Fixing Break On Gilmour Spike Hose Connector

One common complaint I've seen regarding the Gilmour Sprinkler on Metal Spike is that the hose connector breaks. Once it breaks you can no longer attach a hose which means you can't use the sprinkler.

I haven't had mine fail but I've come up with a solution that will reduce strain on this connection which will make it last longer. It will also make it easier to use the sprinkler.


The hose connection is the black plastic nut on the right side of the photo. This is where the male end of a hose connects to provide water to the sprinkler. The green plastic on the left is a cap. If you have enough pressure and water flow to connect multiple sprinklers you can unscrew the green cap and connect the female end of a garden hose to it, and then the male end of the garden hose to another sprinkler input.

If your Gilmour Sprinkler hose connection has broken I think the only thing you can do is buy a replacement Orbit 58197N Zinc Step Spike Base and unscrew the Impulse head from the old spike and screw it onto the new one. The Orbit Spike has a sturdier construction than the Gilmour spike. The threads are metal and not plastic.

If your hose connection nut is still intact, you can buy a Orbit Brass Hose Quick Connect Set 58117 and attach the male part (right) to the sprinkler and leave it attached permanently. The female part (left) attaches to the male fitting on your garden hose.

Using the quick connect will make it easy to attach your garden hose to your sprinkler so you can set up your sprinkler faster. Since you won't be screwing and unscrewing that plastic nut all the time will reduce wear and strain on the plastic nut which will extend it's life.

These quick connect fittings also make it easy to switch between different wands. You can buy multiple Orbit Brass Quick Connect Male fittings to attach to different hose end sprayers. Put one on your sprinklers, one on your spray head, one on your wand sprayer, one on your Dial-n-Spray and you can quickly switch between them. There are some cheaper plastic quick connect fittings but I like the brass ones. They are very sturdy and last a long time without leaks. I have had one on my pressure washer for years without issue.

When not using your sprinkler try and keep it indoors or at least in the shade. Sunlight also degrades plastic.