All,

I removed an old cast iron bathtub/shower in my upstairs bathroom and I'm replacing it with a Sterling 4 piece insert.

I'm having some trouble with lining things up for the drain/overflow.

I've attached a picture of the situation.

Can I put a couple of 90 degree elbows in the overflow pipe, so that I can move the drain/overflow tee out from the wall of the bathtub? Otherwise the overflow pipe lines up directly with the floor joist with the notch in it.

The plumbing that I removed from the old bathtub did not contain a P-trap. I'm sorely tempted to just put back what was there... a 90 degree elbow vertically down out of the drain line (the rusty horizontal pipe coming in to the left side of picture at a 45 degree angle), to a 90 degree elbow to make it horizontal, to another 90 degree elbow to make it vertically up to the drain/overflow tee.

One issue I see with continuing the drain line straight to the left is that it would hit the cold water feed line. I don't want to have to mess with that feed line if I can help it.

Any ideas on how I can do this correctly?

The plumbing that I removed from the old bathtub did not contain a P-trap
No it didn't because back then we installed drum traps, (see image) .
My guess is that your tub's already trapped. Follow that 1 1/2 drain back and I'll bet the farm you'll run into a drum trap.

I'm sorely tempted to just put back what was there... a 90 degree elbow vertically down out of the drain line (the rusty horizontal pipe coming in to the left side of picture at a 45 degree angle), to a 90 degree elbow to make it horizontal, to another 90 degree elbow to make it vertically up to the drain/overflow tee.
And, rather then tear up the floor, that's exactly what I'd be doing.
Your tub won't be vented so when you hear the "glug-jlug" as you drain you'll know it's venting through the trap and overflow.
More questions? I'm as close as a click. Tom

Tom,

Thanks so much for your reply. That's exactly what I wanted to hear. My house was build in 1928 and I think that bathroom was last renovated in the 50's (tile and flooring maybe).

The drum trap makes sense, I've read about them but never put 2 and 2 together.

There's no cap in the floor for a drum trap, but I think the floor has been covered at least a few times over the years. So, if there is a cap it's probably just been covered up.

There's no easy way for me to follow the drain line back any further to check for a drum trap. If a run a snake in there and it stopped would that be an indication that there's a drum trap (I hear a snake won't go through them)?

What about the idea of putting some elbows in the overflow pipe so that I can move the drain/overflow tee out beyond the floor joist?

About the venting, the vertical pipe in the picture with the Fernco boot on it is a vent pipe. I misspoke when I was explaining the plumbing I removed. There wasn't a 90 degree elbow down off the drain line. It was a sanitary tee with one side going to the drain line, one going to the vent, and one pointing straight down into a 90 degree elbow taking the drain line horizontal.

Thanks,
TB