# OK, I broke my shower drain... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 6, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154 "2009-04-06T18:40:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/1 "2009-04-06T18:40:36Z")
My shower drain (the decorative silver piece that the drain plug connects into) has started to leak. So, I bought a new one, and proceeded to replace it. Being a person who believes in the right tool for the right job, I even bought the tool to easily remove the old one. Stuck the tool in the “+” within the drain, and [SNAP] went the “+” out of the drain. Leaving just the outer drain; with nothing to grab onto. So here I sit; with a drain with no center, and a hardware store with no idea how to remove the remainder of the drain. Any ideas? Eli ---
**Author:** ![imfloating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bc79bd/32.png) [@imfloating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imfloating)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/2 "2009-04-06T18:55:48Z")
If youre referring to the drain hole, I had the same thing happen. I purchased a very nice drain plug online that has a little back and forth flip switch to stop the water in order to take a bath. It’s a Flip-it Chrome Bathtub Stopper # 125401. Hope this is what youre looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/3 "2009-04-06T19:15:17Z")
The problem isn’t the stopper. It’s the drain housing; the thing that the stopper fits into. Here’s an image of the entire [assembly](http://www.needplumbingsupplies.com/Moen-Bathroom-Accessories.asp?id=11614&NpsRfrSrc=NexTag&NpsRfrMfg=7); this image shows both the stopper and the housing. There’s corrosion around the exterior of the housing that’s beginning to leak. I actually need to pull & replace the entire housing before it starts allowing lots of water to escape. Sorry I wasn’t clear the first time. Eli ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/4 "2009-04-06T19:21:01Z")
It unscrews, I’m just not sure what sort of tool you need to get a grip on it. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/5 "2009-04-06T19:26:27Z")
If your tub is like others I’ve dealt with, you need to get under the tub to get a wrench on the big nut that’s holding the drain tailpiece to the tub, and unscrew the nut. The tool you got is more for holding the tailpiece still while you tighten or loosen the nut, rather than driving the tailpiece in or out. Unless you can see the bottomside of the tub and its drain from an unfinished basement, or are willing to chop a hole in the ceiling below the tub (you may need to do this anyway if it’s been leaking!) it’s going to be a nearly impossible job. Even if you can get at things, it’s a royal pain. ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/6 "2009-04-06T22:40:07Z")
I’ve installed fiberglass showers which have a nut underneath holding the drain tight against the shower floor, but on tubs I’ve only seen the ones where the drain shoe has inside threads and the drain assembly screws into it from the top, with a rubber washer between the shoe and the bottom of the tub. Here’s a drawing of what I’m talking about: [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.homerepairforum.com/images/uploads/2005-3-25\_GLUE\_IN\_WSTE\_OVERFLOW\_w550.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.homerepairforum.com/forum/plumbing/2498-sealing-tub-drain-leak-near-stopper.html&usg=\_\_4QZR-sh6zfU2TRPPaxEK6S2uiSY=&h=550&w=550&sz=28&hl=en&start=18&um=1&tbnid=vHBmOG6-yzp-zM:&tbnh=133&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtub%2Bdrain%2Bassembly%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1%26c2coff%3D1](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.homerepairforum.com/images/uploads/2005-3-25_GLUE_IN_WSTE_OVERFLOW_w550.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.homerepairforum.com/forum/plumbing/2498-sealing-tub-drain-leak-near-stopper.html&usg=__4QZR-sh6zfU2TRPPaxEK6S2uiSY=&h=550&w=550&sz=28&hl=en&start=18&um=1&tbnid=vHBmOG6-yzp-zM:&tbnh=133&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtub%2Bdrain%2Bassembly%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1%26c2coff%3D1) . If I had your problem I’d try to cut notches 180 degrees from each other into the drain assembly and use a hammer and chisel to drive it out (unscrewing it). Better yet, an inside pipe wrench. ---
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/7 "2009-04-09T18:14:27Z")
I took **hermann’s** advice and tried the notches. It worked, but took a damnably long time (2+ hours, much of that trying to avoid notching the tub itself. I looked for an inside pipe-wrench, but could not find one for a 1 1/2" diameter drain. Thanks!!! Eli ---
**Author:** ![Thin\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Thin\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Ice)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/8 "2009-04-09T20:46:22Z")
When I replaced my tub years ago I had to unscrew the basket and noticed two bosses on opposite sides about an inch down inside the opening . I have a large Crescent wrench whose handle fits down in there and also butts up against the bosses. It was an easy task to put a pipe wrench on the head of the C wrench and unscrew the basket from the galvanized pipe under the tub. Look for a replacement with bosses for next time. ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-broke-my-shower-drain/492154/9 "2009-04-09T23:25:53Z")
> [@Eliphalet](#): > > I took **hermann’s** advice and tried the notches. It worked, but took a damnably long time (2+ hours, much of that trying to avoid notching the tub itself. > > I looked for an inside pipe-wrench, but could not find one for a 1 1/2" diameter drain. > > Thanks!!! > > Eli I’m glad that it worked for you. I know that it’s too late now, but just this morning I spotted this nifty tool at a plumbing supply shop. It’s a “Tub Drain Removal Tool” made by PlumBest, and was $22.00. Here’s a link, PDF: [http://test.plumbest.com/files/jsc\_downloads/catalog/G5.pdf](http://test.plumbest.com/files/jsc_downloads/catalog/G5.pdf)