We bought a house 6 months ago. About 2 months ago, we noticed that the main level tub was leaking into the basement bathroom. Decided to try and see what we could do. 1st-Gasket between shoe and drain is rotted. 2nd, the bushing to connect the drain to the shoe was a little too small, so whoever worked on it, basically wrapped it with globs of plumbers tape to make it "fit". So we bought a new drain and gasket from Home Depot and here's the problem we're having: the generic drain bushing is WAY to small for our shoe, and the old bushing is bigger, but also too small. The question is: Do I need to replace the shoe pipe or get a bushing that fits? (our house was built in 1947). I'm not sure of the size of the bushings that are too small, or the diameter of the drain shoe. Also, the pipes run through floor boards; seems like there's not much way to get a wrench to the shoe without cutting up some wood. Any advice would help (besides hiring a plumber; that will prob be my last resort )

the shoe connects to an overflow tee. the tailpiece from the tee connects to a trap.
please post a picture as we seem to be lost with your teminology..

Wow, I started googling pics and didn't realize all of the different terminologies for the same parts. I'll use the terminology in this pic.

Using this picture, the only three parts I'm worried about are the Drain flange, the drain shoe, and the gasket

The only thing it's missing from the pic is the bushing, which is basically a threaded coupler between the drain flange and the drain shoe.

The drain flange in the tub screws into a bushing, that then screws into the drain shoe. There is a gasket between that shoe and the tub. The drain shoe is old and has pretty big threads. The threads on the drain and the bushings are too small to catch the threads on the shoe, that hold the shoe to the bottom of the tub (with the gasket in between). Basically the threads on the inside of the drain shoe are bigger than the threads on a standard drain flange.

So I'm trying to figure out: will I have to replace the shoe, or is there a way to connect this?
If I do have to replace the drain shoe, where can I get a generic one? The only one's I can find are a little too fancy for where I need it, and I don't trust PVC.

Please let me know if this makes it a little more clear.

[s1274.photobucket.com]

It could be an old Kohler drain, because they did have drains with larger threads. Companies do make multiple bushings but you have to know the i.d. of your drain and the 'thread pitch' to get the right one, if you do not know the make and model of the drain fitting.

The "generic' drawing is one thing, but we really need a photo of YOUR drain fitting to see HOW the drain 'closes' to keep the water in the tub.

I'll try to get pics soon. As for the drain, it's a pull up and twist. It keeps the water in the tub fine. The leak was when the water was let out. Again, gasket was corroded, bushing was too small for drain shoe and wrapped with excessive plumbers tape to fit.

If it were me, I'd remove the entire waste and overflow assembly and replace with a Watco 901 lift and turn, PVC. No more running around trying to mix and match parts.

The "replacement drain" is lift and turn, but that has NOTHING to do with what kind was in there originally, (especially since it obviously did not fit), and that is what would help us determent what you need.

We did decide to replace the whole assembly so we wouldn't waste any more time trying to figure out how to piece this old one back together.

That being said, we ran into a problem with taking the old assembly off. From what I have researched (and referencing the pic I included in the original post), once you remove the shoe and the overflow cover plate, the assembly should pretty much come off. The problem we came across is not only does the face of the overflow pipe go through the tub (and sits flush against the liner), it had some sort of silicone on it. We've got it semi-loose, but can't seem to move it any more (took us 2 hours to slide it out about a quarter inch and bent a hammer trying to pry it out!). We've decided to stop prying on it, so we don't damage the tub, but now we have to figure out how to get something in there to break up the silicone, and don't have a lot of room to move.

We've done a lot of work I know we're really close, but I feel like after a week without our shower, I should just spend the money on a plumber. I'm also afraid that due to the horrible job that was done installing this, we're going to pay that much more to have it undone. Any other suggestions before I go that route?

IT does sound like a Kohler drain fitting. You just have to unfasten everything until you have enough movement to get it out.