# Trenchless Installation Guide for Instant-Lock Point Repair

Canonical: https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/resources/trenchless-installation-guide

Language: English

Updated: 2026-10-20

![Instant-Lock Small locking-gear alignment before installation.](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/img/Guides/instant-lock-alignment.webp)

Instant-Lock Small locking-gear alignment at 11 o’clock or 1 o’clock before installation, from the brochure, page 2. After installation the locking gear finishes at the 12 o’clock position. This diagram is for the Small range. · [3](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/doc/brochures/Reliance%20Instant-Lock%20Small&Big.pdf "Reliance Instant-Lock brochure — Small alignment and inflation notes, page 2")

This trenchless installation guide restates how an Instant-Lock mechanical sleeve is prepared, positioned, locked and inflated inside the host pipe for localized point repair. The positioning and inflation notes below are the published Instant-Lock Small steps. Large sleeves use a different tool and need their own procedure. This is not a full-length CIPP lining method.

The steps are taken from the Instant-Lock Small and Large product pages and the shared brochure. This page is not a permit to enter a pipe or manhole, not an ASTM or NSF certification, and not a substitute for the confirmed instructions of the selected sleeve and packer. Site safety, flow isolation and acceptance tests follow those instructions and the project requirements.

## 1. What this trenchless installation covers

An Instant-Lock sleeve is a mechanical internal pipe repair sleeve: stainless steel with an EPDM jacket, installed from inside the host pipe. The product pages list cracked systems, fragmented pipes, infiltration and exfiltration, and root intrusion. It is not a full-length CIPP lining system, and it is not an internal pipe joint seal. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes")

Instant-Lock Small is published as DN150–600 and uses matching SLP installation packers. Instant-Lock Large is published as DN600–2000 and uses the SL Big Tool. Near DN600, send the measured internal diameter so the family and tool can be confirmed. A nominal DN label is not the measured bore. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes") · [2](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit")

The Small product page names ASTM F3110-14\(2024\) as a practice for a mechanical trenchless point-repair sleeve with a locking gear, with a published scope of 6–72 in \(150–1800 mm\). That page does not claim ASTM F3110 certification, listing or installation compliance for Instant-Lock, and it does not claim NSF/ANSI 61 or NSF/ANSI 372. Confirm any project standard with Reliance. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes")

Sources:
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide)
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide)

## 2. Prepare and inspect before positioning a sleeve

Before a repair is chosen, the applications page says to review CCTV footage and record the pipe diameter, material, defect type and position. Where flow has to be controlled, it says to use an inflatable pipe plug matched to the pipe size and back pressure. After the repair, it says to check the repaired section with testing plugs according to the standard required for the project. [4](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/applications "Reliance applications — inspection, flow control, repair and testing workflow")

Sleeve installation packers are not the same product as pipe repair packers used to place a resin and fiberglass patch. State wheel, access and entry constraints in the enquiry. This page does not authorize anyone to enter a pipe or a manhole. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes") · [5](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/repair-packers#product-guide "Reliance repair packers — patch placement, not sleeve installation packers")

Sources:
- [Reliance applications — inspection, flow control, repair and testing workflow](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/applications)
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide)
- [Reliance repair packers — patch placement, not sleeve installation packers](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/repair-packers#product-guide)

## 3. Position the sleeve and the locking gear

The Instant-Lock Small page gives this positioning guidance. Position the sleeve on the packer with the ends of the toothed strips facing the same direction, especially when installing multiple sleeves. Turn the sleeve so the middle of the toothed strip is at the 12 o’clock position. Depending on the viewing direction, the locking gear is at 11 o’clock or 1 o’clock. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes") · [3](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/doc/brochures/Reliance%20Instant-Lock%20Small&Big.pdf "Reliance Instant-Lock brochure — Small alignment and inflation notes, page 2")

