Advice on Garbage Disposal + P-Trap

**casey00** · 03-10-2011, 06:22 AM

The attached photo shows the connection between the garbage disposal and the p-trap underneath the kitchen sink. Recently, the p-trap will not stay connected to the disposal. You can't really tell from the picture but the end of the black pipe is right at the tip of the p-trap. This causes water to slosh out when the sink is running, more so if the disposal is on.

If I try to push the p-trap up, it sinks back down, probably because of the weight of it combined with the layout of the plumbing. The circular fastener thing at the end of the p-trap that I expect would tighten around the disposal pipe doesn't actually turn, it looks glued.

Any suggestions on how this can be fixed?

**jimbo** · 03-10-2011, 06:37 AM

You have an extension glued into the trap. The nut right where the black tailpiece comes in....that can be tightened. I would first remove the nut and replace the poly washer with a rubber one..it will give better grip. Go the the hardware store and ask for a rubber 1½" slip joint washer.

Given that the pipe was installed just a tad short, if the problem persists, you can put a block of wood under the trap to hold it up!

**casey00** · 03-10-2011, 06:56 AM

Thanks Jimbo.

The nut right where the black tailpiece comes in....that can be tightened

Unfortunately, I think the nut is either glued or otherwise stuck, I'm having trouble turning it.

first remove the nut and replace the poly washer with a rubber one..it will give better grip

What is the poly washer?

hj · 03-10-2011, 08:49 AM

quote; Given that the pipe was installed just a tad short, if the problem persists, you can put a block of wood under the trap to hold it up!

If that is the best advice you can give, or if that is how YOU would make a repair, then this person is in deep trouble. He has a "schedule 40" ips sink drain and trap. That system is too "rigid" to "bend it" so the trap goes in deeper. I am not sure what they used to make the trap adapter, since I have not seen anything like the piece they used, but I would either cut the thread off, glue a coupling, a short piece of pipe, and a proper tailpiece connector on it so the elbow goes in the proper distance. OR more likely take a SawZall and cut the entire mess out and replace it with tubular drain components.

**casey00** · 03-10-2011, 10:30 AM

That system is too "rigid" to "bend it" so the trap goes in deeper

This is in reference to bending the trap by pushing it up with a block of wood?

I would either cut the thread off, glue a coupling, a short piece of pipe, and a proper tailpiece connector on it so the elbow goes in the proper distance

Can you explain where/what you mean here?

**Terry** · 03-10-2011, 11:07 AM

The original installation was done wrong.
Cut out the p-trap and start over. You shouldn't have to block it, or tie it up for it to work.

**casey00** · 03-10-2011, 11:09 AM

Cut out the p-trap and start over. You shouldn't have to block it, or tie it up for it to work.

Is thre a specific place it should be cut out from? Or will any place on the pipe work?

**Basement_Lurker** · 03-10-2011, 02:35 PM

I like the duct tape pipe support in the background

Seeing as how the OP doesn't seem to have the skills to put a wrench on that slipnut, I doubt their plumbing skills are up to rebuilding a drain. A solid and simple fix for this would be to remove the slipnut and install a 1.5"x1.25" reducing banded rubber coupling in place of a standard trap adapter.

hj · 03-10-2011, 06:02 PM

I would cut it where it comes out of the wall and change everything to tubular with slip nuts. It is the ONLY way I ever do it. I might also question HOW the elbow is attached to the disposer, since it seems to have a "bell" at the connection.

**jimbo** · 03-10-2011, 06:50 PM

The elbow may be a slip joint nut, because for a year or two, around early 2000's, ISE abandoned the two bolt flange and went to that.

Obvioulsy there is enough flex that it was hooked up ok once, and slipped down. Sure, he could cut it all out and redo it, but a rubber washer for grip, and yes a board under it if that is what it takes to keep the water out of the people tank! If he hits the lotto, he can hire a plumber to redo it all!

hj · 03-11-2011, 06:45 AM

There is not enough definition to see if it is that type of connection, but if it is, with a Badger I that would make the disposer near, or past, the end of its lifetime.