I could use some help with clog after drum trap

[travelterp]

Hello everyone! First post here. I have a few rental properties and one of them is a small two unit apt on a slab. The tenant told me that the tub was not draining. I tried to snake it and got nowhere fast. I called the local plumbing company and they sent a young guy out. He tried to snake it and ended up destroying his snake, said we needed to get a new drain installed and said someone else would call later to give us an estimate. In the meantime, I went and did some google searching and figured out I have a drum trap ( this thing was built in the 50s) I found the lid and was able to get it off easily, I used the shop vac and sucked everything out.. Just then the second plumber shows up and says they need to jackhammer the concrete and put in a P trap, and that they cant snake the drum trap.
After he leaves I get my snake again and get it about 3 or 4 feet in before it comes to a stop. I cant tell what its hitting, but nothing comes out with the snake.
Everything else drains just fine..toilet, sink, kitchen...
I understand that the drum trap will probably need to be replaced one day.

Is it possible to snake after the trap?? Maybe I need a different plumber to come out? The tenant cant use the shower at all and the first company cant get out quick to install the P trap.

Even if they do switch out the trap, the clog is a good 3 feet past that, so in my mind the new P trap wont do any good right now.

Any ideas on what else I can try?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Reach4]

Do you have a place where you could insert a Brasscraft drain bladder? I don't picture being able to do that at the drum trap, but I don't know.

Maybe you could insert a Clog Hog, but you would need some thing to catch the water. I am not a plumber.

 

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[Michael Young]

On the outlet side of the drum trap you can run your cable through there. if you're using a cheapass drill auger you bought from home depot, you'll never get through. You may want to rent on of their larger machine. You'll be going into a 2" pipe. so don't rent the giant machine. If you have rental properties and you have a little cash to drop, I strongly recommend the ORANGE ridgid auger that sell for about $600 bucks at home depot. trust me, it will pay for itself.

 

[Reach4]

if you're using a cheapass drill auger you bought from home depot, you'll never get through.

One of those worked great for me. I actually went through the 1-1/4 trap, and before I knew it, it had played out about 12 ft of snake, and the blockage several feet below the santee had been cleared. I was prepared to enter at the santee, but thought I would try the lazy stay-dry top entry.

 

[travelterp]

On the outlet side of the drum trap you can run your cable through there. if you're using a cheapass drill auger you bought from home depot, you'll never get through. You may want to rent on of their larger machine. You'll be going into a 2" pipe. so don't rent the giant machine. If you have rental properties and you have a little cash to drop, I strongly recommend the ORANGE ridgid auger that sell for about $600 bucks at home depot. trust me, it will pay for itself.

thanks for the help!

you're right, I have the cheapass small drill snake. I'll look at Hd for the other one.

the outlet pipe looks smaller than 2". I could be totally wrong though. I have a different guy coming out tonight to try to break up the clog. If I can't get the lid back on the drum, can I use a fernco lid on it??

 

[hj]

A drum trap is nothing but a "large size cleanout opening", so anything you can snake a drain with, you can use in a cleanout. Anyone who tells you differently is just making stuff up.