Why is my drain auger cable twisting or binding?

The cable may twist or bind for several reasons:

1.    Operating at too great a distance from the drain

• The tool should be positioned within 100 mm of the drain opening. Operating farther away can cause the cable to twist or kink.

2.    Using the wrong size drain cleaner for the pipe

• The RYOBI Drain Auger is designed for pipes between 32 mm and 50.8 mm. Using it on pipes outside this range can overstress the cable.

3.    Running the tool in reverse for too long

• Extended reverse operation can damage the cable and cause binding.

4.    Forcing the cable through a blockage

• Applying too much pressure instead of letting the cutter work can cause the cable to kink or break.

5.    Cutter stopped while cable is still rotating

• This over stresses the cable and can lead to twisting or snapping.