Hi, I have a problem with my tub. We have not used this tub in about 6
months and I just found out the lever on the drain is stuck in the
up/closed position, meaning that water will not drain out of the tub. I
can't push the lever down to make it drain. I looked at lowes.com and
it looks like I have a plunger-type drain. I tried removing the
faceplate and spraying a bunch of WD-40 down the rod, but it still
doesn't move and I can't seem to remove the assembly from the tub; the
linkage and plunger will not budge. Is there anything else I can try
before I have to call a plumber?

wrote:

Hi, I have a problem with my tub. We have not used this tub in about 6
months and I just found out the lever on the drain is stuck in the
up/closed position, meaning that water will not drain out of the tub. I
can't push the lever down to make it drain. I looked at lowes.com and
it looks like I have a plunger-type drain. I tried removing the
faceplate and spraying a bunch of WD-40 down the rod, but it still
doesn't move and I can't seem to remove the assembly from the tub; the
linkage and plunger will not budge. Is there anything else I can try
before I have to call a plumber?



http://www.plumbingsupply.com/wasteoverflowparts.html

The whole assembly is called a "waste and overflow".
The lift rod pulls a brass plug/stopper/plunger/bucket
up from a machined seat in the "TEE" section.

It's a pretty tight fit in there to begin with
so that water can't leak past.
After 6 months idle, the gunk has solidified and
corroded parts together.

If you have access to the rear of the tub,
you *may* be able to disconnect the overflow tube
from the TEE to get to the plug better.

You can try to pull the lift wire up, but
chances are something will break. In that
event, you'll need a very strong wire with
hook on the end to "fish" for the brass plug.

Maybe beat on the TEE with small hammer in hopes
of breaking it loose while helper pulls on the rod.

Pour acid down overflow and hope....?

Those are the things the plumber will do.

Jim

try drain cleaner down the overflow, cant hurt, but do warn a plumber
if it fails

I have removed stuck buckes with a carfully bent clothes hanger. I hook
it around the bar in the center of the bucket (this can be hard) and
pull. I will use a vise grip on the wire, grip the wire inside the
overflow and use the side of the tub or overflow as a leverage point
against the vise grips.

Good luck
On Nov 13, 5:23 pm, wrote:
Hi, I have a problem with my tub. We have not used this tub in about 6
months and I just found out the lever on the drain is stuck in the
up/closed position, meaning that water will not drain out of the tub. I
can't push the lever down to make it drain. I looked at lowes.com and
it looks like I have a plunger-type drain. I tried removing the
faceplate and spraying a bunch of WD-40 down the rod, but it still
doesn't move and I can't seem to remove the assembly from the tub; the
linkage and plunger will not budge. Is there anything else I can try
before I have to call a plumber?