Today's Dumbest Question

[Al from Durham]

Hello. Is everyone having a good time?

I need to replace a section of drain under the kitchen sink because it has a sticking-up tributary on the back side for the dishwasher drain, and I'm taking out the dishwasher.

I really really don't want to disturb this house of cards under the sink. But I observe that there seems to be a few inches of expanded outside diameter at the input to the trap "U". Does this mean I can just loosen the top and bottom joints, tuck the unwanted pipe down into the "U" and tip it out, and reverse for the new pipe?

I mean, is the purpose or what appears to be a long mating area on the "U" intended to let people telescope a pipe in?

Thanks !!

 

[Twowaxhack]

Cap the tributary off.

Yes I’m have a good time, I’m howling like a coyote then going onto our neighborhood message board and watching all the people post coyote warning threads.

 

[Al from Durham]

That was my first idea, but there doesn't seem to be any manufactured part that would fit, and I would have to buy a $10 jar of glue to use for one 1/2" part and never for anything again.

This knowledge cost me a couple of hours and a gallon and a half of gas shopping.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

You shouldn’t have much of an issue loosening and removing the tailpiece with the dishwasher extension, taking it to any well stocked big box or hardware store, and replacing it with an equal sized one without the stub-out.

 

[Al from Durham]

Thanks, but I don't think you read my question.
Will the center piece recede far enough into the curved piece, as the length of the increased od suggests, so I can remove the middle part without having to loosen the whole assembly and tip things and try to bend things and have it all fall to pieces .

 

[GReynolds929]

Depends on how much room and play there is. If I installed it there would be no room cause the hub would be filled with the pipe. Easiest solution is to remove the U bend, replace the section of pipe, reinstall.

 

[Al from Durham]

Oh, that sounds promising. Thanks, I'll give it a whirl. The dirty dishes are piling up.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

Thanks, but I don't think you read my question.

I did indeed read your question and more importantly, looked at your photo. I do this kind of stuff all the time. There are four compression fittings from the bottom of the sink to the wall. Loosen all of them, take everything apart, clean everything and replace the part that is giving you question with the dishwasher stub. This is about the easiest thing you can possibly do. It’s not rocket science. Then reassemble everything making sure all the fittings are tight. Again, very easy.

Of course you could also replace the dishwasher…

 

[Twowaxhack]

I just like that he used the word tributary for the dishwasher tee.


I’m going to start listing them as “ dishwasher tributary “ on my invoices.

 

[Al from Durham]

I just went back and looked at it.
Duh!
If course if I take the U off everything becomes vertical !!

Now I only hope that the hillbillies didn't glue everything together.....

 

[Al from Durham]

Well, the expert just says take it apart.

I applied as much force as I dared without breaking something.
I suppose that the hillbillies actually did glue it together. They're capable of that.
I'm gonna call a guy in. Just to replace a piece in my kitchen sink drain, that any idiot could do, but apparently I'm a special idiot.

Oh, as far as the dishwasher is concerned, I've never understood dishwashers. They're expensive, noisy, inflexible, don't always do an adequate job, and aren't any less work than just washing the dang dishes by hand. They are an inferior solution in every regard.