Replacement Bathtub Drain Questions

[Schwarz633]

I'm replacing my 2nd floor bathtub and was surprised to see slip fittings in the original installation as there is no access panel.

The drain for the new tub is about 1/2" further from both walls, so I'll need to reconstruct the glued trap. I'll probably have to cut the 45 street elbow that is partially hidden in the picture off of the horizontal run and start from there. Is it OK to just duplicate what's there, or should all of the slip joints be eliminated? Is that even possible? The RH wall is a closet, should I just put an access panel in? Thanks.

 

[Terry]

All of that can be replaced with solvent weld (glued) fittings. We do it all the time. It just takes some good measurements. I like to assemble the waste and overflow on the tub first, then remove it and install it on the p-trap, then drop the tub down over it.
Most of the time when I install a new tub, I'm also removing and replacing the p-trap. I don't worry too much about what was there. It's going to be gone.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Schwarz633]

Should I be looking for something like this:

get an elbow & pipe and then just solvent weld it all together on the tub? Then remove the assembly from the tub, rebuild the trap, and solvent weld it all together in the proper location? I'm thinking it's best to have the trap under the drain instead of the overflow, I've seen both types of kit? Then just drop the tub in with the gaskets in place and screw in the drain and overflow?

 

[Terry]

That's how we do it. Except that I normally place the trap under the overflow location. Either way works though.

 

[Schwarz633]

I don't want to fight the 2x4 that's between the joists on the overflow end so I've ordered a Watco 917-FA-PVC-BN half kit with drain tee. Plus I like the idea of the trap being below the drain in case I have to snake it out. Thanks for the help.