Ask Me Help Desk - Installing a drain for shower pan

Installing a drain for shower pan

Hello,

I am doing a DIY project replacing a 48x34 shower. I replaced the whole drain trap and all. Made the distance exactly what the manufacturer said at 24" x 16.5". Well finally got the pan in which was not as easy and my drain is off about 1/4". I am able to move the pipe over to get to the drain but am having trouble getting it in. I have a no caulk drain and the rubber piece that is to go on the outside of my pipe keeps sliding up.

Two questions:

1. Should I be moving the pipe over 1/4 of an inch?
2. Any pointers on getting that rubber piece over my pipe? I have been putting dish soap on the rubber piece to help it go over the pipe.

1/4" should not make the difference here...

Sounds like you are using tooooooo much soap.

Pull up the donut, clean pipe and rubber of soap and then re-install. I am sure there is some soap that will be left and help to slide this on.

Sometimes I use a nut driver or similar blunt driver to push down on rubber, until set to right depth.

Let me know what happens!

Mark

Quote:

Originally Posted by bisett14

Hello,

I am doing a DIY project replacing a 48x34 shower. I replaced the whole drain trap and all. Made the distance exactly what the manufacturer said at 24" x 16.5". Well finally got the pan in which was not as easy and my drain is off about 1/4". I am able to move the pipe over to get to the drain but am having trouble getting it in. I have a no caulk drain and the rubber piece that is to go on the outside of my pipe keeps sliding up.

Two questions:

1. Should I be moving the pipe over 1/4 of an inch?
2. Any pointers on getting that rubber piece over my pipe? I have been putting dish soap on the rubber piece to help it go over the pipe.

Thanks Mark, I will try this after work. I did put a lot of soap on since that is what I thought it needed. I will let you know how I make out.

Thanks... good luck!

Mark, how far is too far, I am guessing at 1/4 inch but could be 1/2. I know if I do move it there will be constant pressure as it moves back if I do not get the drain on the pipe.

Thanks in advance.

1/2" is too much.

Any chance at getting to the pipe under unit?

And.. did you set this shower in a bed of mortar or a similar substrate... let me know..?

Answer both questions... Thanks... Mark

Sounds to me that your drain and trap pipe are not secured and move when you try to slide in the rubber collar. These pipes must be secured and that will be an issue if you have already set the pan, have you?

Well I will have to measure before I go setting this. I have not mortared the shower pan nor do I plan to. As for securing the piping, I have not changed the regular configuration of this piping just replaced the trap. It does give a little both ways but not much. So mark, you think 1/4 would be okay but not 1/2 inch. I am just hoping I do not have to do this trap all over again. Oh and since the shower pan is not mortared down I could get the unit but not while the pan is in place. This shower is on the second floor of my house.

Quote:

I have not mortared the shower pan nor do I plan to

Unless the manufacture has included support for the shower floor you will be letting yourself in for a ruptured drain seal on down the line. I don't know if a 1/4" cocked raiser will leak on a no-caulk drain but it's always a good idea to have the raiser line up with the drain. I can state for a fact that a 1/2" cock on the raiser will leak. It would be much better if the drain and the trap raiser were in line. Can the base be moved or furred out to line up with the raiser? Just off the top of my head, Tom

"not mortared the shower pan nor do I plan to" this would be a mistake in most installations. What brand pan are you installing? The fiberglass and plastic pans need to be set into a mortar or modified thinset to stop movement and creeking.

It is a lasco fiberglass shower pan. Thanks for all the responses. I have thought about if I can move the pipe over 1/4" of supporting it there thus taking the pressure off of the drain, but little concerned if I go home and it is move like 1/2".

The Lasco installation instruction will tell you to set the pan in mortar or modified thinset and you should follow that direction. 1/4" even a 1/2" may not be too much depending on the length of pipe between the trap and the main drain. If the pipe is 1/4" long or short you can fix that, if its 1/4" left or right and the pipe is short you may be pushing the limits of the drain seal. You do need to support the trap from below possible with a short 2x4 nailed between the joists. Soap if fine but plumbers grease will work better and give a lasting seal on that collar.

Thanks for the response, my pipe extending out of the trap is probably 4" PVC pipe. I have really heard some horror stories of mortaring pans in if for some reason you need to remove because of an issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

1/4" even a 1/2" may not be too much depending on the length of pipe between the trap and the main drain. If the pipe is 1/4" long or short you can fix that, if its 1/4" left or right and the pipe is short you may be pushing the limits of the drain seal. .

I think I misunderstood this. I was talking about the pipe from my trap to my drain in my new shower pan. I think you mean pipe from my trap to my main drain doing down through my house. I am not sure how far that pipe is. I can reach a foot or so under the floor and it is still pipe.

Thanks to all that responded. I have it in with success.

Thanks

Brian

Great, I hope you did do the mortar base. If you heard some horror stories about why you should not mortar in a pan I can tell you 10x more about why you should.