Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - Can't get my bath tub plug out

Hi there,

I was wondering if there is a trick to this. Our bath tub plug is a built-in metal one that you turn and it drops down to plug the drain. It is not the lever mechanism that I am used to. My dughter's hair has plugged up our drain pretty bad so I would like to pull the plug out and see if I can pull some of the blockage out. But I can't get the plug out. I have tried turing it both clockwise and counter clockwise but it just seems to spin. Any suggestions?

Use a small phillips head screwdriver to release the small set screw. You will not see this set screw unless you use a small mirror looking under the lip of the lift & turn plug. Feel for it with your fingers, it will be a flat surface with a small hole full of tub drain goop. (some of these models have the head of the set screw above the flat surface so you will feel a bump instead)

Anyway, you will find a set screw that when loosened, allows the plug to pulled up and off. The center shaft of the drain assembly can then be unscrewed, if needed. (these like to break at the cross bar also, so now you have been warned)

Good luck...

Thanks!!! I got it out! And it is never going back in, I'm getting a good old fashion rubber plug!

Rod

Sorry to jump into this discussion but this is closest discussion I have found to my problem. I have the same type of stopper in a house I just moved into but the head of the set screw is stripped. Any suggestions on how to remove a stopper with a stripped set screw head?

You have a real problem with no easy fix.

There is no clearance to drill the old set screw out, you need brute force which may damage the tub in several ways.

You will need to pry the old lift & turn out while protecting the tub surface with a rag under the pry bar. (You may try to unscrew while prying up, it may be loose enough to remove this way) But, you are trying to break the holding shaft where it screws into the cross arms of the tub drain shoe. You may warp the drain area of the tub while prying, this is bad also not just because of the warping but the glazing may pop off at the same time.

If you break the shaft without damaging the tub, you will need to re-install a new tub drain shoe flange assembly. You can buy just the parts you need without replacing the entire tub and overflow drain.

Hope this is clear and GOOD LUCK!

Wow...I was hoping there was something I was missing but I guess not. Thanks for the suggestions but this doesn't sound like something I am going to attempt anytime soon on my own. I may just try some drain cleaner and see if that helps my slow flow. Thanks again.

Wow...I was hoping there was something I was missing but I guess not. Thanks for the suggestions but this doesn't sound like something I am going to attempt anytime soon on my own. I may just try some drain cleaner and see if that helps my slow flow. Thanks again.

You could use a dremel and cut the thing out.