I have tried several drain cleaning products out there with little results.  My tub drain is very slow, and when showering the tub hardly drains at all.  Its quite annoying.
Anyone have any recommendations? Id rather not have to pay a plumber to come and fix it.  I think that due to the nature of my drain that a pipe snake is out of the question.
Does the lye drain cleaning product work at all?

Try plunging the toilet.

I would call a company that cleans out drains. If you put in sodium hydroxide/lye the company may charge you more becaue that stuff will destroy drain snakes. If you put chemicals in the drain and the problem doesn't clear up, then you've got to snake.

Have you tried just running a coat hanger down there with a little "U-shaped" bend on the end.  This does wonders to pull out some of the heaviest clumps of nasty hair and stuff.  Might try this first, if you haven't already.

Be careful not to use too strong of a drain cleaner product.  They can do lots of harm to your pipes, especially the plastic ones.  In fact, I've never had good luck with liquid drain cleaners.  Supposedly, bleach works pretty well though.

Good luck.

Try taking the the drain cover off, make a little hook on the end of a wire coat hanger  and try to clear it that way. Or use a little drain snake . My wife and daughters have long  hairn and when it falls out ,  it gets caught up in soap sludge etc. last couple of times I've had to do it I've pulled some pretty good size (gag) plugs out, (gurk), Sorry I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

It's pretty gross, but it works.

Shower and sink drains fill up with body hair.   The lye products (Drano, etc) break down the hair.  The trick is use plenty of cleaner, and give it plenty of time.  Then rinse with hot water.

If you have kids (or previous occupant), there may be plastic toys in the drain, you never know.

Sometimes a slow drain is caused by a clogged vent... you know, those little pipes on the roof?  Get up on the roof, find the vent over your bathroom, and run a snake down it.

You may have to cut into the wall behind the tub drain to access the trap, remove it, and snake from there.  Sorry, it may have to be done.  Cut neatly, you can make a neat frame and access panel, someone will have to get in there in the future.  You can also disguise such an access with a large air return grate.  People will see it and ignore it, thinking it is part of the A/C.

It's a nasty job... wear rubber gloves.

Or go to Lowes and buy you a $20 snake and run it down there.

Have you tried taking the drain stop off and cleaning the hair out from there?  When we moved into our house, we had a problem with tub in the front - draining painfully slow.  Took the drain plug off and pulled out some of the nastiest looking crap.  Also found some nails in there!  

Quoted: Try plunging the toilet.

I have observed that just a small amount of water will cause a backup, which leads me to beleive that the clog is located before the toilet joins into the line....  maybe this will still work though? yes?

Rooter Rooter told me to use clorox. Worked

Furner,
I had a similiar problem and attacked it for a couple of weeks with different approaches. Ended up being a drain plug that had fallen off it's actuating lever resulting in a permanently closed condition. Just something to consider.
leroy

Try plunging it, wrap a wet rag around the facit drane and plung it with a tolit plunger.

Before you PUT anything down the drain chemical or hanger or other wise.

1st - Do you have a stopper that operate by the little leverl up near the water spuout?

if YES

There will most likely be two screws on the small decorative plate behind that little lever/handle.

Take out those two screws and gently lift the entire lever/arm and usually plunger assembly out of the tube where it sits.  OFTEN times (I have many residential rentals) there will be a nice big chuck - o hair and "stuff attached to the end of this arm/plunger assy.  Clean all that stuff off (If that is the problem) and put it back and generally speaking you are done. (Make sure when you put it back together you put it with the little air gap at the bottom of that plate held by the screws!!

IF IT IS NOT THAT then

(2)  Run JUST THE 1st BEND with a very flexible hanger or cheap snake from the hardware store.  IF that does not work - CALL ROTO Rooter or the like.  DO NOT TRY TO GO BEYOND THE 1st SIMPLE U in your tub!!! (SInk or Toilet!)

Good luck!

just plunge it.

that uslly works

Quoted: Furner, I had a similiar problem and attacked it for a couple of weeks with different approaches. Ended up being a drain plug that had fallen off it's actuating lever resulting in a permanently closed condition. Just something to consider. leroy

Funny you should mention that.  The linkage between the stopper-lever and the stopper is broken..... We use a rubber plug when we fill the tub for a bath.
Also, we use a pretty good drain cover to catch alot of the hair.  The drain has been like this ever since we moved in, so I hope that we are not contributing to the problem.
I will try some clorox in various formats (straight, as well as the "gel" stuff)
It looks like about an inch down into the drain it makes a turn straight back towards the wall, which makes me think that it is too sharp of a turn for the coat hanger or snake options.  I might be able to cut into the wall inside the closet and get to the trap (it probably has never been pulled before).

Quoted: just plunge it. that uslly works

Cant plunge because the air pressure just blows out the "overfill" drain located on the plate that houses the stopper lever.

If the tub is on the 1st floor go into the basement and clean the trap.  If it is on the 2nd floor cut a hole in the 1st floor ceiling and clean the trap.  PS wear gloves that shit is gross.

Quit trying to dissolve your victims with acid in the tub.
Man I cant believe no one said that yet.

You just solved your own problem by saying the stopper lever is broken,that means the lever stopper has dropped into the waist overflow drain and is acting like a stopper!!!


Just take the cover off (two screws) then use a coat hanger with a hook in it and lift the stopper out,replace with a new one!!!   Actually LEROY described it much better !!


Bob