Hayward S160T Filter Lateral Assembly with Center Pipe, SX160QA

The Hayward SX160QA is the folding umbrella lateral assembly with center pipe for the S160T sand filter. It is the genuine Hayward part and it replaces the whole underdrain in one piece.

What the laterals do

The laterals sit at the bottom of the tank under the sand bed. Their slots are sized to let filtered water through while holding the sand back, and the center pipe carries that water up and out of the filter. When a lateral cracks, the sand no longer has anything holding it and it goes straight to the pool through the returns.

Folding umbrella design

The arms fold in against the center pipe so the assembly passes down through the tank opening, then spread out once inside. That is what makes it serviceable on a filter that has no removable head.

Doing the job

Reaching the underdrain means emptying the sand, so the filter is going to be open anyway. Replacing the entire assembly rather than one visibly broken lateral is the right call, because the others are the same age and the labor to go back in is the expensive part.