[Ellymay]

I was cleaning my bathrub , and the plunger housing dropped- I can't reach, or get it, NOW WHAT? Thanks in advance-
Mary

[hkstroud]

Plunger housing??
Show us a picture of what you are talking about.

[Ellymay]

Plunger housing?????
Show us a picture of what you are talking about.

Uh, it is the assembly with the weight at the bottom

[mygirlsdad77]

So the faceplate with the triplever is off and the plunger dropped? Try a thin piece of fairly rigid wire, make a J hook at one end, send it down the overflow pipe, and start fishing. Good luck and please let us know if you get it out.

Worst case, you will have to gain access from either underneith the tub waste and over flow, or from the back side of the wall to dissasemble the overflow assembly and retrieve the plunger.

[afaroo]

I agree with lee, see the images below will give you an idea how to dissasemble the overflow assembly and retrieve the plunger, good luck.

John

[speedball1]

As you can see the plunger has a rod across the top.
Take a coat hanger and put a small hook on the end and go fishing.
Another way would be to go through the access panel and, after removing the face p-late , open up the waste to retrive retrieve the plunger.
Good luck and I hope you catch a plunger. Tom

[afaroo]

Tom,

I think Lee (mygirlsdad77) mentioned the same thing in his post #4, Thanks.

John

[Ellymay]

so the faceplate with the triplever is off and the plunger dropped? Try a thin piece of fairly rigid wire, make a J hook at one end, send it down the overflow pipe, and start fishing. Good luck and please let us know if you get it out.

Worst case, you will have to gain access from either underneith the tub waste and over flow, or from the back side of the wall to dissasemble the overflow assembly and retrieve the plunger.

YUP! YUCK! I anticipate going through the crawl space under the house, under the tub and with help from a friend, fishing- ORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR- get a flat, plate, seal it up and use a type of cover over the drain- right? This is maybe a 55 yo house with a cast iron bath tub-- either way, I must wait until the weather is cooler- thanks for all the info

[mygirlsdad77]

Actually you can fish for the plunger from the overflow plate in the tub, only need to get in the crawl space, or wall is if you can't get the plunger out. However, if the plunger didn't drogp all the way, and the tub still drains fine, just put the overflow cover back on and use an over the drain type stopper as you mentioned and you should be all set. Only reason to get the plunger out in your case, is if its plugging the tub drain. Let us know what you decide. Take care.

[parttime]

Ellymay, you might try a magnet on a flexible shaft. Good luck

[mygirlsdad77]

If the plunger or plunger rod is brass, a magnet won't stick, but if it's a steel rod or plunger, that would be a very good thing to try.

[hkstroud]

Ellymay,
You don't do this from underneath the house. You have not said whether you have an access panel on the other side of the wall. If you have an access panel it is fairly easy to undo the over flow piping and get the stopper.

Let us know if you have an access panel.

[afaroo]

I agree with lee (Mygirlsdad) If the plunger is Brass then it is a non-ferrous metal, and therefore magnet will not work, Thanks.

John

[KISS]

This is when we all wished we owned a $250 inspection camera?

[hkstroud]

I think we scared Ellymay away.

Tools needed.

[afaroo]

Yes the flexable mecanical fingers may work, Thanks.

John

[speedball1]

ellymay, you might try a magnet

A magnet isn't going to get it with a brass plunger. As I see it your best bet is what I posted a few posts back,
Take a coat hanger and put a small hook on the end and go fishing.
Another way would be to go through the access panel and, after removing the face p-late , open up the waste to retrive retrieve the plunger. Good luck, Tom