YOU Are Using Wrong Bathtub Drain Removal Tools

Рет қаралды 57,333

Күн бұрын

We warn you about using the wrong bathtub drain removal tools and show you the correct tools to use to remove bathtub drains. 99% of DIY remodelers don't know that for decades they have been using the wrong tool to remove stuck bathtub drains, and have destroyed the drain spokes or the tool with excessive force, and the wrong drain removal tools.
With these DIY plumbing tips, we will show you close-up video of why the tools are wrong, the damage they cause, and how to correctly use the proper tub drain removal tools.
00:00 Proper tool: Dumbell Tub Drain Wrench, how to use DIY
0:53 Tub drain manufacturers give bad instructions, incorrect tools
1:54 99% Get tub drain removal wrong with needle-nose pliers
2:50 Tub drain extractor tools, when should you use
3:24 While needle-nose pliers are the wrong tub drain tool
3:55 Hard-to-use needle-nose pliers with no mechanical advantage
4:39 Pitfalls using pliers as bathtub drain removal tool

Пікірлер: 98

@SuperJamster1 2 жыл бұрын

When you live in the middle of N. Dakota, you have to improvise. I used an angle grinder to cut an + shape on the end of a pipe. It slips right into the four drain slots openings, then I drilled a hole through the "handle" side, put a screw driver in the hole for torque. The drain came out perfect. Saved the converted pipe for future use.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

That's an awesome idea, using the head, think outside the drain!

@electricalron 2 жыл бұрын

That is the KEY to doing anything right: USING THE RIGHT TOOL. Great video Jeff. Thank you!

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome and thanks for watching

@alphahoss1947 2 жыл бұрын

I never really gave much thought to it and never knew such a tool existed but great info good to know.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to help and thanks for watching tonight

@AyeCarumba221 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve taken apart a lot of tub drains over the years. Sometimes these are very tight and corroded. Some Liquid Wrench. Some propane torch. Sometimes a sawzall is needed anyway. But the little special took is available at Home Depot. And its really nice for installing NEW drain parts.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Many older drains come out nicely with this tool as well

@SkySim Жыл бұрын

Mine had no spokes, the tub drain extractor didn't work either, it had zero grip, all the teeth were rounded, ended up using a Dremel with a rounded metal cutting bit to make small slots on the inside of the drain and used my prybar, worked perfectly.

@jeffostroff Жыл бұрын

yes some people have to resort to this when all other options are exhausted

@2575cowboy 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the great tip. I have a drain I need to remove, now I know the proper way. P S the knifes I won recently are going to be put to use during the bathroom remodel also. Thanks again

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

You know it brother glad to help I'm glad to hear from one of our winners

@Allisonnnnnx Жыл бұрын

Amazing DIY! Bought the tool on Amazon. My significant & I just unclogged the shower drain and it was very disgusting 😭 we were gagging and laughing at the same time. Thank you for the amazing tutorial!

@Allisonnnnnx Жыл бұрын

@@totsmini3105 it was actually pretty easy to use and it came off right away. I was surprised that it worked 😊 all under 5 mins!

@Utopia915 Жыл бұрын

Great Tip. Thank you! My tub is 50+ years old and I’ll assume so is the tub drain. Any advice do help loosen the drain??

@jeffostroff Жыл бұрын

Any of the tools we showed in this video are the tools I would try

@justinthyme2666 2 жыл бұрын

I've been working in commercial construction and moved to residential service about a month ago and the guy I've been riding with has been a plumber for 15 years and this happened today. I'm not sure what tool he had. Kinda like the drain wrench on one end but too small for this drain. two spokes similar to needle nose on the other and that's what he expected me to use. I had to even put them in two adjacent pie pieces because they werent wide enough to cross the nut in the middle. I was like...this is going to rip right out and sure enough. and he didn't have the other tool you showed. he took a sawzall to it and got super lucky. definitely getting both of these tools for my bags

@justinthyme2666 2 жыл бұрын

It's apparently called a drain plug wrench.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

I don't see how he could have done it with the sauce off cause those things bounced all over the place. A tremble is a lot better and safer selection for making a couple of micro slits on the edge of the drain flange wall, without it poking all the way through and ruining your threads. Then you're just chiselam away with a screwdriver

@flacoblb 2 жыл бұрын

If I can't find my tub drain wrench I usually take two screwdrivers and depending on which way you cross them determines if you are tightening or loosening

@ranger178 2 жыл бұрын

I had a drain that the removal tool did not fit so i made my own from a piece of steel pipe and just cut slots in the end with a cutoff wheel in a grinder till it fit nicely in the drain and it took it right out with a pipe wrench on the piece of pipe

@johnreskusich2324 Жыл бұрын

Useful. Thank you.

