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How to Replace a Pop-Up Sink Drain

Bob Jackson
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by Bob Jackson

This step-by-step tutorial shows how to replace a bathroom sink pop-up drain. The sink pop-up stopper wouldn’t raise when the lift handle was moved, preventing water from draining. Something in the pop-up mechanism was broken.

Bathrom Sink Repair: Pop-Up Stopper Won't Raise
Bathrom Sink Repair: Pop-Up Stopper Won’t Raise

Sink Drain Repair – Broken Pop-Up Stopper

I used the tip of my pocket knife to lift the edge of the pop-up stopper and grab it with my fingers and pull it out of the drain. I shouldn’t be able to simple pull out the stopper unless something was broken. The plastic loop at the bottom of the stopper was OK, so it must be a problem with the pivot rod that engages the pop-up stopper.

Sink Drain Repair: Remove the Pop-up Stopper
Sink Drain Repair: Remove the Pop-up Stopper

The next photo is the view of the sink bottom and pop-up drain inside the vanity cabinet. The lift handle on the faucet is connected to the extension bar which moves the pivot rod (also called a “ball rod”) to actuate the pop-up stopper. I suspect there’s a problem with the pivot rod.

Pop-Up Sink Drain Repair: Pop-Up Stopper Pivot Rod
Pop-Up Sink Drain Repair: Pop-Up Stopper Pivot Rod

The metal spring clamp is pinched to slip it off the end of the pivot rod and disconnect it from the extension bar:

Pop-up Drain Repair: Remove the Pivot Rod Spring Clip
Pop-up Drain Repair: Remove the Pivot Rod Spring Clip

The pivot nut is unscrewed to remove it from the sink drain. Found the problem: The end of the pivot rod rusted off where it engages the pop-up stopper.

Pop-up Sink Drain Repair: Rusted and Broken Pivot Rod
Pop-up Sink Drain Repair: Rusted and Broken Pivot Rod

I took apart the sink drain P-trap and found the end of the pivot rod in the bottom of the J-bend. The chrome finish wore off the rod where it engages the pop-up stopper, ultimately rusting in two after 11 years of service:

Pop-up Sink Drain Repair: Rusted Pivot Rod and Stopper
Pop-up Sink Drain Repair: Rusted Pivot Rod and Stopper

Pop-Up Drain Repair Parts

I took the rusted pivot rod and nut to Home Depot to buy a replacement part.

  • Home Depot had replacement part for the pivot rod with the ball & nut for couple of dollars, but it wouldn’t fit my drain.
  • My next option was the Danco Universal Fit Ball Rod Assembly #88532 for about $7. This would work, but I preferred an original single piece part.
  • For only $7.29 I could buy a new Dearborn Brass 1-1/4″ Pop-Up Drain, model #H756-1, made of plastic with a chrome finish. I liked getting a whole new drain for less money than just the ball rod assembly.
  • I had minor reservations about the durability of an all-plastic drain, so I also bought the chrome plated brass Dearborn Brass 1-1/4″ Pop-Up Drain, model H759-1 for $16.98.

Update: I found the plastic drain to be unreliable and prone to leaking. I believe the plastic drain flange warps when tightened. Best to use the more expensive and sturdier metal brass drain.

The two Dearborn Brass Pop-Up Drains are shown here:

Dearborn Brass Pop-Up Drain: Model # H759-1 and H756-1
Dearborn Brass Pop-Up Drain: Model # H759-1 and H756-1

The H759-1 chrome plated brass drain is heavy with a brass lock nut compared to the lightweight economy H756-1 plastic pop-up drain with a plastic lock nut. Since the drain plumbing in the house is all PVC plastic, I thought I’d try a plastic pop-up drain. I kept both the brass and plastic drains – just in case I have a problem with the plastic drain.

The Dearborn Brass 1-1/4″ pop-up drain assembly is illustrated in this next photo. I’ll keep the old Lift Rod, Clevis and Extension Rod because there’s nothing wrong with these parts and replace only the Pop-Up Drain, Pivot Rod and Spring Clip.

