How do I remove this drain assembly?

August 29, 2024 10:08 AM

I want to remove this toe-touch/pop-up tub drain assembly so I can insert my very favorite tub hair catcher. I can't get it to come out. Pics included below.

Pics of the drain

I don't know the model number of this thing because I'm a renter and I could not find any markings anywhere on any of the parts. I was able to remove the top metal piece and the rubber surround by grasping the rubber and turning the metal piece counterclockwise (similar to other tub drains I've had the pleasure of dealing with). I assume (from what I've found online) that the next step is to unscrew the remaining assembly by using a screwdriver counterclockwise on the horizontal white plastic piece at the top. So far, I have had no luck at all with a wide screwdriver, dime/quarter, etc. It will not budge. Two people have tried this method. The plastic indentation is very shallow and wide, and I'm worried about totally wrecking it/stripping it - but I don't see any other way to remove this. Am I doing something wrong?

Additionally, my goal was to remove the pop-up drain and place a metal Tub Shroom. I'm a terrible drain-clogger and this is one of the multiple steps I use to combat hair clogs. If I get the drain assembly out, could I still use this? I've used this approach at two prior homes and I was always able to remove the drain assembly and fit this in after.

I realize I could leave the assembly as-is and use one of the over-top hair catchers, but those never work well for me and I'd prefer to go this route if possible.

posted by rachaelfaith to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

Can you push down on the plastic shroud? If so, would you have enough room to use pliers to grip and unscrew the horizontal white plastic piece?

I believe that using a screwdriver counterclockwise is correct. If I could do it without stripping it, I might try clockwise just to doublecheck.
posted by bruinfan at 11:42 AM on August 29

Person with same problem has a drill solution.
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:50 AM on August 29

bruinfan: the shroud doesn't ever come down past being even with the top of the piece with the horizontal channel. I added a video to the imgur album linked in the post.

Iris Gambol: I saw that video, but my assembly is plastic - even using the screwdriver on it is starting to strip the edges. There's not enough depth for any drill bit to catch, it would just shave the plastic off.
posted by rachaelfaith at 1:46 PM on August 29

I would be tempted to just break the plastic and use pliers to pull out whatever broken parts are left.

Here's a video of a woman installing one of these pop up stoppers, so you can see how it goes together.

There's a brass screw that attaches the bottom of the plastic assembly to the cross bar that goes across the drain. If you have pliers that can get into the drain far enough to grasp that screw if/when you manage to break off the rest of the plastic, I think you can go the destructive route and manage to get everything removed. I suspect the TubShroom would fit once you break out most of the plastic, if the screw ends up being too hard to reach.

Note: I am a stubborn person who hates to ask/pay for help, I have a lot of unfinished DIY projects, and enjoy breaking and fixing things.

If you don't want to break things, I'd suggest trying to find something that fits the plastic screw slot as fully as possible -- flat, wide and thick -- so you can have even, stable pressure as you twist. It might take some creativity to find the perfect key, but using something softer than metal (maybe the side of a credit card??) that fits well could get you better leverage while minimizing stripping.
posted by katieinshoes at 3:18 PM on August 29

That drain stopper looks very similar to this model from Ace Hardware. It is shown as having a star washer on that little brass screw, where the white plastic part screws into the central hole of the drain. That, combined with the usual corrosion often encountered in plumbing jobs, has probably got that part stuck tightly.

The "screwdriver slot" on top of the white plastic piece is probably shallow to encourage "camming out" of whatever is used to screw it in, so that it is difficult to apply too much torque and possibly break it while installing. The downside is that also makes it tricky to remove it.

If you're trying to be non-destructive, I'd measure the width of that bit and try to find the widest screwdriver that will fit. A chisel may work as a wide screwdriver, but the beveled edge will have a tendency to cam out as you apply force. You might be able to grip the outer diameter of the white piece with a strap wrench and unscrew it that way.

If you're going to be a little more destructive (start breaking plastic and twisting it out with pliers) be prepared to also need to replace the metal drain that this all got screwed into; this is best done with a special tool and plumber's putty.
posted by xedrik at 4:47 PM on August 29

Hope you found a solution by now, but seeing the video, I would probably try to use pliers, trying to grip at the top of the "shroud", pinching it into the horizontal plastic piece, to see if I could unscrew it that way.
posted by bruinfan at 1:30 PM on August 30