@jeffostroff Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it John, thanks!

@chadfallon3378 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Jeff, great video! When replacing the drain plug, what do you put on the threads when installing the new one? PTFE tape? Plumbers putty?

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

I don't put anything on the thread there is no need to if the water leaks between the threads it still goes down the drain

@Hisdarkheartedlady 2 ай бұрын

@@jeffostroffWhat about when I take it out to get water out of the preexisting tub under the liner? Not removing the liner, just get the water stuck underneath to go down the drain. What do I seal the drain with so it doesn't go back in? Wondering if I should also buy a new drain instead of putting back the old one.

@horsehide3039 2 жыл бұрын

Good info, thanks

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

@zman7953 2 жыл бұрын

Well I'm part of the crowd and not knowing this tool existed after not wanting a plumber I can DIY...Thanks Jeff

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to help Zman!

@Garth2011 2 жыл бұрын

Yes and then there is the drain trip linkage that even with new parts, sometimes the stopper will lower to plug the drain but not raise back up with the lever causing you to have to remove the beauty cover and pull up on the linkage to free up the stopper. Strange that happens.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

So many problems with those trip leaders that's why I never used those

@LezChap Жыл бұрын

What is my spokes don't make a + but an X? What tool to use for those?

@paedahe4975 2 жыл бұрын

Using the wrong tool really drains me…Time to shower Jeff with kudos for showing us the way.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

You know it pae! Thanks!

@michaelkorrek7856 Жыл бұрын

My dad would cuss me out and walk away...bout like a #1 Phillips to install or remove a #2

@johnnys4782 2 жыл бұрын

Made a tool that works great for this. 32mm 1/2 inch socket and some duct tape. Tape then hammer it in then twist it out with your socket wrench. Don't know how many if those bathtub drains I've gone to remove and sheered the cross member. Side note really love the Milwaukee 8 inch needle nose pliers. If your very lucky the needle nose or groove joint pliers will work sometimes lol.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

I have had a pretty much a 100% success with the drain ranch. But yes the tub extractor reviews a couple of times and successful there as well

@MichaelPoage666 Жыл бұрын

Yeah, for me, this stupid dumbbell wrench was a waste of money. Tore the crosshairs right off the drain. Internal wrench is probably my next step.

@bruceaugustine6486 2 жыл бұрын

2 things I use, needle nose pliers for that job but i just slide the noses in then i slide a flat head screwdriver between the nose of the needle nose and use the screwdriver to turn the and loosen the drain. even stuck ones come out with the added leverage gained by the screwdriver with just a steady turn. I just hold the pliers in place and the screwdriver does the work.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Yes the need of those will only work on a loose drain. Whenever the drain is stock is when you should be using the real tool. But if you usually do this this this means you have done this task many times why not just buy the wrench for $10 then no you'll always have the perfect tool for the job?

@bruceaugustine6486 Жыл бұрын

@@totsmini3105 It depends on how thin the nose is.

@geraldgolen9157 2 жыл бұрын

As always, you do a great job explaining. Thanks Jeff. Could you comment on reasons for removal? Leakage? I live in a 75 year old home and mine is original. But no leaks!

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Carol and I am going through this right now at our friend's house where we are changing out their bathtub for a new tub and so that's one time you would have to unscrew the old drain and then screw a new drain in its place. Also some people will update their hardware for a brand new look just updating the top spelled and the drain and the faucet handle can really make your shower pop

@YagwitOG Жыл бұрын

Is there one for a sink? My bowl sink is just spinning. I've held the drain from underneath, but it keeps spinning. The drain hole (on top) has a bunch of small holes. I've watched 10 videos, no ones sink drain is as tight as mine.

