Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - My shower drain is too small!

Shower drain cover came off. It was attached by two screws (the inserts for the screws broke and crumbled off) to what I will call a black plastic "insert" piece that attaches to the drain underneath shower.

The insert pieces they have at HD\Lowes and what I have seen on the net are all 2", which I guess is code too bad my piece is smaller than that (I guess around 1 3\4 or 1 7\8). The house is only 4 years old so maybe the code has changed or was not in effect in NJ. But anyway what can I do now?

Plumbing is measured on an i.d. basis; have never heard of 1 3/4 or 1 7/8, sorry.

It might be 2" ID then, but the inserts marked 2" did not fit. The insert I have (male) threads into the drain opening, when I took my insert to the store I matched up their inserts marked 2" , some of these had a threaded plastic locknut and this locknut was clearly larger than my insert threads (also I could tell by looking at them that mine was smaller) the top base (where the cover\strainer is was the same size however)

Just to be sure I bought one of the 2" drains and tried it into my drain opening and sure enough it is too large (it fits into the opening in the base of the shower but does not thread into the drain opening - too large but barely)

hmm.....is this a fiberglass shower unit?

Maybe, how do you tell if it is fiberglass? Feels like hard plastic to me. I could kick myself now, it used to have a manufacturer sticker on the bottom outside base that I took off. Anyway, the pan I guess you call it is white, nothing fancy looks like what is in many new (or older?) homes.

Visit a plumbing supply house with the part in hand. They'll hook you up.

You can post some pictures too so we can see the actual part.

If it is a fiberglass it is a different type of drainthen a regular tile shower. I know exactly which part you are talking about now. You need a shower drain for a fiberglass unit.

You want this one:

http://www.plumbrite.com/?page=faqs&PHPSESSID=6d0517535687395d34357b13eaa0aea5

Easy to follow instructions. I've been using them in my buisness for 5+ years now. Awesome drains. Quick...and work great.

Guess I do not have fiberglass, it is nothing like that. This is what I have:

http://www.grifform.com/89_PVCNoCaulkwSSStrainer.asp

Except mine is black ,does not have the gasket & locknut and mine has the strainer attached by two screws (which is what broke off). I bought one of these and it does not thread into the drain, mine is about "one size smaller" than this one, but it threads into a female drain that I can see under the pan just like this one, as I said mine is just a bit smaller.

Sorry I can't post pics of it now as I had to put it back in and then I simply used the strainer (both strainers are the same size) that came with the new one as it clips in place, I just "modified" the clips a bit and along with some glue it is holding for now, but I would like to know where to get a replacement when I do need to replace it permanently.

Yeah. It is too bad you don't have a picture of what you have so i could help you. The link to the one you posted is what my link replaces. They work like a charm. But if you say yours is smaller and doesn't have the lock-nut etc then not sure what i posted would work. Also, the one you linked is for fiberglass units as well. So if the one you haven't isn't...then not sure what you have.

Wish i could help more. If you don't have tile then you must have a fiberglass..as i have never seen another shower type/material.

I'm not a plumber, but could the probelem be that his drain is black (ABS?) and the replacements he is looking at are white (PVC?)?

In my area ABS is no longer used and existing ABS cannot be mated to PVC w/o using a mechanical connection. Something about different dimentional tolerances.

Kepico - I would stay away from Lowe's and HD for this and visit a professional plumbing supply house. Unlike the big box stores, you'll find a pro there that knows his trade and he will know exactly what you need.

Thanks, that makes sense. The insert piece is black and the drain under the shower is black as well. Did'nt know there could be two different types.