Help me dispose of my garbage-level ignorance

July 31, 2021 9:36 PM

How do I remove this garbage disposal at the pictured connection? Everything I’m reading and watching online, e.g. this timestamped guide, says I’m supposed to be able to insert a long screwdriver into that holder and spin to detach after doing the previous steps, but we can’t get the disposal to budge at all. What are we missing, assuming we’re trying to spin in the correct direction?

The disposal unit has been in place for probably at least 20 years and wasn’t installed by us. We’ve found some strange plumbing decisions elsewhere in the house, so it’s entirely possible this was set up wrong originally. I believe the unit is InSinkerator, but it’s hard to tell. The bolts pinning the drain assembly in place are Torx, not that it should affect this. And yes, I will call a plumber if I can’t get this off.

posted by michaelh to Home & Garden (19 answers total)

Are you trying to remove it entirely? Because I was able to remove a similar unit myself, but it took a long time, with a lot of pounding and swearing, and many promises by my husband for pizza, before I finally pounded that thing out.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 9:49 PM on July 31, 2021

The picture doesn’t seem to quite match the model in the video. Is it possible that the unit is being held just via tension present on the metal part? My disposal is different than yours, but I always forget that it is tension keeping it connected, not a specific bracket or screw. Maybe this helps? 20-years of connection would also generate a lot of gunk, if tension is what’s holding it together.
posted by dngrangl at 9:52 PM on July 31, 2021

Then I replaced the drain where it had been. If you don't like plumbing, don't try to do it yourself, but I was determined to get that sucker out of there and replace it with a running drain.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 10:04 PM on July 31, 2021

Response by poster: Ideally I’d leave the old drain assembly in place and attach the new disposal on that standard connection, but based on not being able to move it, I don’t know if that’s actually what I have here. Also, we made a big mistake by ordering pizza before we got the job done.

dngrangl, what would the implication be if it’s just tension holding them, just to pry apart? I’ve tried jamming a screwdriver between the two metal pieces and I can make one end start to pull away, but it always snaps back.
posted by michaelh at 10:17 PM on July 31, 2021

I don't know what to tell you. I kept pounding on the thing and came up sweating and swearing until I finally got it out, but the meantimes were quite hairy.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 10:28 PM on July 31, 2021

If at all possible, you should hire a plumber, is what I am trying to say.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 10:37 PM on July 31, 2021

Try WD-40 as anti-seize between the metal pieces.

Stick the screwdriver in and then hit it with a hammer to try to jar it loose.
posted by supercres at 10:56 PM on July 31, 2021 [2 favorites]

Is the black section metal? I was thinking that where that black section connects with the silver metal is where “tension” might be at play. And I assumed the black section was some type of rubber/plastic.

On mine, I had to loosen some screws, nothing moved, and then I realized I had to pull down on the unit to finally release it.

If both black and silver are metal, hmm. Do try WD-40 - hopefully that helps.
posted by dngrangl at 11:18 PM on July 31, 2021

Are you able to turn the ring with the screwdriver loops (illustrated at 2:00 - 2:05) of the video?

From your photo view, if the screwdriver loop is turned fully to the left, it will release it's attachment to the triangular brace mounted to the sink.

The disposal should then drop straight down.
posted by tronec at 11:36 PM on July 31, 2021

Do you own an angle grinder?
posted by drezdn at 4:32 AM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

While the video shows the correct movements, I think it undersells the amount of force that will be needed to break the ring loose. He uses a fairly flimsy screwdriver, and doesn't have to press very hard to move the ring. There's no visible corrosion on the unit he's removing, and I wouldn't be surprised if he'd already loosened it before setting up the camera.

I'd use a hammer and some sort of punch or drift to drive the ring to the left (clockwise if you were looking down on it). A screwdriver useful as a lever will have to be beefy enough not to bend significantly under the force you'll apply, and long enough to give you good leverage.
posted by jon1270 at 4:53 AM on August 1, 2021 [4 favorites]

I didn't watch the video but the disposal has a flange that basically screws onto the fixed flange under the sink. I find that both years as well as the weight of the disposal (heavy!) makes it hard to get it started to unscrew. I usually put a sturdy box or something under the bottom of the disposal so it doesn't have far to drop when you get it loose. Imagine you are under the disposal looking up, then get it clear that you will be turning the disposal counter-clockwise. On those loops they tell you to put a screwdriver in, tap them (whack them really) with a hammer in the direction you want it to go (which is counter clock-wise). Once you feel it break loose you can just twist the whole disposal with your hands until it is unscrewed, less than one whole turn. This is not hard but almost designed to injure your back or neck as you are folded into a small spot trying to get a twenty pound metal cylinder to drop into your hands. When you install the new one, if you have a dishwasher, make sure you knock out the metal plug inside the opening where the dishwasher connects.
posted by InkaLomax at 5:02 AM on August 1, 2021

Also, I'd replace the entire drain assembly rather than trying to re-use the old one, even if it fits the new unit well. After 20 years the seal between drain and sink is probably not great, and the force involved in removing the old disposal may damage it and introduce leaks.
posted by jon1270 at 5:03 AM on August 1, 2021 [2 favorites]

Unscrew the screws from the bottom and give the flange a good whack with a mallet. Heat may help if it's really stuck on. Replacing the drain assembly seems like a good idea until you've been sawing at it for a day because the putty ain't coming loose for love or money.
posted by wierdo at 5:17 AM on August 1, 2021

Another thing that might help is (if possible) putting a little bit of upward pressure on the unit as you try to unscrew. Twenty years of gravity may have seated it in there pretty tightly, a little buoyancy might help convince it to turn.
posted by saladin at 5:52 AM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]

Agree with penetrating oil, upward pressure, WD40. But there is a tool designed to fit in that loop on the flange. I don't know the name, but it looks like a large Allen wrench. That would really help take that thing off.
posted by jtexman1 at 6:31 AM on August 1, 2021

Back those big screws out so they clear the triangular flange, set a big screwdriver against the loop bit on the bottom piece, and hit it with a hammer until it starts to spin. WATCH YOUR FINGERS.
posted by TheCoug at 11:19 AM on August 1, 2021

Response by poster: Thanks, all. Tons of good suggestions (including to just work at it longer.) I have a plumber coming in a few days, and I’m going to keep trying the various approaches until then. It is really, really stuck, for sure.
posted by michaelh at 2:41 PM on August 1, 2021

Response by poster: Final update: I wasn’t able to get it off no matter what, and by Tuesday I was reading articles about removing the disposal by replacing the whole sink. However, the plumber was able to remove it. He had to go out to his truck for a different set of tools twice, which made me feel a little better. Next time I’ll consider buying a gigantic wrench so I can employ as much leverage as he did.

Thanks, all! Hopefully this sink is set for some time.
posted by michaelh at 7:07 PM on August 6, 2021