Our bath needs a plug

September 27, 2021 8:17 PM

Our bath tub plug got lost and I can't seem to find a replacement for it. It's an older style I guess, so my trip to Home Depot was fruitless. Photos are here, I'd even I guess be open to replacing the mechanism if it were easy enough to do, but I can't see a way to remove the bar.

The old plug just spun freely but was a metal cylinder that went up and down on the pole. It seems simple enough that I feel silly not being able to easily find a replacement. It's about 1.5 inches in diameter.

Right now it works as a shower but we can't close the drain. My partner loves baths so while is happy enough to take a shower, I'd like to help solve this for them quickly.

posted by Carillon to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

I use these silicone drain covers on my claw foot tubs where I no longer have stoppers. They work just fine, and might be an option if you can't find the right parts.
posted by bluedaisy at 8:43 PM on September 27, 2021

Response by poster: Thanks for the recommendation bluedaisy, I worry the old bar sits up too high in the tub for the silicone drain cover to get a seal, but might be worth trying if I can't get a replacement part.
posted by Carillon at 8:49 PM on September 27, 2021

The StopShroom tub drain cover accommodates a projection of about 1.5 inches. I find it to be reliable (just remember to remove the hard plastic part that is just there to hold it in shape in the packaging).
posted by RichardP at 9:01 PM on September 27, 2021 [2 favorites]

Is that a set screw on the side of that pole sticking up out of the drain? It looks like something that could allow you to at least get rid of that protruding bit. I'd be afraid of stepping on it, silicone cover or no, so I'd definitely be looking for ways to get rid of that if nothing else.
posted by Aleyn at 9:22 PM on September 27, 2021

Is that a Lift and Turn style set up?
posted by miles1972 at 10:42 PM on September 27, 2021

Push & Pull Bath Drain Plug Mechanism or Tip-Toe Bath Mechanism in Chrome, both by Westbrass? (Danco, Eastman)
(Westbrass 1-1/2 in. full assemblies; see comments in listings re: measurements.)
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:44 PM on September 27, 2021

Response by poster: Yes lift and turn. I don't think that's a set screw but the ball that keeps the drain plug elevated.

The first one, Westbrass 797538MOCP Push & Pull Bath Drain Plug Mechanism I think has the same problem as the one I bought, it's not equipped to fit the threads. If I could find something like that that would screw down, maybe?
posted by Carillon at 11:12 PM on September 27, 2021

It looks like there’s a hexagonal recess for an Allen key in the top of the stem. Can you use that to unscrew it, and then either replace it with something like the Westbrass model, or use a rubber drain cover?
posted by jon1270 at 11:29 PM on September 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

So you can get the Lift and Turn mechanisms all over the place. The stopper part attaches to your peg there with a little screw on the side.
posted by miles1972 at 11:39 PM on September 27, 2021

Perhaps a stopper like this could be used. It looks like there's a set screw that releases the shaft; perhaps you could remove the shaft that comes with the replacement stopper, and seat this plug over your existing drain shaft, and use the set screw to hold it in place?
posted by xedrik at 7:56 AM on September 28, 2021

Response by poster: Yeah I tried the recess with an allen wrench, it just spins there's no unscrewing that I can see? As for the lift and turn piece all I see are complete sets, nothing that would fit what we have. I can't seem to remove that piece without pulling the whole drain. The mechanisms that I've seen don't just have the stopper, they all have their own pole which isn't fully threaded.
posted by Carillon at 12:17 PM on September 28, 2021

That center post can be unthreaded from the drain. Drain flanges / baskets with center threads in the US are usually 5/16-18 (e.g., UNC) so you can use any drain stopper of your choice. As mentioned above, typically there's often a hex head recess in the top. However, often once the thing has been in there a while the most effective way to remove it is to put two nuts on the top, tighten them together a bit, and then put a wrench on the *lower* of the two nuts and remove the stud. (Search "double nut stud removal" or "jam nut stud removal" and you'll doubtless find tons of examples.)

Warning: if the post has been in there a while, odds are decent that it's tried to rust itself solid with the drain flange. Your pictures show a pretty decent chrome job, so you're probably in pretty good shape. You do NOT want to accidentally start unscrewing the drain flange by really horsing on the wrench, but thankfully the flange is probably also well stuck, too, so I recommend 1. spraying a little PB Blaster on the base of the stud where it threads into the flange and let it soak for a while, come back in a few hours and do it again, etc., and 2. rap rap rap on the wrench handle (with a hammer handle, perhaps) to use a liiitle bit of impact force to try to break the threads free.
posted by introp at 12:31 PM on September 28, 2021

Another vote for unscrewing. I had to do something similar and didn't realize how much force it was gonna take to turn the center bit. Getting additional torque like in this video is something to try.
posted by homesickness at 3:31 PM on September 28, 2021