are bathtub drain rings replaceable?

T

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 2:19:47 AM4/19/15

to

Hi All,

The chrome plated brass ring around my bathtub drain is starting to
deteriorate/corrode. Are these things easily replaceable?

Many thanks,
-T

micky

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 5:05:32 AM4/19/15

to

Yeah, but I think you have to take the bathtub out to do it!

I wonder if there is some way to sand and refinish it, in place. Or
maybe paint it or glue a piece of chrome-colored lucite on it??

Or remove all the chrome and maybe it will look nice as brass? Is it
really brass, if it's corroding?

Stormin Mormon

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 6:44:18 AM4/19/15

to

Just guessing, but probably not easy. Most likely
you'd have to unthread it from under the tub. It's
badly rotted on, and there is no way to grasp it
from top side, to keep it from rotating when it
loosens a tiny bit. Then you are point of no
return, as the tub will leak since it's a tiny
bit loose.

-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.

Ed Pawlowski

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 8:31:55 AM4/19/15

to

On 4/19/2015 2:19 AM, T wrote:

I'm afraid not easily unless you have a claw foot tub and easy access to
the underside. Most tubs have an access door on the other side of the
wall or if over an unfinished basement, you can get at it that way.

One thing to consider, if the tub ring is corroding, it is because it is
old. That means the drain plumbing is old. That means old plumbing can
fall apart as you work on it.

Before you start, look at all the potential pitfalls. That ring change
may turn out to be a $25,000 bathroom renovation. Yes, I'm serious
about that.

Message has been deleted

Oren

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 12:31:02 PM4/19/15

to

On Sat, 18 Apr 2015 23:19:41 -0700, T <T...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>The chrome plated brass ring around my bathtub drain is starting to
>deteriorate/corrode. Are these things easily replaceable?

See if this helps.

<https://www.plumbingsupply.com/how-to-install-tub-drain-flange.html>

Related tools.

https://www.plumbingsupply.com/toolsdrains.html>

rbowman

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 3:06:46 PM4/19/15

to

On 04/19/2015 06:31 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> Before you start, look at all the potential pitfalls. That ring change
> may turn out to be a $25,000 bathroom renovation. Yes, I'm serious
> about that.

That's why I cringe when it comes to plumbing repairs... Start here,
wind up at the main shutoff.

Ed Pawlowski

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 4:33:25 PM4/19/15

to

My MIL's house had a few faucets dripping. We'd visit a few times a
year on weekends (I'm 250 miles away) but I never attempted to fix them.
The valves under the sink no longer worked and the main has not been
shut off in at least 15 years. Would you start that on a Sunday morning?

She finally sold the house as is.

philo

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 6:55:33 PM4/19/15

to

I was about to say that estimate was high until I recalled the $2000
toilet replacement quote I got last summer.

It cost me $90 and an hour to do it myself.

Arthur Conan Doyle

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 7:24:53 PM4/19/15

to

gfre...@aol.com wrote:

>Define "easy".
>If you are lucky and you can find the right part, it "just" unscrews,
>put fresh sealant on it and screw in a new one. (they make a tool for
>that)
>Nobody ever seems to get that lucky with old plumbing. You might end
>up doing some re piping before it is over.

Seconded. If you happen to be living in a house thats 20 years old or less,
there's a good chance that the chrome ring will unscrew. You may be able to use
a channel lock to unscrew it and avoid having to buy the tool.

OTOH - if the builder was a bit of a cowboy or the house is older, you may be
looking at trying to get access to the drain from below.

Worst case - mask around the ring and buy some metallic spray paint. It won't
last for long, but will be cheaper than replacing the tub.

Stormin Mormon

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 7:41:22 PM4/19/15

to

On 4/19/2015 3:06 PM, rbowman wrote:
>

> That's why I cringe when it comes to
> plumbing repairs... Start here,
> wind up at the main shutoff.

My parents had expression "ten minute
job" which described what you are saying.

