Question about replacing SHower Drain??

[Somebody]

Hi,

I have one of those el-cheapo one piece plastic (or whatever it is) shower / bath-tub enclosures. Need to replace the shower drain since the

0.000000001mm (LOL) "chrome" coating has come off and it looks all rusty. The style I have is similar to this one:

Has nothing to do with Hawaii, etc. thats just the one google showed me :).

As you can see, there are no screws, etc... just the metal "X" at the bottom.

Do these screw out from the top? Or does changing them requiring something crazy like ripping out the shower or something?

How do you unscrew those? The metal "X" at the bottom seems kind of fragile. Is there a special tool or something?

[Somebody]

Oops... bad link... should have been THIS:

[willshak]

on 11/12/2009 2:26 AM (ET) Somebody wrote the following:

It does screw out. I use a pair of water pump pliers upside down, with the handle end in the drain.

[DT]

They screw out. There is a tool available with cross cuts that lock around the X. Now, you need to be aware that when you remove the drain, the parts underneath are completely free. There is a base that has the plumbing hooked to it, and a large rubber gasket that gets compressed to the bottom of the shower. All of this will be free to move and possibly drop down if the piping allows it. Then you're screwed. It *should* all stick together against the shower, or have the piping supported, but just be careful

[DD_BobK]

Dennis-

I have a very similar situation in my MIL's house. She has a bath tub with either gold or very yellow bright brass fittings. As in the OP's situation the finish on the drain is totally shot & the brass material beneath the oriignal finish is corroded green.

She wanted to my SIL to "paint" the fitting which I thought (still think) is nuts. I told her that the fitting needed to be replaced but I was (still am) very nervous about doing it.

The house is built on a slab on grade not a crawlspace.......what is the recovery plan IF the plumbing below shifts, drops or the new drain fitting cannot be screwed into place?

Sounds to me like my best bet is to dodge this job & tell her to hire a plumber?

cheers Bob