The AR, Abrasion Resistant, valve is a durable wing guided, spring loaded check valve. It is used with abrasive type fluids, bentonite mud, water, oil etc., and provides excellent performance and long service life. A typical valve is shown in Picture 1. Figure 1 shows the valve components.

The primary difficulty in removing an AR Valve is associated with the removal of the tapered seat from the matching locking taper in the fluid cylinder. If the pump is used for discharge pressures in excess of 5,000 psi or for corrosive fluids this can be a difficult task requiring specialized tooling.

FMC Technologies provides four types of tools that can be used to remove the AR type valves. Some of the tools are specific to the pump model, some are used only with specific valves and others can be used anywhere. They each have advantages and disadvantages.

Figure 1.