lateral pipe. If you are using the pressure kit, its clamps are also tightened to 60 in-lb.
What pipe can the branch connect to?
The inlet accepts 4″ or 6″ cast iron or plastic pipe, depending on the saddle you order.
Have questions about tap saddles?
Tell us the sewer main size and material, the branch size and whether the connection needs to be water-tight, and our team will confirm the right saddle and cutter.