plumbing of a new clawfoot tub??????

I am new at this and maybe the problem I think I have is not a problem at all.. BUT sure seems strange...I am doing a bathroom remodel, redid foor tile, walls, now am putting the clawfoot tub back.
I have to mention that I had a contractor start the job and so him and his partner took the tub out and did all the disconnecting of the plumbing, then they didn't show up after telling me multiple times how they will come tomorrow to finish the tiling and in the end I finished the tiling myself, but now since I didnt take the tub out I am not sure if the way I am putting it in is correct.
It has a regular drain out of the bottom and the drain for overflow, they come together in a standart fashion into one pipe that inserts into the floor. but the piece of piping that connects the overflow and the bottom drain just seems to insert into both pipes without any extra reinforcent, there are no threads to screw anything to anything, there are no traces of solder, or any washers... they are polished metal pipes. and they fit well together.. it can't be that they are not supposed to be sealed somehow right?
this is seems to be a fairly new clawfoot tub, it is not cast iron, I am not sure what it's made of --- we didn't buy it, it came with the house.
Thank you

both places you have circled should be threaded connections, unless the pipe is copper, if so, they should be sweated. It will leak otherwise!

threaded tailpieces

those are 1 1/8 threaded tailpieces....
special on old style claw foot tubs....

they have probably got pipe dope on the threads
if it dont leak , dont mess with it....

and that is most likely NOT 1 1/4 pipe....
so it takes that special sized 1 1/8th slip nut
to put it all back together......

unless this is all a new modern up-graded version that
is probably what you are tangling with..


Also..... to your delight and surprise you will probably find that
the tail piece that goes down into the drain will probably be
about an inch or more too short now that the floor has been raised and tiled...

you will either have to unscrew that tailpiece and get a longer
one or go get a 1 1/4 x 1 1/2 grey fernco fitting
and tie into the drain comming up through the floor....
that is the easy way to avoid fooling with the bastard sized nuts
and pipes....

before you go through all this trouble
I also suggest that
you do some sort of water test to be sure that this is
all water tight ??

tubing

1 3/8" tubing for the old leg tub drains, not 1 1/8"

I hooked it up yesterday and did an extensive test for leaks. So far it's not leaking. But since its a newly remodeled bathroom adjasent to a newly remodeled bedroom I would really hate to drain that big clawfoot tub one day and have it leak al over the place... Could I seal it with some plumber's goop to be sure? will it stick to shiny very polished metal like this?
Thank you..

whatever .......

hj said:

1 3/8" tubing for the old leg tub drains, not 1 1/8"

Click to expand...

Hey , give me a break.....

I have not fooled with one in at least 5 years...

I cant remember it all......

modern drain replacements for clawfoot tubs are normally 1-1/2" since the 1-3/8" has been abandoned. The threads are very fine and are probably factory doped - don't disturb them. If the tube reaches the drain, there's no problem. I certainly wouldn't smear goop on a shiny brass finish.