@rzh3443 4 ай бұрын

Mine was really stuck after 30 plus years and the cross bars disintegrated even with the “tool. To remove it ,I cut several small v shape notches in the inner top rim. Then I used a cold chisel and mallet to tap the chisel in and against the notches. The impact broke the drain loose pretty quickly. I do wonder if the newer plumbers putties won’t harden “as much making future removals easier? If they used silicone, you have to really work at it with a sharp knife and heat. The ten dollar tool is the (only) way to go to put in the new drain.

@rkyyrs9477 2 жыл бұрын

Is there a list of plumbing tools every home owner should have. Only ones who have their guy card?

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

I want to do a video on that because I've been collecting some really useful plumbing tools that I think are quite helpful for people

@donschop367 2 жыл бұрын

i use a screw driver and hammer. cut in little slots either with a i handed hack saw or dremel. they get corroded and lose there insides

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, some use a Dremel tool also to cut the slots gently without cutting into the threads.

@I-Am-Prosperous-I-Am-Grateful Жыл бұрын

Does a tub drain wrench come in different sizes or is it a universal size?

@jeffostroff Жыл бұрын

Some of them you flip them over the other end has different size

@stacyyoust 10 ай бұрын

You ROCK

@jeffostroff 10 ай бұрын

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

@swllz 2 жыл бұрын

$25 dollar extractor did not work for me, I thought it would work, but it can not gripe the drain. The previous owners of my house used very corrosive liquid that melted way the drain grid. I had to use dremel to cut 4 notches, then used hammer and a big flat screw driver plus wd-40.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, that is a great way to do it also

@jimmtech 2 жыл бұрын

My local plumber has let me down too many times. The upstairs shower leaks below, bad smells from upstairs and down at kitchen sink. Can I contract you to fly out and address my issues?

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

The interesting thing I've noticed about plumbers is it's all about get in get out don't check the work or anything.

@jimmtech 2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffostroff Yeah one of the things he did while working under the kitchen sink was to turn off the water to the dishwasher he forgot to turn it back on and my wife later was wondering why the dishwasher was making weird noises I'm just happy it didn't burn out anything

@garyglenn3654 2 жыл бұрын

Jeff, is there a brand/model of toilet that is chair height, that you recommend at Home Depot.(I have a 15% off coupon).

@kyletrump8025 2 жыл бұрын

Any of them. Just not Glacier Bay. The Kohlers are nice tho

@AyeCarumba221 2 жыл бұрын

Taller height toilets are called “comfort height”. Kohler makes some. Not hard to find now. Apparently not as effective for squeezing the really big grumpys out though…

@1000normajean 8 ай бұрын

my drain only has 3 cross spokes so no I have to return the tool and try and find a 3 spoke tool.

@79dogface Жыл бұрын

Why do I have water around the drain after showering. Just a small amount that sits around the drain and doesn’t go down.

@jeffostroff Жыл бұрын

If you have water collecting around the drain it is because they did not properly slope the subfloor of the shower into the drain everything should be flowing into the center like a volcano bull. And so sometimes they mess up with the tile where the tiles at the drain are very slightly higher than the tiles that are a little bit further out of the drain and so the water can collect there as well too I'm very careful when I tile to make sure that as I get closer and closer to the drain each tile is lower than the one before it and sloped. Most building codes require you to slope that drain floor 1/4 of an inch per foot.

@autoworkout Жыл бұрын

Neither end of the OFFICIAL tool would fit my 50 year old drain, tool too big. Loosened drain with heat and needle nose pliers, after I tore open the OFFICIAL tool packaging, making it unreturnable..

@jeffostroff Жыл бұрын

Yes the official drain wrench has worked perfectly for me every time that's why I never use any of these other pliers or needle nose they're just not strong enough for the types of dreams that we always end up with, the drains that nobody can unscrew

@garyglenn3654 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Jeff! Teach me something. (I am sure you will)!!

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

I am filming some more plumbing videos this week

@garyglenn3654 2 жыл бұрын

I need all the help I can get.

