Our house is only a few yrs old but the bathtub drain is corroded (sp?) and needs replaced becaue it is not holding the water in the tub. The 'drain' metal piece SCREWS into the hole in the bottom of the bathtub. My question....how do you get this old drain unscrewed out of the tub? It will not budge. We have tried pliers to unscrew it but is there a secret? Would some type of lubricant possibly loosen it enough so that it can be taken out and the new drain screwed back in? Please let me know any suggestions so we can replace it with the new drain! Thanks!!!

 

A 'dumbdell'

Mike or Ron will probably come along shortly and post a picture of one for you. (I haven't figured THAT part out yet!!)

If you don't have easy access to the rest of the drain assembly, then leave it in place. Replacing an entire tub drain assy. can be a pain in the rear, and that's why plumber's charge accordingly!!

 

There is a special wrench that will remove the drain. You can purchase at home depot for around $7. Also, while you're there, buy a gasket or some plumbers putty to put under the drain flange. Re-install tightly.
If leak continues, post back, it's a whole new ball game when replacing the entire drain.

 

the lever to open and close the drain to my bathtub is stuck. now i have to scoop out the water evertime i use the tub. i attempted to take the drain out and just use a drain stopper, but i couldn't get the drain out. how do i get this drain out and so that i can just use a drain stopper from now on? I dont want to replace the drain, i just want to go back to the old way of using a stopper.

 

Spice34:

Welcome to DoItYourself.com and the Plumbing forum.

Without being able to see it, it sounds as though you are talking about a trip lever drain assembly. If so, there are two screws on the face plate that you need to remove. Then you simply pull the face plate and the rods attached to it out of the tube. The stopper will come with it. You simply need to adjust the stopper UP a little bit (by turning it clokwise), then insert everything back into the tube.

Digging back into the archives is not the best way to post a question in this forum. The better way is to go up one level (in this case to Plumbing and Piping) and click on the "New Post" button.

 

I am also having to scoop out the water from the tub each time, but I think there's a clog. Should I try to remove the face plate first?

Thanks.

Bill