this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2025

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Is there a device to help turn stoppers with an o-ring? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A specific question, but maybe someone here knows! My shower has a drain. When I remove the cover and the "thing" inside of it, there's a stopper with an O-Ring.

We used to be able to pull the stopper out and clean inside the pipe (suggested by a plumber), but I now can't remove the stopper anymore. It appears to be quite stuck, and the angle is also terrible to get a better grip on it. I don't want to use pliers, because I'm afraid I might snap the thing that you hold, and then I'm really in trouble.

Can anyone give me suggestions what I can do to get the stopper out? Is there a technique I don't know? A device I could buy?

Thank you!

all 10 comments

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Drain-Removal-Wrench/1002633350?gStoreCode=611&gQT=1

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

This looks very promising! Have you used something like this before? Most references I see online use this to remove the entire drain, not simply to turn the little thing inside. Is that accurate?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

assuming you recently took a warm shower, maybe letting cold water run a little bit might help? cold water might cause the plug to shrink a bit and be easier to release

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Silly question, but have you tried turning it the other way?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Not at all a silly question! I have tried, yes. Also, I've been able to remove it before, but the last time I put it in, I really jammed it in, I guess. There are no threads, so the turning is really just about generating force.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

On the photo I saw two screws. Can you use them as a lever on either side against something like a long screwdriver, metal ruler or crowbar?

The idea is to rotate it rather than wedge and lift, which is likely to make it worse.

You might try WD40 in the joint.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Funny, I have the same shower drain. Did a double take xD I just went ahead and tried removing that thing by either twisting or pulling - no dice without risking to break it.
If you have drainage issues I can recommend actually using a plunger, got rid of slow draining with this exact drain model this way.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Hah. I tried doing some research about what this kind of drain is called, but I have no idea. I've never had a drain like this before, but I guess it must not be too rare?

In my case, the issue is that it starts to stink a lot. We had a plumber out a few years ago, and he opened that thing up and used a plunger to remove a ton of hair. He then suggested we wash it out every now and again, but I haven't been able to do it for a while now, since I can't get that thing open.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

You could probably 3d print a square or hex shaped thing that has a slot on one end to fit onto the stopper, which will give you a better angle to grip it, work it from side to side or twist it. Wood would be another easy material option to try to make a little tool out of.

That said if it's really stuck enough to break the handle, then you're going to need a new one anyway, and at that point destructive measures and eventual replacement may be your only option. In this case you might try driving a long screw into it (pre-drilling a hole for the screw as necessary) or even some kind of hollow-wall anchor to give you a more secure attachment on the other side. If you have to destroy the whole thing to get it out of there, that's an option too. As any mechanic with a blowtorch will tell you about a seized fastener, "it can't be stuck if it's liquid"