Bathtub drain slip nut

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 20, 2010

Hi,

I removed my old tub. I couldn't get the drain out of the tub, so I ended up cutting the brass pipe that connects to it from underneath. I then removed the tub and the slip nuts.

The remaining tub drain has the threaded sanitary-tee-like connection, which goes into a lead-filled joint. I went to Lowes and picked up a new brass tub drain kit, but the slip nuts from the new kit don't thread onto the old sanitary tee. Here is a picture (obviously old slip nut on right).

Both slip nuts seem to fit fine over the new brass pipe, but the the new nuts will not thread onto the old brass tee connection.

Does anyone know what I need to look for when getting the new slip nuts to ensure that they will fit? I thought this sort-of thing was standard.

Basement_Lurker · Dec 21, 2010

supermattthehero said:
I thought this sort-of thing was standard.

Heh. So why can't you use the new SJ washers with the old nuts? If you look closely, you will see that the old nut uses a fine thread, and the new nut uses a fine thread.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 21, 2010

Anyone else?

hj · Dec 22, 2010

Either use the old nuts, with "thinner" rubber washers, or replace the entire drain. The nuts were proprietary to that drain and you will not find fine thread nuts which will fit it.

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 22, 2010

Welp, nuts are a moot point now. I tried to remove the drain from the lead/oakum joint, and in doing so (with a hammer, screwdriver, etc) cracked the cast iron pipe about 8" below the finished floor. Now I've created some work for myself, since this is on a concrete slab. Darn it.

hj · Dec 23, 2010

You violated one of my cardinal rules. "ALWAYS stop, and call me, about 2 minutes before you reach your level of incompetence, otherwise you WILL create a much more difficult job than when you started, and make my job a LOT harder".

Redwood · Dec 23, 2010

Welp folks we've got a big job now!

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 23, 2010

Busted it up. Here's the pics. I assume the easiest thing to do would be to cut off the cast iron pipe BEFORE the barrel connector (and not try to force a donut in there, etc), and just use a mission coupling?

Redwood · Dec 23, 2010

I'd bust a bigger hole. Where does the drain need to be for the new tub?

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 23, 2010

Redwood said:
I'd bust a bigger hole. Where does the drain need to be for the new tub?

There are two holes...the bigger one is what I busted up this morning. The smaller one is where the drain actually came up...and the little tiny trench that comes off of that is where the actual bathtub drain extends.

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 23, 2010

hj said:
You violated one of my cardinal rules. "ALWAYS stop, and call me, about 2 minutes before you reach your level of incompetence, otherwise you WILL create a much more difficult job than when you started, and make my job a LOT harder".

Waiting for phone number.

Should be an easy commute to VA from AZ.

Basement_Lurker · Dec 23, 2010

good lord what happened...i posed a simple solution but you went in the opposite direction all together!

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 23, 2010

Basement_Lurker said:
good lord what happened...i posed a simple solution but you went in the opposite direction all together!

The problem was that there was only one "old" nut available, and I needed two. If it was as simple as you may have assumed, I wouldn't have posted here to begin with.

Kind-of reminds me when I go to the hardware store with a particular fastener, and I say to the salesperson, "I need a screw like this." One time the guy said to me, "Well, what's wrong with that one?" It makes me want to say "Gee, you know what, you're right! I had the answer right here in my hand all along!"

Basement_Lurker · Dec 23, 2010

supermattthehero said:
The problem was that there was only one "old" nut available, and I needed two. If it was as simple as you may have assumed, I wouldn't have posted here to begin with.

Ahh, well you should have replyed to my original reply with that information. Anyways you seem quite agitated, so I won't dwell in this thread, but had you replied with that little bit of information, I would have told you to simply cut off the old tee, leaving the riser stub in place, and simply couple on the new drain tee with a sheilded rubber coupling. Good luck with your repairs.

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 23, 2010

I *am* quite agitated. Don't take it personally. This remodeling stresses me out.

Just cut off the pipe. It's amazing it drains at all.

hj · Dec 23, 2010

quote; "I need a screw like this." One time the guy said to me, "Well, what's wrong with that one?"

Usually I have to tell them, "I want one just like this, but not broken."

Did that trap have a cleanout plug in the bottom? It looks like it might have, unless that is just a shadow or hunk of rust. If it did, then the gods were looking out for you to make you have to remove it.

Redwood · Dec 24, 2010

supermattthehero said:
There are two holes...the bigger one is what I busted up this morning. The smaller one is where the drain actually came up...and the little tiny trench that comes off of that is where the actual bathtub drain extends.

Right I'd bust out a bigger hole over to where the tub drain sits and fix it up nice with the trap coming straight down from the tub drain.

hj · Dec 24, 2010

Make a bigger hole "where the tub drain is", and install the new trap there. DO NOT install the trap where it was and "pipe the drain from the tub to it".

SuperMatttheHero · Dec 25, 2010

hj said:
Make a bigger hole "where the tub drain is", and install the new trap there. DO NOT install the trap where it was and "pipe the drain from the tub to it".

Why? All of the bathtub drain kits sold at Lowes are set up for this style:

If I install the trap where the tub drain is, then how do I connect the overflow tube? After the trap???

I think you guys may have misinterpreted the photo...the trap originally had the "U"-shaped portion directly in between both holes in the concrete. You can sort-of see this in my 2nd picture (see the bend going down underneath to come up at the original hole in the concrete).

hj · Dec 26, 2010

"WHere the tub drain is", means WHERE the waste and overflow connects, NOT the drain hole in the bottom of the tub, although there are waste and overflows which DO connect at that point. We know WHAT you had, but we also see a "groove" which apparently goes where the new tub's drain connects, and we are saying do NOT do it that way.

Bathtub drain slip nut

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