After installation, the locking gear finishes at the top, in the 12 o’clock position. These notes are published for Instant-Lock Small. The Large page says not to apply the Small alignment and inflation steps to a large sleeve. Request the large-sleeve installation procedure instead. [2](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit") · [3](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/doc/brochures/Reliance%20Instant-Lock%20Small&Big.pdf "Reliance Instant-Lock brochure — Small alignment and inflation notes, page 2")

Sources:
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide)
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide)
- [Reliance Instant-Lock brochure — Small alignment and inflation notes, page 2](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/doc/brochures/Reliance%20Instant-Lock%20Small&Big.pdf)

## 4. Inflate the packer and check the lock

For Instant-Lock Small, inflate the packer slowly until the sleeve expands against the pipe wall, then carry out a second inflation to check that the locking gear is fastened. The brochure specifies inflation above 3 bar for wastewater configurations and above 5.5 bar for drinking-water configurations. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes") · [3](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/doc/brochures/Reliance%20Instant-Lock%20Small&Big.pdf "Reliance Instant-Lock brochure — Small alignment and inflation notes, page 2")

Those pressures are application-specific instructions, not a maximum pressure rating for every packer. Confirm the selected packer and its operating limits with Reliance. Large sleeves use the SL Big Tool, and the Small inflation steps do not replace the Large procedure. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes") · [2](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit")

Sources:
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide)
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide)
- [Reliance Instant-Lock brochure — Small alignment and inflation notes, page 2](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/doc/brochures/Reliance%20Instant-Lock%20Small&Big.pdf)

## 5. What to send with an installation enquiry

Send the measured internal diameter, pipe material, defect type, quantity, steel grade if it is already known, access limits, and whether an SLP installation packer or the SL Big Tool is already available. Availability and delivery are confirmed per project, not on this page. [1](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes") · [2](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide "Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit")

Use the Small and Large product pages for the published ranges. If the defect may be repaired with a resin and fiberglass patch instead of a mechanical sleeve, start from the point-repair systems page and the repair packer page. Those packers place a patch; they are not Instant-Lock installation packers. [6](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/point-repair-systems "Reliance point-repair systems") · [5](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/repair-packers#product-guide "Reliance repair packers — patch placement, not sleeve installation packers")

- [Instant-Lock Small](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small)
- [Instant-Lock Large](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large)
- [Repair packers](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/repair-packers)
- [Point repair systems](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/point-repair-systems)
- [Testing plugs](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/testing-plugs)
- [Contact / technical enquiry](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/contact#product=InstantLocksSmall)

Sources:
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide)
- [Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide)
- [Reliance point-repair systems](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/point-repair-systems)
- [Reliance repair packers — patch placement, not sleeve installation packers](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/repair-packers#product-guide)

## Sources

1. [Reliance Instant-Lock Small — published range, positioning and inflation notes](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-small#product-guide)
2. [Reliance Instant-Lock Large — SL Big Tool and the Small-procedure limit](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide)
3. [Reliance Instant-Lock brochure — Small alignment and inflation notes, page 2](https://reliancetrenchless.com/assets/doc/brochures/Reliance%20Instant-Lock%20Small&Big.pdf)
4. [Reliance applications — inspection, flow control, repair and testing workflow](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/applications)
5. [Reliance repair packers — patch placement, not sleeve installation packers](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/repair-packers#product-guide)
6. [Reliance point-repair systems](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/point-repair-systems)

## What to include in your enquiry

- Measured internal diameter at the defect, pipe material and defect type.
- Whether the measured size sits in the published Small range DN150–600 or Large range DN600–2000, including the DN600 overlap.
- Access limits, and whether an SLP installation packer or the SL Big Tool is already available.
- Wastewater or drinking-water service, and the steel grade if one has been selected.
- Quantity, destination and a request for the model-specific installation procedure.

[Instant-Lock Large sleeves and tool boundary](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/products/instant-lock-sleeves-large#product-guide)

[Request an Instant-Lock configuration review](https://reliancetrenchless.com/en-GB/contact#product=InstantLocksSmall)

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