Sink drain tail too close to stub in wall

[bspachman]

Hi all!

As you can see from my post count, I'm a relative novice around here--although I've been lurking and searching for a while. I'm attempting some minor repairs on a second floor bathroom and have successfully replaced the flush and fill valves on the toilet, installed new supply lines and shut off valves for the toilet and sink, but have stumbled on replacing the sink's p-trap.

All of my new p-trap parts are chromed brass, and although I've trimmed the output of the trap as short as it can go, I still have an issue where the output side of the J bend will not connect to the drain stub coming from the wall.

It looks like the stub is actually copper, and I'm working with 1 1/4 parts and pieces (everything fits properly to the stub and the sink tail).

Pictures are attached--I'd welcome any advice or thoughts on how to best proceed...

Thanks!
brad

[cacher_chick]

The drain stub-out and trap adapter should not be sticking out of the wall that far. Did you change the sink or was the old trap just different? If you want to use that trap either the drain pipe will need to move back a little in the wall or the trap adapter will need to be removed and a new one installed closer to the wall.

[jc60618]

Try to unsweat that pressure type male adapter. Apply heat to the inside wall of the pipe and with channel locks pull it out. When you get it out clean the pipe with a rag to remove the remaining solder once that is done get a trap adapter. The trap adaptor will give you the proper clearance to hook up the p trap. When your ready to solder the trap adapter keep the flame in the inside walls of the pipe so you dont burn that plywood. What you have is a pressure male adaptor which is used for water distribution not a DWV application. So you will probably need a 1.5" x 1.25" cooper sweat trap adapter.

[gardner]

If the sink can be 3/4 to the left or right, you can swivel the trap around the other way and come out from the wall to meet it. This looks a little weird at first but is 100% kosher.

[bspachman]

Thanks for the ideas everyone! I rather suspected that the best solution would be to try to fix the stub in some fashion, but my experience with sweating and soldering copper pipe is minimal. I did try to 'unthread' the outermost part of the stub (it looks as if it is merely threaded on), but all my force with a pair of channel-locks couldn't shift it.

In the meanwhile, I did discover some potential options. Any thoughts on either of the following for this type of situation?

http://www.innovateproduct.com/Products.aspx OR


@gardner, I did think of moving the sink, but it's hung on the wall from a heavy-duty bracket, and that looked like a whole mess of trouble to get into.

@cacher_chick & jc60618, the sink hasn't changed--the original trap system was an exceedingly convoluted arrangement that actually involved a T fitting to swing back through the wall to 'trap' a small kitchenette sink on the other side. It was an ugly mess--I wish I had a 'before' picture!

Anyway, it sounds like I'll be investing in (or borrowing) a torch to try to remove the excess fitting and replace it with the proper copper trap adapter.

brad

[hj]

Your biggest problem may be finding a 1 1/4" trap adapter, since 1 1 /2" is the most common size. If you can, then replacing that male adapter with it will solve your problem.

[bspachman]

Follow up...

Due to other extingencies, I ended up taking apart the wall from the other side and found the sink DWV was 1.5in copper. I was able to remove the male adapter and the copper elbow (using my culinary torch--yikes!). I found that there was a reducing bushing in the elbow that brought the size down to 1.25in.

A quick visit to the hardware store and the local supply house later:


Some lessons learned:

1) I'm glad I practiced soldering on some scrap 3/4in copper I had laying around.
2) Culinary torches aren't the greatest tool for a project like this
3) Protecting the wood with a ceramic blanket is a good thing.
4) 1.25 sink tails can be pushed into 1.5in traps with the proper washers.

Comments? Review? I know the solder is on the sloppy side, but no apparent leaks yet...

Now to the next problem--the leak in the 3in main waste stack! (I think that problem will be beyond me)....

Thanks!
brad

[cacher_chick]

It's fixed and you didn't burn the house down.... well done!

[export!]

Good work. Treat yourself to some creme brulee.