Dearborn Brass 1-1/4
Dearborn Brass 1-1/4″ Pop-Up Drain Assembly – Model H756-1

2nd Update: Everbilt 1-1/4 in. Brass Pop-Up Drain Model # C759-1

Home Depot continues the shift to house brand products and now sells the Everbilt C759-1 drain instead of the Dearborn Brass drain in the above photo.

The pivot rod on the my other sink recently rusted through so I installed the Everbilt brass metal drain:

Everbilt 1.25 inch Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1
Everbilt 1.25 inch Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1

The Everbilt C759-1 drain parts. Note the metal tailpiece screws into the drain body and must be sealed with pipe joint compound:

Everbilt 1.25 inch Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1 Parts Layout
Everbilt 1.25 inch Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1 Parts Layout

The Everbilt drain has an average rating of 2 out 5 stars on Home Depot’s website because people complain that it leaks. The installation instructions state “Apply pipe thread sealant to threads of tailpiece” but not specifically what type of thread sealant. It appears when Teflon (PTFE) plumber’s tape is used the joint often leaks, probably because the threaded section is very short with only 4 threads.

I used Oatey Great White Pipe Joint Compound on the Dearborn Brass and Everbilt tailpiece threads (both tailpieces are nearly identical) and it’s never leaked. The Oatey joint compound is NSF Standard 61 approved for potable (drinking) water. A 1 ounce tube is part #31229 and is more than the average homeowner will ever need.

Apply the pipe joint compound to the tailpiece threads:

Apply Pipe Thread Sealant to Tailpiece of Everbilt Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1
Apply Pipe Thread Sealant to Tailpiece of Everbilt Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1

And screw the tailpiece hand-tight into the drain body:

Everbilt Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1 Tailpiece Installed with Pipe Thread Sealant
Everbilt Pop-Up Drain Model #C759-1 Tailpiece Installed with Pipe Thread Sealant

Pipe joint compound works better than Teflon plumber’s tape on the tailpiece short threads.

How to Replace a Pop-Up Drain

To take out the old pop-up drain, I first removed the slip nut and slip washer that connected the drain tail piece to the J-Bend on the P-Trap by sliding these off the of the tail piece. Put these aside as they will be reused.

Replace a Pop-Up Sink Drain: Remove the P-Trap Slip and Slip Washer
Replace a Pop-Up Sink Drain: Remove the P-Trap Slip and Slip Washer

The old drain has a plastic tail piece that is screwed on the metal drain body. The threads are sealed with pipe joint compound to prevent leaks. Unscrew the tail piece by hand.

Remove a Pop-Up Drain: Unscrew the Tail Piece from the Drain
Remove a Pop-Up Drain: Unscrew the Tail Piece from the Drain

The large brass lock nut is unscrewed with a 12-inch adjustable wrench. You can also use a pair of Channellocks (adjustable pliers) if you don’t have a large enough wrench.

Replace a Pop-Up Sink Drain: Unscrew the Brass Lock Nut with a Wrench
Replace a Pop-Up Sink Drain: Unscrew the Brass Lock Nut with a Wrench

Once the brass lock nut is loose it’s faster to spin it off the drain body by hand. I needed the wrench again to work the nut past the pipe joint compound on the pipe threads:

Replace a Pop-Up Drain: Remove the Brass Lock Nut
Replace a Pop-Up Drain: Remove the Brass Lock Nut

The old pop-up sink drain body is pushed up and into the sink after the brass lock nut is off. No need to remove the sink flange. Lot’s of Plumber’s Putty in the sink drain hole to clean up:

Remove a Pop-Up Drain
Remove a Pop-Up Drain

This project is continued in How to Replace a Pop-Up Sink Drain – Part 2.

Take care,

Bob Jackson

Dearborn Brass 1-1/4" Pop-Up DrainDearborn Brass H756-1Dearborn Brass H759-1Everbilt Pop-Up Drain C759-1install a pop-up drain
Bob Jackson
Bob Jackson
Technology product manager by day and a prolific handyman in the evenings and over the weekends. Bob was the founder of the original Handyman How To website and that tradition continues on this site with excellent new handyman content into the future.
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