How much should I tighten the exterior setting ring of a shower drain and what tools can I use?

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Mini Me

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I did not have a specialized wrench for that, like the one below, so I used a mallet and a piece of wood to gently hammer/tighten the ring. The putty keeps getting out in time due to compression and then the ring gets a little bit lose ...so when do I stop ? :)
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Tuttles Revenge

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I would immediately stop using the hammer and tap method as you're just going to push the shower drain around the shower base as a percentage of force is applied to push the drain and none is pulling the other side. Buy any form of tool that allows you to rotate the ring while maintaining its position in the shower pan.

But when applying putty, I put the least amount in that I know will make a seal which in turn leaves the least amount to gush out as you tighten. In the end the ring needs to be unable to move by hand. If its loose enough to move by hand its not tight enough.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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A pair of pliers to start with.. 14" usually can grip 2 of the protrusions. A 20" pliers usually grip the whole nut.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Yeah, Totally depends on whether the pan is already installed or if you have room to work on it.

Should have mentioned too, that if you're doing it as a remodel with a pan already in place, then Don't even bother with any that require turning that huge nut to make the seal. Total waste of effort.

Sioux Chief Jackrabbit.. tightens with a screwdriver. Only drain I'll use on a shower pan until something better comes along.

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Reach4

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I did not have a specialized wrench for that, like the one below, so I used a mallet and a piece of wood to gently hammer/tighten the ring.
How about a photo showing what you are looking at and hammering on?
 

Mini Me

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The ABS pipe that the drain gets tighten on is not glued in but it will go into that hub that looks like builtin into the leveling cement that sneaked in when I leveled the floor. That was fortunate since I was planning to pour concrete there anyway
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wwhitney

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If you have the correct size hole saw, you could easily make a wrench out of plywood by adding 4 slots to the hole. Or with great care you could make it with a jig saw.

Cheers, Wayne
 

Mini Me

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If you have the correct size hole saw, you could easily make a wrench out of plywood by adding 4 slots to the hole. Or with great care you could make it with a jig saw.

Cheers, Wayne
I am considering a clamp and two pieces of wood to emulate the vise
 

Mini Me

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I ended up using one of these; tighten enough to lock the jaws in position next to the pins used for grip by the specialized wrench. At that point you can rotate it toward the right to tighten and it will apply pressure on the pins on both sides equally
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Mini Me

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It would also work with two screws properly space and aligned, screwed in a piece of wood
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Another advantage of the pipe clamp is that you can use rotational force from both sides of the tool which helps keep the drain centered. Nice hack.
 
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Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

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