# Broken slip joint nut (metal drain pipe)



## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

Replace it!:thumbsup:


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Happens all the time.
Reason being is what you have now is old steel drains in the walls that at some point will all start leaking and close up on the insides from rust that's in direct contact with a brass or bronze nut which will start to corrode as soon as it's installed. 
Replace the whole drain trap and all with PVC and never have to touch it again.
About a $5.00 fix.
May have to take a triangler file and a wire brush to the threads on the nipple sticking out of the wall of add some pipe tape to the threads to clean it up enough to get a new nut on.

1/2 The time I have to cut that nut in 1/2 to even get it off.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

JoeC's got it again If you dont own a dremel with reinforced cut off wheels, nows the time to get one. Remove the P trap. Chances are good some of the end threads will come off the end of the nipple, and you wont be able to use the threads on the stub out. Clean out the stub out and branch line and use a rubber fernco coupling to your new P trap. You will have to cut the wall out some to get the fernco and a wrench in there. Judging by the looks of the stub out, getting a new trap nut on there will be futile, and will constantly leak. You will need to clean up the outside of the pipe with emory, and you might want to coat the outside of the stub out with clear silicone before sliding on the fernco coupling.

To properly test your work, fill sink up and pull the plug. 

As Joe said, you will eventually need to replace the galvanized pipe. How old is it, about 60 years?


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say thanks to Joe and Jagans. I was replacing a bathroom faucet and had pretty much the same thing happen. I loosened the connection at the sink drain, and P-trap and all just fell off of the wall pipe. The pipe coming out of the wall was so brittle that it couldn't handle the weight of the P-trap on its own and gave out. The lip that the slip-nut uses to make a seal broke off and was still connected to the P-trap with the slip-nut. 

Unsure of what to do next, I searched google, and google brought me to this thread. I followed Joe's advice and rebuilt the P-trap starting at the steel pipe in the wall.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Hi Rock, 

Did you go with a Fernco or were you able to use the nipple in the wall? I have often found it best to just bite the bullet and replace the whole lateral right back to the soil stack. I have seen 2 inch galvanized pipes closed down to the width of a pencil from sludge buildup. I'm sure Joe has seen this too. The vent is usually OK.

Thanks for posting.


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