After a completed remodel of a bathroom I found the new tub(which the h/o purchased and had setting in place) leaks around the drain. After taking it apart to investigate, reassembling and cross threading. Now it leaks very bad. Special trip to town to fix what I messed up so she can shower in the morning. But now the real problem. The fiberglass on the bottom of the tub is not machined smooth around the drain hole. It is machined smooth but it is offset from the center of the tub(were the hole is) It is close if the factory would have put one more strand of fiberglass in that critical spot all would be fine. How do I stop it from leaking. I don’t want to lean this one on my own from trial and error over the next couple of weeks.
Thank for your help,
Cody
Replies
Is the drain a standard waste & overflow tub shoe?
If so.......build up the missing bottom section of the tub with bondo & sand smooth
.......bath grade silicone between the chrome tub flange and the tub body.
.......bath grade silicone to the bottom of tub and threads of flange.
.......slide on rubber washer, then the friction washer
......snug tight the fitting & connect overflow and trap.
.......allow to set before using.
IMHO..........Iron Helix
Thanks for the good advice. If I understand correctly, to put it in handymany terms, goop it up good and it won't leak :) But what is the friction washer and wear does it go? Neither of the drain kits I bought had one and the plumbing self-help book didn't mention one.
Cody
When you install a tub drain the two choices for tightening are from the "bottom" or "top".......maybe both.
It is often a two person job....one in the tub with the handles of a channel lock in the chrome drain flange....and someone below with the tub shoe.
If the chrome flange is "branded"....American Standard or Kohler etc.....then that label is to be centered top or bottom of the hole....hence the tightening is done by rotating the shoe. Or if you work alone and use a "deadman" to hold the flange in position.
In order to tighten the shoe but not distort the rubber gasket (which will then possibly leak) there needs to be a thin fiber washer that allows the shoe to tighten without binding on the rubber....hence the name friction washer.
This install is not like doing threaded iron pipe fittings....Do not over-tighten!
Overtightening may squeeze out all the silicone that makes the seal between the flange and the tub body........another leak potential. When the silicone sets it will have formed a "gasket".
As far as "gooping"....not usually needed.....just enough to do the job.....clean away any excess. Gooping does not garantee "no leak".
..................Iron Helix