Home warranty blues- Leaking bathtub

[Brokenbathtub]

My 2nd story bathtub in my new house was leaking (leaking as in a gallon+ of the water coming from the ceiling). So, I call my home warranty, they come out and determine that the drain was cross-threaded with no plumber's putty. Therefore, it was an improper install, not legally liable to fix it. I can understand that.

So, I pull out the drain enough to put putty on it (not all the way out), and screw it back in (it is still cross threaded). The bathtub is still leaking as much as before.

My question is, can a cross threaded drain cause such a leak? I am of the opinion that if the gasket between the shoe and tub is good, then it shouldn't be leaking regardless of cross threading. The house is 18 years old, so I think the gasket being bad is possible?

Assuming the gasket is the most likely culprit, I think I'll get a plumber to come out and cut an access panel behind the tub and bill me for the panel cutout/gasket replacement on one bill, and replacing the shoe on another bill. Then submit the gasket bill to the warranty company.

Thanks for any opinions!

[Terry]

I had this same argument with a plumber.
The drain threads into the shoe, clamping the tub and gasket tightly together.

If there is goo or tape or if it's cross threaded, then the drain can't threaded down far enough to clamp the parts together to make a seal.

[hj]

If it is cross threaded, it must be a plastic drain, and if so, a good plumber can retap it so the strainer goes in correctly. Putty does NOTHING to prevent the tub from leaking, it only keeps water in the tub from leaking into the drain. I am not sure what kind of plumbers your warrantee company uses, but they must only have wanted to collect the "deductible" otherwise they could have repaired it, (I know I would have). A "cross thraded" strainer should NOT have caused a leak 18 years later.