Aligning drain pipe to Vikrell shower base

[thebigsee]

I'm installing a 36" Sterling Ensemble Curve Vikrell shower receptor on a slab foundation. The existing cast-iron shower drain is about 2" out-of-line with the new receptor, so I've opened up the floor and will cut the old p-trap and install a new ABS trap with a shielded coupling.

Seems like there's little wiggle room once the new ABS line is put in and the slab is patched up -- that pipe will have to line-up with the base perfectly. Any suggestions on how to make sure it lines up just right? I just thought that maybe I should leave about a 2" opening around the ABS where it comes up out of the floor so I could ease the pipe a bit -- does that sound right?

[jadnashua]

Measure carefully!

You could make an alignment jig out of a piece of ply with a half-circle hole to use as a gauge...butt one end and side up against the studs. Temporarily set it underneath the pan where you want it to sit, then draw a circle on the ply through the hole in the receptor, then cut for your template. Well, you could probably use a sheet of cardboard or heavy paper as well.

You don't want sideways pressure on the pipe and to work properly, it needs to be plumb as well.

[shacko]

I'm installing a 36" Sterling Ensemble Curve Vikrell shower receptor on a slab foundation. The existing cast-iron shower drain is about 2" out-of-line with the new receptor, so I've opened up the floor and will cut the old p-trap and install a new ABS trap with a shielded coupling.

Seems like there's little wiggle room once the new ABS line is put in and the slab is patched up -- that pipe will have to line-up with the base perfectly. Any suggestions on how to make sure it lines up just right? I just thought that maybe I should leave about a 2" opening around the ABS where it comes up out of the floor so I could ease the pipe a bit -- does that sound right?

It's common practice to leave a hole around a rough-in for a tub or shower, not knowing your shower I can't say if the drain protrudes below the floor level, I would put in a 6inch box around the pipe. Like the other post said, make sure your measurments are right, but the box gives you a little wiggle room.

[thebigsee]

All this advice was very good. I used a cardboard jig and also made the 6" box around the drain (old shower didn't have that!) and it made all the difference. Got the pipe to line up just about perfectly. Thanks very much.