How to remove bath plug waste basket?

Hi I'm having a lot of trouble removing the bath waste basket/drainer to replace it. I've loosened the unit, but all it seems to do is rotate without having any sense of removal. It's very frustrating. I've sprayed it with wd40, used hot water and brute strength and watched plenty of tutorials where the unit seems to just come apart after twisting. I've had no such luck. Any tips?

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JaneK

That does sound frustrating @DanManc. What tools have you been using so far? I'm hoping one of our community members will have some plumbing experience and be able to offer some advice. Let me tag the ever helpful @redracer01 and @MitchellMc too.

Jane

MitchellMc

Hi @DanManc,

To confirm where you are at now, you can rotate the drain grate anti-clockwise, which doesn't seem to unscrew it? Have you completed a dozen or so revolutions in the anti-clockwise direction? Have you attempted to pull it straight out? When you are rotating the drain grate, does the entire exterior flange also rotate with it?

I look forward to hearing more and finding a solution to your issue.

Mitchell

redracer01

Hello @DanManc

In this particular exercise I'm afraid the locking ring is stuck at the bottom of the plug and waste. You could keep turning the bath waste anti clock wise and hope that the brass locking ring comes off of its own accord. However in my experience the locking ring is usually stuck due to calcium and waste water build up. This acts like natural glue and makes it very difficult to remove. If your bath is tiled one option is to remove one or two tiles at the bottom of the bath

with -- " extreme "-- care and see if you can access the bottom of the bath waste from that spot. The you tube videos are sometimes misleading as they refer to over seas plumbing situations or the person doing the diy got lucky and the locking brass ring is stuck to the bottom of the bath. In any case unless you get that ring off the plug will stay in the bath.

Red

MitchellMc

Hi @DanManc,

I believe @redracer01 is correct with his assessment that there is a locking nut. Many Youtube videos illustrate what seems to be a standard across many countries where the waste screws into a Holman 40mm Female PVC DWV Threaded Iron Adaptor. This allows you to unscrew and replace the waste. The standard here appears to be a captive nut that locks the waste in place. This prevents the replacement of the waste unless major works are completed to access the nut.

Considering this, perhaps you might like to try a bath plug repair kit.

Mitchell

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