I have this bathtub that had a trip lever drain that kept getting stuck so the water would not drain unless you have a foot on the trip lever while you're showering (not ideal). I decided to replace it with a push down stopper. It was easy to take out the lever but the bath drain is nearly impossible. I tried everything, turning pliers into levers and giving it some torque. I went out to buy a drain remover but it just would not turn. I was wondering if anyone have any other ingenious ideas? It's not a cross hatch drain but just a horizontal bar that runs down the middle.
I never replaced a bath drain before so maybe I'm doing it all wrong so any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated.
here's a picture of it: