Replacing the Toilet Floor Mounting Flange

[encantotom]

Hi all,

when i put granite flooring in the hall and bathroom i didnt remove the toilet mounting flange (the plastic piece that the toilet bolts are on that you mount the toilet to). so, the flange was about 3/8" below the floor. in my rush to get the coach together to go on our long trip, i just put the toilet on with the foam seal and off i went.

this past few trips darlene kept smelling a slight odor back there. eventually i saw seepage on top of the black tank in the bay and when flushing the toilet a few drips of water would run outside the hose that connects the flange to the black tank.

it ends up that i should have paid closer attention to that. with the flange below the floor level, the toilet couldnt compress the seal enough and eventually when the foam got saturated, it would slightly leak outside the flange and run through the floor and run down the outside of the 4" hose.

i really didnt want to take it out, so i though i would put a rubber spacer on top of the flange, but that wont work because the bolts are not long enough to then go through the mount of the toilet. to change those bolts i had to take the flange out. i had to destroy the flange to get it out because the wood screws had rusted and the heads broke off. so to get it out i had to drill around them and destroy the flange.

so, i ordered a flange. i also ordered a 12"x12" rubber sheet 1/2" thick to go under the new flange. with richards expertise, i got 70 durometer rated rubber.

so, now how to get the flange disconnected. most of you know i am a big boy. also, the toilet is recessed about 2 feet or more from the sidewall of the coach. there is a lot of plumbing between the bay door and the place where the 3" pipe goes into the main black tank.

my son and i torqued and twisted it trying to get it out. since my luck is usually to break something while fixing something, i didnt want to break that 160 gallon tank.

so i called newell and got to talk to their plumber who guided me through what to do. my particular coach has a plastic tank and there were two systems for that 3" pipe to go into the tank. one is threaded and the other is a slip fitting. mine was the slip. basically a nipple of the 3" pipe about 6" long slips into the tank fitting until it hits a stop. then it was silconed around the outside to seal it. he said they did that before they put the tank in. well, i aint gonna take the tank out, so i will have to do that through the hole in the floor in the bathroom and shrink my arms and hands first.......

then it is dayco 4" OD radiator hose that slips over the flange and the nipple in the tank and is secured with hose clamps.

i thought i would just replace the radiator hose since i had it out, but at 41 dollars a foot, i think i will reuse it. cheapskate that i am.

so, now i just have to find some longer stainless wood screws to mount the new flange, get some 3" abs drain pipe to glue into the flange and cut the rubber spacer and put it all back together.

i will post some pictures when i am done.

another note. i have been experimenting with different black tank deodorizers. i am currently using a bacteria base one that eats the waste. it basically has taken almost all the odor out of the tank. i know first hand because i am working in that closed area and have the big hole into the tank exposed.....

always something.

later

tom