Toilet Flange Replacement, Reflection 337 RLS

[chemist308]

So, I replaced my toilet flange a while back because it broke. When we called GD they said it was screw in, but we believe it was actually a glue type because what appeared to be a like for like replacement from an RV supply shop was. Thought I'd do a write up on it to make your lives easier if you have to go through this.

For obvious reasons, drain and flush you're black tank first. This job started with needing to remove the toilet, as follows:
1. Lay plastic down in the shower (we used garbage bags)
2. Turn off the RV water supply--make sure you draw a couple glasses of water first if you tend to get thirsty every hour or so...
3. Flush the toilet to drain it.
4. Disconnect the water from the back of the toilet (The plastic nut at the end of the blue pipe/hose, and it screws off easily by hand).
5. At the base of the toilet, pull off the plastic bolt covers and remove the nuts (I forget what size these are, but I believe they were between 14 and 10 mm. Also if you apply weight to the toilet, they spin off by hand once they're loosened.
6. Lift the toilet then set into the shower (on top of the plastic)
7. Put the hold down bolts, nuts and and plastic covers in a drawer or something--these can easily fall into the open sewer pipe and you don't want that. Also, wad a bunch of paper towels into a garbage bag and stuff that into the open pipe.


8. In the pass through, remove the diagonal panel (4 square head screws).
9a. Cut the 3" 45 degree black abs pipe in the center. Measure from the cut to the 45 degree connector going up to the bathroom. WRITE THAT DOWN.
9b. Then cut the pipe at the small straight section at the top (near where it connects to the toilet flange). Be sure to make the cuts in this order because the upper pipe will be supported by the flange which is screwed into the floor. This photo shows with the new flange and rubber connector installed.


I used 2 rubber sleeve style connectors (1 for the flange and 1 for 45 degree section), and glue type 45 degree connection. I did this for ease of replacement in the future--no more cutting.


10. Attach the rubber sleeve connector to the new flange, and TIGHTEN it--I used a wrench so it won't detach during travel.
11. Back in the RV, unscrew the 6 screws from the old flange, set them aside and pull the old flange up and out.


12. Drop the new flange with connector into the floor hole, and align it so the the toilet bolts sliding into the back of it are equidistant from the wall. (I taped the bolts to the back and used a straight edge against the bolts, then measured each end of that to the wall).
13. Screw the flange into the floor. You may need to drill new pilot holes in the floor for this.

14. Measure the interior end of a new 45 degree connector black pipe connector (part meant to accept pipe). Add this number to the first length measured in step 9a. Then cut a straight section of pipe to that length.
15. Attach another rubber sleeve connector (halfway) to that pipe and again TIGHTEN IT.
16. Attach a 45 degree connector to the other side of the new pipe (glue in).
17. Laying back in the pass through, attach this new section of pipe to your remaining 45 degree black pipe coming up from the black tank. Don't tighten that down yet. Then measure from the interior of the rubber connector attached to the new flange to the interior of the 45 degree connector.
18. Cut a piece of black pipe to your new measurement, and insert into the rubber connector attached to you new flange. Tighten that (I used a wrench).
19. Glue the upper 45 degree connector to the new upper pipe. Then TIGHTEN you other rubber connector on the old remaining 45 degree straight of section of black pipe. Here it is, completed.


20. Reinstall your toilet (reverse of removal.

[chemist308]

The reason I used a rubber sleeve is that if this ever happens again, I plan to unbolt it from the pass through then pull it up from the floor. You may choose to use a residential screw in type flange, but I chose not to because of a plastic pipe protruding from the bottom of my Dometic 320 (another upgrade I did). To me it seemed this pipe might interfere with the residential part. I could be wrong here. If I am, a screw in flange is a no brainer if you can use teflon tape instead of glue--not sure if that would work.

[boyscout]

So, I replaced my toilet flange a while back because it broke.

Well that post didn't stink at all! Thanks.

Curious though about your next post in which you talk about a plastic pipe protruding from your Dometic 320. I have one of those too, don't remember anything protruding from it. To what are you referring?

Thx.