Trip lever bathtub drain screws are corroded and stuck

[Steven L.]

Hi all,

My bathtub drain trip lever mechanism has failed, and my bathtub won't
drain.

The problem is, the heads of the screws holding the trip lever drain to
the tub are totally corroded away. Just rubbing the head with my finger
took off a bunch of rust and the heads are now stripped.

What's the best way to get the trip level drain cover off? Can I drill
out the screws without damaging anything else?

[philo]

Post by Steven L.
Hi all,
My bathtub drain trip lever mechanism has failed, and my bathtub won't
drain.
The problem is, the heads of the screws holding the trip lever drain to
the tub are totally corroded away. Just rubbing the head with my finger
took off a bunch of rust and the heads are now stripped.
What's the best way to get the trip level drain cover off? Can I drill
out the screws without damaging anything else?

If you are careful.

Get some very high quality cobalt or carbide bits and see if you can get
a small hole drilled down the center and if so progressively increase
the size.


Be sure to wear safety glasses.

[bob haller]

Post by philo 

Post by Steven L.
Hi all,
My bathtub drain trip lever mechanism has failed, and my bathtub won't
drain.
The problem is, the heads of the screws holding the trip lever drain to
the tub are totally corroded away. Just rubbing the head with my finger
took off a bunch of rust and the heads are now stripped.
What's the best way to get the trip level drain cover off? Can I drill
out the screws without damaging anything else?

If you are careful.
Get some very high quality cobalt or carbide bits and see if you can get
a small hole drilled down the center and if so progressively increase
the size.
Be sure to wear safety glasses.

plan on replacing the trip lever assembly

[Steven L.]

Post by bob haller

Post by philo 

Post by Steven L.
Hi all,
My bathtub drain trip lever mechanism has failed, and my bathtub won't
drain.
The problem is, the heads of the screws holding the trip lever drain to
the tub are totally corroded away. Just rubbing the head with my finger
took off a bunch of rust and the heads are now stripped.
What's the best way to get the trip level drain cover off? Can I drill
out the screws without damaging anything else?

If you are careful.
Get some very high quality cobalt or carbide bits and see if you can get
a small hole drilled down the center and if so progressively increase
the size.
Be sure to wear safety glasses.

plan on replacing the trip lever assembly

Well, that's a given.

The plumbing is so old that I always prefer to replace all old parts as
soon as a repair job gives me the excuse (and the accessibility) to do it.

[nestork]

No, I wouldn't try to drill out those screw heads.

Those screws are SUPPOSED to be brass or stainless steel, and if they'r
badly corroded someone has replaced them with ordinary steel screws
which is why they're stuck.

Those screws screw into the overflow and drain assembly behind the fron
of the tub, and if you can't get the screws out of the overflow, you'l
have to replace that whole assembly. That may mean cutting a hole i
the wall behind the tub to get at the assembly from the back or cuttin
a hole in the ceiling below the tub to get at the assembly from below.

If it were me, I would use a Dremel tool (or any other such tool) to cu
the overflow cover off around the screws, and then apply dilute
hydrochloric acid to where the screws enter the brass overflow elbo
using an eyedropper or Q-Tip. Hopefully the acid will be drawn into th
crevice between steel male threads and bronze female threads am
dissolve the rust there so that you can remove those screws.

Keep applying acid and twist the screw heads with a pair of vice grip
and hopefully you can get the screws out. Otherwise, replacing tha
overflow and drain assembly is going to require you get behind the fron
of the tub or you somehow gain access to that assembly from below


--
nestork

[philo]

Post by nestork
No, I wouldn't try to drill out those screw heads.
Those screws are SUPPOSED to be brass or stainless steel, and if they're
badly corroded someone has replaced them with ordinary steel screws,
which is why they're stuck.

<snip>


Yes. Because they are rusted I assumed they are soft steel and it will
be child's play to drill them out.

I suppose with acid , penetrating oil or heating them with a torch they
/might/ come out with a vice grip but more than likely they'll just
break off... necessitating a drill-out anyway.

[trader_4]

Post by philo 

Post by nestork
No, I wouldn't try to drill out those screw heads.
Those screws are SUPPOSED to be brass or stainless steel, and if they're
badly corroded someone has replaced them with ordinary steel screws,
which is why they're stuck.

<snip>
Yes. Because they are rusted I assumed they are soft steel and it will
be child's play to drill them out.
I suppose with acid , penetrating oil or heating them with a torch they
/might/ come out with a vice grip but more than likely they'll just
break off... necessitating a drill-out anyway.

In any case, trying to drill them out seems like an easier approach to me,
than to start by cutting apart the cover plate with a dremel tool.

[BostonDave]

Post by philo 
If you are careful.
Get some very high quality cobalt or carbide bits and see if you can get
a small hole drilled down the center and if so progressively increase
the size.
Be sure to wear safety glasses.

Thanks for this advise, I had the same situation and it worked for me. I
ended up re-threading with a 1/4-20 tap bit and replaced the assembly. All
is well now.

--

[Oren]

On Sun, 14 Sep 2014 22:35:25 -0400, "Steven L."

Post by Steven L.
What's the best way to get the trip level drain cover off?

If it were me, I'd soak the screws with something like penetrating oil
and give the screws a few taps with a dead punch or wood dowel. Try
that a few times and work them out will tools. Think vibrations to
break the binding of the screw threads. Options would be _"Alden 8440P
Pro Grabit Broken Bolt and Damaged Screw Extractor 4 Piece Kit"

<http://www.amazon.com/Alden-8440P-Grabit-Damaged-Extractor/dp/B001A4CWHO%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-d-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001A4CWHO>

<https://tinyurl.com/m9gbuv3>

"Two-step drill bit and extractor in one tool. Multiple tools
not required."

