Super helpful! Thanks for taking the time to post this. Saved me a ton of time.

Wish ACO would have a video like this. I didn't get any instructions when I had them installed. Now a year and half later, I'm trying to get them out. I did the exact same thing you're doing...except my grates are metal/steel....so they're much heavier. And I've bent/ruined several of the locking bracket that the grates pops into. I don't know if they were installed incorrectly or if I did it getting them out. But the thin metal bracket can has a 2 inch slot in which it can slide or adjust back and forth. So if you don't get it align perfectly and press/stomp down perfectly...you bend the bracket down in the drain...making the grate not lock in anymore. Some of my were at angles making it almost impossible to get in and out with damage. I have 36ft of grates and gave up after the first 10ft. Some I couldn't get out.

I really didn't expect it to resemble a butt plug.

Mate, thanks so much for the clip. It really came in handy, Like so many others on this thread, I couldn't find info on any manufacturers websites with regards to removal of the grate. Cheers

Just saved me a driveway cut for dog fence wiring-thank you!

A suggestion - use WD-40 on the top of the silver bolt and down the sides of them. And do your best to clear out the soil from underneath the capture fitting so it can articulate.

Thank you! Looked everywhere for this. I have repaired and maintained a variety of things but moved to a workshop with these drains and was stumped. Didn't want to pry!

Very helpful, thank you for the Video. After 20 years I could open my ACO's and cleaned them for the first time.

So it's held in with butt plugs?

Thx easy

Perfect- Great video

Thank you very much! This was exactly the information I was looking for :)

What is that? I'm gonna go with it's meant to do that. But what is it??

Maybe ACO doesn't mention how to remove the drain cover because they don't want your drain cover to be stolen. Actually ACO supplies custom made tools for removing the cover and re-installing.

*ROLL OVER THE OCEAN, ROLL OVER THE SEA-*

I always appreciate some help on a video but this is not what the metropolitan sewer district of St Louis Missouri in the United States of America gave me. Where are the bolts!? How the f*** do I drain this thing? Why can't I share a picture!? Basement flooded for the 21st time. Damnit.

Once cover removed, jet blast it clean ,easy,!

thanks I was trying to figure this out for 3 years

Id still be trying to get that dam thing off...thanks

Thanks, we bought a house with this drain system but no instructions on how to clean it. Very helpful!

Thank you. This was so helpful!

Answered my question precisely. You would think ACO would have something like this. I will suggest it. In the meantime, thank you for saving me frustration.

Thank you so much! You just saved me a few hundred bucks

i think its meant to be vertical lookat the stairs and cranes. and which ship is this?

This was helpful. When they installed mine, they mentioned some "tool" for removal so I could clean, but here it is a few years later and I find myself needing to clean it and realized they never really told me how/what. I poked around at the metal clip underneath to see if there was some release mechanism but couldn't figure it out. I did have an extra grate they left me and saw it was a push-pin type, but that was all I had to go on. After seeing your video, I'm more confident I can just pop it out with a crowbar and not break anything, although I imagine there might be something the pros use that can push that metal catch out of the way and let the pin come out easier... less wear and tear on that device, although if I can go 3-4 years between cleanings, obviously I won't be doing it all that often.

very useful, thank you

Nice video, been trying to get my covers of for a while

You are welcome, I too could not find any video on how to open the cover and was afraid of breaking it! Decided to help others by making my own video.

Very helpful, I've been searching everywhere for information on how to lift these covers without damage but couldn't find a thing until now. Thanks :)