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A manhole boot connector is a flexible rubber boot for sealing pipe to manhole and precast structure entries, producing a positive watertight seal between the pipe and the structure. A-LOK Products, Inc. manufactures four boot connector lines: QUIK-LOK, Z-LOK, Z-LOK STM, and the G3 BOOT SYSTEM, covering sanitary and stormwater systems and pipe sizes from small laterals up to 65 inch large diameter pipe.
QUIK-LOK: The Boot with the Built-in Clamp
The QUIK-LOK Pipe to Manhole Boot Connector is engineered to produce a positive watertight seal for pipes entering precast concrete structures. It is manufactured to meet or exceed all material and test requirements set forth in ASTM C-923: Resilient Connectors Between Reinforced Concrete Manhole Structures, Pipes, and Laterals.
What sets QUIK-LOK apart is in its name: the stainless steel takedown clamp is manufactured as an integral part of the rubber connector. The clamp travels in the installation position from the time it leaves A-LOK, while it is cast in the structure, and until it arrives at the job site. After pulling out the connector, it is in position, ready to be tightened down around the pipe on the outside of the structure.
That one design decision solves a problem precasters and contractors know well. With conventional boots, the bands ship separately from the boot, and if the band is not there when the pipe goes in the ground, the job stops. With QUIK-LOK, the clamp cannot be left behind, because it never leaves the boot.
The QUIK-LOK connector provides up to 20 degrees of omnidirectional deflection and 1.00 inch of vertical or horizontal movement without loss of seal, permitting pipe to structure settling without damage to the pipe or loss of the watertight seal. Once the connector is tightened, immediate backfilling is possible, enhancing project safety and overcoming the problems encountered with water, running sand, and other unstable trench conditions.
QUIK-LOK is molded from an EPDM compound engineered to conform with the requirements of section 4.1.1 of ASTM C-923, with all stainless steel hardware in compliance with section 4.2. It can be installed into concrete structures in the plant, or with a field sleeve for cast-in-place at the job site.
Z-LOK: The Cast-In Boot with Maximum Deflection
The Z-LOK Pipe to Manhole Connector is a flexible connector specifically engineered for sanitary systems. It is designed to provide the highest performance, and it is manufactured to meet or exceed the requirements of ASTM C-923: Resilient Connectors Between Reinforced Concrete Manhole Structures, Pipes, and Laterals.
Z-LOK provides up to 25 degrees of omnidirectional deflection and 1.50 inches of vertical or horizontal movement without loss of seal, the most flexibility in the A-LOK boot line. These design features prevent infiltration due to shear caused by settlement or ground movement, and they give engineers greater freedom where pipes enter a structure at demanding angles, including off-center and closely spaced parallel penetrations. Skived Z-LOK mandrels provide even more flexibility with entrance angles into the structure.
The inner rubber O-ring design eliminates rubber wrinkling and compensates for pipe irregularity and wall thickness, ensuring a watertight seal. The unique bi-directional design permits the take-down clamp to be fastened to 60 inch-pounds from either the inside or the outside of the structure. And because Z-LOK is cast into the structure, making it an integral part of the wall, 50 percent of the opportunity for infiltration is eliminated.
Z-LOK STM: The Boot for Large Diameter and Stormwater
The Z-LOK STM connector was designed by A-LOK Products, Inc. to address the need for a boot style connector for large diameter pipe, and it is available for 13 inch to 65 inch pipes.
Z-LOK STM is suited for applications using either smooth wall pipe or corrugated pipe with an oversleeve and is made for both round-wall and flat-wall structures.
Z-LOK STM meets or exceeds all material and test requirements of ASTM C-1478, Standard Specification for Storm Drain Resilient Connectors Between Reinforced Concrete Storm Sewer Structures, Pipes, and Laterals. It provides up to 10 degrees of omnidirectional deflection and 1.50 inches of vertical or horizontal movement without loss of seal, and once fastened, immediate backfilling is possible.
The G3 Boot System
The G3 BOOT SYSTEM works for sanitary or stormwater systems. The G3 band makes installation simple and fast: install the connector perpendicular to the hole and tighten the stainless steel nut, and the band ends slide past each other into straight alignment, compressing the connector against the opening to create a watertight seal. The G3 Boot System withstands 15 degrees of omnidirectional deflection and one half inch of centerline offset while maintaining a watertight connection, and its component packaging keeps the installation instructions, take down clamp, boot, and band secure together from factory to job site.
| QUIK-LOK | Z-LOK | Z-LOK STM | G3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omnidirectional deflection | Up to 20 degrees | Up to 25 degrees | Up to 10 degrees | 15 degrees |
| Vertical or horizontal movement | 1.00 inch | 1.50 inches | 1.50 inches | One half inch of centerline offset |
Which boot for which job
For sanitary lines where crews want the clamp already on the boot, QUIK-LOK. For sanitary lines needing the most deflection and movement, Z-LOK. For large diameter pipe and stormwater, including corrugated pipe, Z-LOK STM. For a fast-installing boot with everything packaged together, the G3 BOOT SYSTEM. For exact sizing on any of them, contact A-LOK at (215) 547-3366 or through the contact page, and see the How to Order guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a manhole boot?
A manhole boot is the flexible rubber boot connector that seals the opening where a pipe enters a manhole or other precast concrete structure. It is either cast into the structure wall or installed into a formed opening, and it is secured around the pipe with a stainless steel clamp or band.
Who makes manhole boot connectors?
A-LOK Products, Inc. has engineered and provided pipe to manhole connectors in Tullytown, Pennsylvania since 1971. The A-LOK boot connector lines are QUIK-LOK, Z-LOK, Z-LOK STM, and the G3 BOOT SYSTEM.
What is the difference between a boot connector and a compression connector?
Both create a watertight seal where a pipe enters a precast structure. A compression connector such as A-LOK PREMIUM seals by compression between the pipe and the connector cast into the structure wall. A boot connector is a flexible rubber sleeve secured to the pipe with a stainless steel clamp or band.
Can the pipe settle or move without leaking?
Yes. Each A-LOK boot provides omnidirectional deflection and vertical or horizontal movement without loss of seal, from 10 degrees on Z-LOK STM up to 25 degrees on Z-LOK, which prevents infiltration due to shear caused by settlement or ground movement.
How much force is required when tightening the clamps?
The stainless steel takedown clamps should be tightened to 60 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.
Which A-LOK boots are used for stormwater?
Z-LOK STM is designed for stormwater applications with corrugated or smooth wall pipe, and the G3 BOOT SYSTEM works for sanitary or stormwater systems.
Can I backfill right away?
Once the connector is fastened, immediate backfilling is possible, enhancing project safety and overcoming problems with water, running sand, and other unstable trench conditions.