@erickmorton8085 2 жыл бұрын

I still have had drains break when using the tub drain removal tool because the drain was all rusted out

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Yes pretty rare for us as well, that's why I also carry 2 sizes of a tub extractor in my bag is well because those come in handy when the hub has already been broken. You can also cut the drain with a dremel tool as well

@donschop367 2 жыл бұрын

understand theres a few tools out there

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Lots of very useful plumbing tools

@garychampagne6945 10 ай бұрын

All my prongs broke off. The drain was so frozen

@crookeddonald4761 2 жыл бұрын

The worst thing a person can do in life .... is listen to KZfaq comments! 😜

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Lol but KZfaq trolls serve a very vital purpose: engagement

@Amxracer 2 жыл бұрын

😎

@user-pf5xq3lq8i 2 жыл бұрын

Next, the overflow drain..

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Funny you should mention that I am working on one tomorrow and a friend's bathroom remodel and I'm going to show the proper way to install 1 and how to set it in the concrete and install the new tab and everything

@elcharro7403 Жыл бұрын

Using the wrong tools to remove the tub drain, will leave you feeling drained. Then you have to spend more money getting the correct tool which will drain your bank account. Making you feel even more drained😂

@skibee50 2 жыл бұрын

Save ten dollars Buy the extractor first

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I probably should have mentioned if the spokes look like they're really rusty it might be a good idea to just buy the extractor because that was pretty much guaranteed to work as long as you can pound it into place

@user-sm3xq5ob5d 2 жыл бұрын

Duct tape to the rescue! Just wrap the needle nose plier's prongs in a thick layer. Or use some small plastic hose. Not perfect but in a pinch ...

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Those only work in a case where somebody has a nice loose has a nice loose drain that spends freely. Most people who are remodeling end up with a train that's already been stuck in a pair of or of needlemost pliers is not going to do the trick

@Garth2011 2 жыл бұрын

Why rig up the wrong tool vs. use the correct tool? No brainer here in this video.

@tedmcdonald3377 2 жыл бұрын

😎🛠️😎🛠️😎

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks ted!

@dthesavageschwenker4065 2 жыл бұрын

I'm sorry, did you say put the drain wrench, shoe wrench, in the drain and turn easily with a screwdriver?? I must add emphasis to the word "easy" because 20-30 year old shoes don't just unscrew. Also, not hating at all, just from experience, the extraction tool is garbage and the best bet a lot of times on old shoes is cutting them out as long as you're good enough to not cut the tub...

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Lol yes you are right on that 1 lol. Sometime sometimes they will come pretty easily and sometimes like you said almost 30 year old ones with years of chlorine and sediment in the water in the water or if somebody had used Pipe dope on the drain before screwing it in 30 years before they can be really really difficult. We have a video that covers that topic and I used a pipe wrench turning that drain wrench in order to get the thing loose it was a nightmare but certainly workable.

@dormandavis2767 2 жыл бұрын

Tub drain extractor is a bitch to use. I use a dremel

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Yes easier for a lot of people

@oproof152 2 жыл бұрын

I see you still out here playing plumber 🤦‍♂️

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

I say you are still out there playing uninformed troll

@catchingdreams600 2 жыл бұрын

You’re not a plumber you shouldn’t be making DIY videos.

@jeffostroff 2 жыл бұрын

Lol I'm the guy that comes in and fixes other plumbers mistakes, anybody can make a video as long as the information is correct. If you want to use the fact that I'm not a plumber as a justification for not making videos why don't you point out what is wrong in the video 1st from that standpoint. Of course you have no standpoint on that,, Because it is easier for trolls like you to try to hand wave something didn't actually provide evidence for why something isn't true.

@catchingdreams600 2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffostroff once again you failed to realize that you’re unqualified to make a plumbing video. You’re not a licensed plumber, have no on the job experience, and not once have you ever been at a job site doing plumbing work.

@lym3204 Жыл бұрын

@@jeffostroff In other words, you are stealing food off his table, the real plumber by exposing all the trade secrets that allow them to charge exorbitant prices for simple jobs.