[Tony Hwang]

Post by Steven L.
Hi all,
My bathtub drain trip lever mechanism has failed, and my bathtub won't
drain.
The problem is, the heads of the screws holding the trip lever drain to
the tub are totally corroded away. Just rubbing the head with my finger
took off a bunch of rust and the heads are now stripped.
What's the best way to get the trip level drain cover off? Can I drill
out the screws without damaging anything else?

Hi,
B4 you mount it on permanent spot, I'd suggest you try it out indoor and
get familiarize yourself with the camera. If it is not known name
brand, a generic thing, tech support is almost nil. I played with many
different IP cameras and running 7/24 on my NAS photo station.

cameras

[micky]

Post by Steven L.
Hi all,
My bathtub drain trip lever mechanism has failed, and my bathtub won't
drain.
The problem is, the heads of the screws holding the trip lever drain to
the tub are totally corroded away. Just rubbing the head with my finger
took off a bunch of rust and the heads are now stripped.
What's the best way to get the trip level drain cover off? Can I drill
out the screws without damaging anything else?

I'd try what Oren says, including the tapping,

The description of the tool he lists sounds pretty good and gets a lot
of high ratings, plus quite a few low ones. But I've never used it,
have no experience with it.

I'm surprised no one suggested left-handed drill bits. Often when I
use those, while I'm drilling CCW, the screw comes out. Start with a
small bit, even if you have to use a clock-wise one to make the starter
hole, and get gradually bigger, but no bigger than the hole! (You can
see how big the hole is by looking at a new part at a hardware store. I
think they're all the same in a given country.) Home Depot has a
couple sizes of left handed bits by a famous maker and the only other
place I know that has them is Harbor Frieght, which sells a set of four
different sizes.

Oren's device is meant to run in a drill that's going counter clockwise
too. That's a good sign.


I think what all of us shoudl do is go around our homes loosening and
retightening every machine screw in the house, so we don't get stuck
like this. Starting.... NOW!

[bob haller]

Post by micky
I think what all of us shoudl do is go around our homes loosening and
retightening every machine screw in the house, so we don't get stuck
like this. Starting.... NOW!

sounds good till you try it

probably create more things to fix, since some that may never of had a problem will because they were disturbed:(

[Stormin Mormon]

Post by bob haller

Post by micky
I think what all of us shoudl do is go

around our homes loosening and

Post by bob haller

Post by micky
retightening every machine screw in the

house, so we don't get stuck

Post by bob haller

Post by micky
like this. Starting.... NOW!

sounds good till you try it
probably create more things to fix, since some that
may never of had a problem will because they were
disturbed:(

Please go to the auto parts store, and
buy some lithium grease. Put some on
the threads of each machine or sheet
metal screw, to reduce the risk of
corrosion.

Locks, window cranks, refrigerator and
freezer door, oven hinges, door knobs,
door hinges. This list will be a good
start. Then, backs of radios and TV,
and .....

[TimR]

Post by Stormin Mormon
Please go to the auto parts store, and
buy some lithium grease. Put some on
the threads of each machine or sheet
metal screw, to reduce the risk of
corrosion.

Teflon plumbing tape does the same thing (lubricates the tightening operation, makes the fastener removable, protects it from corrosion) but is FAR less messy than grease.

[Oren]

Post by micky
I'd try what Oren says, including the tapping,
The description of the tool he lists sounds pretty good and gets a lot
of high ratings, plus quite a few low ones. But I've never used it,
have no experience with it.

Alden Pro Grabit Video Review:

[Steven L.]

Post by Oren

Post by micky
I'd try what Oren says, including the tapping,
The description of the tool he lists sounds pretty good and gets a lot
of high ratings, plus quite a few low ones. But I've never used it,
have no experience with it.

http://youtu.be/IVVhJx25a5M

Yes, that might work.

I think I'll buy it.

[Oren]

On Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:03:04 -0400, "Steven L."

Post by Steven L.

Post by Oren

Post by micky
I'd try what Oren says, including the tapping,
The description of the tool he lists sounds pretty good and gets a lot
of high ratings, plus quite a few low ones. But I've never used it,
have no experience with it.

http://youtu.be/IVVhJx25a5M

Yes, that might work.
I think I'll buy it.

I'd be sure to soak the screws with penetrating oil spray and allow it
to set overnight. Tapping the screw with a piece of wood would help
vibrate the oil deeper into the threads. Then spray it again when you
start to remove the screws. The idea is to break the binding /
corrosion without breaking the screws, hopefully :)

[micky]

Post by micky
I'd try what Oren says, including the tapping,
The description of the tool he lists sounds pretty good and gets a lot
of high ratings, plus quite a few low ones. But I've never used it,
have no experience with it.

BTW, I don't reject the idea that those who gave it a negative rating
didn't read the instruction or had some other stupid reason to dislike
it.

I bought a couple weeks ago a Big Red mini-floor jack, which got lots of
negative ratings, many complaining that it didn't go up high enough or
it took too many strokes to make it go up? What do you expect, fools?
It's a mini-jack with a short handle and a short stroke, and if you want
it to go up faster, you'll have to push harder than with other jacks.

OTOH, it does make this big noise going up at some point, and no one
complained about that. Still I like it.

This is the one with that's red with the yellow plastic handle. I don't
know if it last many years, but so far so good.