How do I disconnect a cast iron pipe from a hub with compression gasket

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Artie.T

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Hi Everyone,

I need some help ASAP. I live in a 1970's ranch home on a slab. The main bath started to leak so we decided to replace it with one of those surrounds that comes with the tub. Once I removed the tub, I discovered that the cast iron street Y going into another fitting that heads to the main line was rusted & cracked.

This is where I'm asking for your help! How do I disconnect the broken end of the cast iron pipe from a hub that used a compression gasket inside the hub to make the connection 40 years ago?

Any suggestions or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I am also concerned that the joint may have pertinently fused itself closed with rust. Does this happen?

Thanks again,
Artie.T
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Artie.T

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LOL Already did that! Now I want to try something different. I cut out the upper half of the broken pipe and now need to remove the lower piece that is held inside the hub of a good fitting using one of those rubber donuts. I tried drill it out without much luck, that's what all the black dust around the fitting is. The rubber just bounces back and the bit doesn't go the full length of the hub.

The pipe runs under a wall into my homes main hallway. I don't want to have to remove the rug, cut the slab, dig a ditch in the hall and cut into the cast iron main unless the current pipe /work site breaks in the process of removing the piece of pipe from the hub.

Got any better ideas?
 

Artie.T

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Sorry but....dig

I'd like to thank Tom Sawyer for his reply to my post, but he was no help! I read his suggestion and was looking for some reassurance in some of the ways I was looking at tackling this problem.

I am happy to tell everyone that I was able to get the broken pipe out of the cast iron hub (without more digging). After about two and a half hours, three 1/4" drill bits, and trying to use a trigger clamp in reverse as a spreader with one arm on the hub and a chain attached to the other and the broken pipe (got it to move about 1/8"). (These are the types of suggestions I was looking for.)

At that point it would wiggle a little bit, but still would not come out and that's when I went for the torch. I brought the garden hose in, turned on the bath fan and started to heat it up from the inside of the broken pipe and 15 minutes later I had it out!

Thanks again Tom, and when you get tired of digging or find digging isn't the best option try one of my .
Artie.T
 
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Artie.T

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Rebuild from the CI with a new donut and PVC, add a sanitary tee for the tub trap and a flex coupling to the existing copper vent.
 

Tom Sawyer

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Have fun with that new "donut". Getting that to seal is going to be near impossible. You should have dug down. Cut the bell off and used a Fernco.
 

Dj2

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Artie.T -
The bad news is the news you got from Tom Sawyer. The good news is what you also got from him: now you know what to do next.
 
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