I want to replace a cast iron hub type P trap in a basement location used for a shower drain. The new drain is to be ABS or PVC to accommodate a tile or cultured marbel shower base. The drain is 1 1/2" cast iron. First how is the pipe removed from the hub? I asume it is filled with lead and oakuj. Second, is there any way to fit ABS or PVC into the 1 1/2" cast iron hub? What other solutions are available to accomplish this project?

Thanks for your help,

Number Man

Cut off existing P-trap behind Hub. Use Shielded Fernco coupling to connect new P-trap and / or pipe.

The shower drain should be 2". If you are on raised foundation, upgrade it to larger size. It will drain better.

If you were going to do away with all of the cast iron you could just use a heavy hammer and hit the hubs and tis will crack them and then the lead and oakum.

If you plan to use the hub again you can use a drill bit about 3/8 inch and drill into the lead, moving the drill bit back and froth to make a elongated hole in the lead. Now move a 1/2 inch or so and do it again, soon you will have enough of the lead out that you can move the pipe around and it will slip out of the hub.

One way to connect the PVC into the cast iron is to use oakum and pack in in the jount leaving about one inch of depth left after you have packed the oakum good. Now you will have to buy something called lead wool, it looks like strings of lead wrapped together lile a rope, You will have to find a tool to use to pack the lead wool tight in the jount. You might use a blunt chisel.

Another way to connect is to cut the hub off the cast iron pipe with a cast iron cutter, you can probably find someone that has one. After you have removed the hub then you can use a 2 X 1 1/2 reducing neoprene gasket to adept the iron to the PVC. One brand is called a Fernco adapter

Cut the cast iron hub off using a set of snap cutters,(see image) or a Saws-All. You will have to increase to 2" to pick up the shower drain., Fernco makes a 2" metal shielded coupling,(see image) that transitions from cast iron to plastic. Good luck, Tom

Hi all:

If the pipe has a hub on it then it should be 2" cast iron soil pipe already...;) They don't make 1.5" cast iron soil pipe with a hub. They do make cast iron NO-HUB pipe in 1.5", but if you have a hub on your pipe...it is 2".

Also, as everyone here suggested you will want to cut the hub off... don't try to reuse it. Simply not worth the effort here. I would recommend that you use a sawzall with a BIMETAL blade and simply make one cut in the pipe about 4" behind the hub. Then attach the 2" PVC x 2" cast iron shielded clamp (see image at Speedball's post) and you should be all set to install a new 2" PTRAP.

Let us know if you need anything else...

MARK.