ChairMan

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 8:34:15 PM4/19/15

to

In news:3dadnbF7sZWNjKnI...@giganews.com,
Ed Pawlowski <e...@snet.net> belched:

Ahh come on Ed, you take me as one thats always up for a challenge : )

rbowman

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 10:14:54 PM4/19/15

to

On 04/19/2015 02:33 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> My MIL's house had a few faucets dripping. We'd visit a few times a
> year on weekends (I'm 250 miles away) but I never attempted to fix them.
> The valves under the sink no longer worked and the main has not been
> shut off in at least 15 years. Would you start that on a Sunday morning?

Yeah, if I didn't have anything planned for the next two or three weeks.
I was pleasantly surprised when I replaced the old style faucets in the
kitchen and bathroom with cartridge style and it didn't turn into a
major fiasco. I do have a working shutoff though.

Another miracle occurred when I shoehorned a new water heater into place
and it actually lined up with the plumbing exactly. I've spent too much
time pawing through plumbing components trying to do some sort of sex
change from hell.

rbowman

unread,

Apr 19, 2015, 10:21:40 PM4/19/15

to

On 04/19/2015 05:41 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> My parents had expression "ten minute
> job" which described what you are saying.

My mother had a few of those. Considering the house was well over 100
years old and 'square' was an interesting theoretical concept and not a
part of reality I learned to distrust her assessments. After my father
died I also found his stint as a boat electrician at one point had left
him with a strange sense of electrical color codes. Or maybe it was just
random.

T

unread,

Apr 20, 2015, 11:11:21 PM4/20/15

to

Thank you! And ¡Ay, caramba!

T

unread,

Apr 20, 2015, 11:51:33 PM4/20/15

to

¡Ay, caramba!

T

unread,

Apr 20, 2015, 11:55:45 PM4/20/15

to

It is brass. I think it was reacting to a cedar berry pit I
was chewing on, got lose and got caught by the hair trap.

cl...@snyder.on.ca

unread,

Apr 21, 2015, 8:23:36 AM4/21/15

to

As long as it is not seized or baddly corroded, the "ring" can be
removed and replaced There is a rubber washer between the draun
fitting and the bottom of the tub - don't let it get away. I have
replaced severak over the years. Mabee it's just luck, but I have
never had a serious problem.

T

unread,

Apr 21, 2015, 1:55:44 PM4/21/15

to

Thank you.

Does your water dislike brass?

Message has been deleted

Stormin Mormon

unread,

Apr 21, 2015, 3:21:14 PM4/21/15

to

T has enlisted drain, hates brass.

Oren

unread,

Apr 21, 2015, 4:06:34 PM4/21/15

to

>Thank you! And ，y, caramba!

Step 11:
Pat yourself on the back - you have now successfully installed your
new drain flange!

cl...@snyder.on.ca

unread,

Apr 21, 2015, 8:23:42 PM4/21/15

to

Not terribly bad on brass, but it eats zinc die castings for
breakfast!!!.

Ameri...@sbcglobal.net

unread,

Apr 22, 2015, 3:30:34 PM4/22/15

to

I have not used them, but there are kits that cover the old flange. Check this plumbing supply site: https://www.plumbingsupply.com/universal-tub-drain-trim-kit.html

T

unread,

Apr 22, 2015, 3:42:47 PM4/22/15

to

On 04/21/2015 12:21 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
>> Does your water dislike brass?
>>
>
> T has enlisted drain, hates brass.

Hi Stormin,

When a former officer (veteran) asks me what
I was (meaning my rank), I tell him "No I was
enlisted. I worked for a living."

I get some awful dirty looks off them.

:-)

-T

T

unread,

Apr 22, 2015, 3:47:10 PM4/22/15

to

Thank you!

Stormin Mormon

unread,

Apr 22, 2015, 7:09:12 PM4/22/15

to

Aye, lad. You tell em!