Bathtub Drain Question

[killerbee1970]

[?] The drain stopper in my bathtub is not working correctly. Whenever I try to fill up the tub to take a bath, the stopper doesn't fully stop the water from draining? The lever is pulled up as far as it can be, but still there is significant seepage. Within 10 minutes, half the water has already drained away. This tub was only installed 2 years ago. The stopper lever is on the side of the tub, and the actual stopper is low within the drain hole. It is not like the stopper in a bathroom sink,

Could someone please give me an idea on how to fix this problem? I'm not sure what to look for. Thanks

[kactuskid]

Your stopper is called a trip lever and there is a linkage adjustment that you can make to lengthen it to where it will seal better. Here's a link that'll show you how.

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/plumbing/bathtub/drain2/replace.htm

I've never really had good luck with these types of stoppers and ended up just using a flat plastic cover that sits on top of the drain in the bottom of the tub instead. Maybe Lazy Pup can provide some better tips for you and for me.

[LazyPup]

If the stopper formnerly worked well but this seems to be a new development odds are the stopper is gummed up with hair and soap scum which prevents it from properly sealing.

I would suggest pulling the stopper out and cleaning it.

To pull the stopper out, remove the two screws that hold the overflow cover in place. You will see the wire control linkage attached to the back end of the lever on the inside of the cover. carefully pull up and out on the linkage and the stopper will lift right out.

I am including an illustration I prepared for snaking a tub drain. It will help you see how to remove the stopper.