Removing a Tub Drain/Stopper Body

jholmes · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 69 Location: Eagan, MN

I've purchased new fixtures for my bathroom tub while doing some tile work. The whole kit came with the lift-and-twist type drain stopper and associated stopper body. I need to remove the old one, but it doesn't want to budge.

I've tried using a pair of pliers wedged in the drain, and twisting them with a channel lock pliers, but it wouldn't move.

Suggestions anyone?

sf340dvr · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 57 Location: Appleton, WI

There is a special stopper body removal tool you can purchase at any home improvement store. It grabs onto the "X" in the middle of the stopper body. If your stopper body doesn't have that "X" then you need to get aggressive!

Cut about a 1/4" notch out of the side of the stopper body, at the inside edge. It should cut fairly easy with a hacksaw blade, otherwise you can use a saber saw. BE CAREFULL NOT TO DAMAGE THE UNDERLIING PORCELINE!
Next, using a large screwdriver or punch, hammer sideways inside the newly made notch, in an atemp to spin the stopper body counter-clockwise, to loosen it.

Let me know how she goes!

webmaster · Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:26 am Post subject: Removing Tub Stopper Made Easy!

This post helped!!!

I had to do this very task a couple of weeks ago. I found the later of sf340dvr's techniques to work great. However, since I was cutting the stopper, I decided to make the same cut on the opposing side. This way old stopper just came out rather then hammering it out with a screwdriver.

Just to reiderate sf340dvr's warning:

DON'T CUT INTO THE PORCELAIN!

If you do, you need to make sure repair it before installing the new stopper, because without the proper protection cast iron rusts very easily!

goddess girl · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 29

I wish I had this post...I spent hours trying to use a special tool from Home Depot. All I got was frustration and a broken tool. The tool was made of cast aluminum and the teeth on it snapped off in an attempt to apply enough torque to get the old stopper out. Evil or Very Mad

After all that I decided to cut it out also, and I should have done this straight away. It was very easy becuase the old stopper was made of brass (soft).

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