Leaking Shower Drain

[mykntn]

Just purchased our first home, yay! it was a REO so we knew it was a matter of time before we had an issue well we have a leak coming from the the drain of our single fiber glass shower unit. Out home was built in 2008 and after removing the screen and looking at the drain it is all glued.

We knew we had a leak because of the water spot on the first floor above the computer desk. Not bad but I want to fix now. I cut an access hole big enough to see the drain that goes into the shower and there is no doubt that the leak was coming from the drain. I am able to put my hand all the way on the locknut and it was wet.

Question is, what now? I am not the greatest around the house but I am getting better. we have stopped using the shower and everything is dry. There is a small access hole in my first floor ceiling. ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

[pushkins]

These are not normally glued in place, the drain body on the inside of the shower stall should have plumbers putty between it and the shower unit, the big nut you can see underneath pulls the actual drain tight to the unit (you can see the big black rubber washer on the under side.
From the inside looking down on that drain it looks like there is a little ring that screws down around the drain pipe, this usually pushes a rubber washer tight around the drain pipe and the drain body.

Can you see where the water is leaking from exactly, around the drain pipe or around the area that attaches to the shower unit ?

[mykntn]

Push,

Thanks for the reply. The house sat for a bit so when we finally inspected the house the plumbers puddy was so brittle i cleaned it all out. You cant see any ring in the space you are talking about.

Also, i can't tell exactly where the leak is coming from on the underneath side but cut the accees hole to make sure we didn't have bigger issues. With a maglite I wiped everything dry and watched where the leak was coming from and it "looked" like it was coming from the lock nut area. I was able to get my arm all the way into the area and the whole nut was wet.

[mykntn]

M aybe these will help a little

WP_20120924_171846Z.mp4

[mykntn]

previous link

Apologies for the previous link, it does not work. I was trying to post thee video of the situation.

[pushkins]

I think I can see the rubber washer right above the big nut against the under side of the shower (black ring in the picture)
You should be able to undo that big nut and slide it down the pipe, Undo the drain pipe gasket (that"s the threaded part seen from inside the shower stall looking down into the drain), from there you should be able to remove the shower stall side of the drain, clean the area well and reapply a bead of plumbers putty all around the hole in the shower pan, drop the fitting back in. From the underside you will slide the rubber washer and the cardboard ring back up the pipe and tighten the big nut.

A close up picture looking at the drain from inside the shower stall would be great.

[mykntn]

Push, here is that photo from inside the shower. If you click on the photo, it should blow up for ya so you can get a better look. One, question...how do i get this part unscrewed? I was told there was a tool i could buy that would fit down in there on those notches but it didn't work....I am pretty lost at this point. Also, the nut on the underside....what do you suggest to get that loose? Again, thanks for the help.

[pushkins]

The nut on the underside you can use a large pair of channel locks or you can even use an oil filter remover or you can buy a similar tool at most hardware stores (has a handle and a big rubber strap that wraps around the nut), if you buy one go to the plumbing department before you leave and make sure it fits the nut size.
It looks like there should be a special tool for that internal nut (?) it would have 4 little slots in it to accommodate the 4 little prongs on the drain. Nowadays the gasket lock ring has 4 slots in it and the tool looks like a flat piece of metal with a central slot (for a big blade screw driver).
Is the P trap under the shower a "glued one" or does it have some big nuts on it as well ?
I ask this because if you cannot get that internal lock washer off, then you could undo the big nut then undo the shower side p trap and the whole thing will pull up into the shower stall, then you could replace the shower drain and reinstall.
If the p trap is glued then it's a little more complicated as you'd need to cut the shower leg of the drain, remove the drain, buy a new one and install it then make the drain pipe attachment with a Fernco (rubber boot).