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My bathtub drain won't drain and it is not a clog. The Trip Lever is looser than before and does not seem to be opening or closing the drain anymore. This bathtub does not have a pop-up stopper. The stopper is recessed into the drain. But there is a plate over the section where the Trip Lever is operated with a couple of screws on it I might be able to remove and try to fix what may be wrong. I sense something has become disconnnected internally. The bathtub and hardware are 34 years old so something breaking would not come as a surprise. But I am not a plumber. I'm a healthy 52 year old male with a basic tool chest but I have no real pumbing experience. I'm asking this question to get a feel for whether trying to fix this drain is a small, medium, or big job. I've had thousands of dollars in home repairs this past month and not a lot of money left to throw around. So if I could fix it myself without having to call a plumber (or getting in too far over my head with this repair), I'd like to explore what it might take for me to fix this drain myself. Any suggestions or advice?
Already Tried: Drain opener. Had no effect. A clog does not seem to be the problem. I believe there is something mechanically wrong with the trip lever and recessed drain stopper.
Welcome to JA!
You may be able to get this fixed yourself. You will need to remove the 2 screws on the face plate, then see at that point what may have become disconnected.
There is a linkage that connects the trip lever to a lower drain stop. Something in the linkage has most likely broken. IF it is at the trip lever, then you can simply reach in with a pair of needle nosed pliers and pull up to remove the drain stopper.
If the linkage has broken down lower, and most of the linkage parts come out when you remove the faceplate, then it will be a little more challenging to remove the stopper. Most likely you will need to open the wall behind the tub, and replace the overflow assembly, this is probably not for a DIYer.
You may be able to fashion a hook and fish out the lower piece. Or try using a grabber tool for this.
Once it is all removed, then you can simply purchase a new faceplate and linkage set. These are available from most home improvement stores. You will have to adjust the new linkage assembly to the correct length in order for the trip lever to properly open and close the stopper.
Experience: over 20 years residential plumbing experience.
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