Toilet replacement

[paul nevitt]

So we went camping this weekend. Not our first trip this year but our first trip to this park. It is a very nice state camp ground very clean and wooded. The whole camp ground is a dry camp or boondock sites. After a few hours at camp we had come back from swimming and were sitting around a nice fire when my daughter had to use the toilet. This wasn't the first time the toilet had been used that day. I am very lucky my 6 year knows to tell mom and dad when something isn't right. She yells from the RV saying the toilet wont stop filling and it is going to over flow. So i run in and luckily I shut the water pump off before the toilet overflows. So now I am left with a choice repair the old toilet (30 years old) or replace it with a new one. I am leaning towards a new for the fact that I can get a much bigger bowl and make camping that much more enjoyable. I have a raised platform that my toilet sits on. Has anyone here replaced one of the old toilets with one of the new ones? And has anyone had any problems with a raised platform. I am looking at the Dometic 310 low profile.

[John "T" Nordhoff]

  Jim, that flange looks like any other typical 3 inch plastic toilet flange and like the one I have and YES far as I know that Dometic (same toilet I bought) toilet will fit the flange so I wouldn't mess with replacing it (would have to cut out and re glue (solvent weld) another)

  UNLESS AND PROVIDED THAT  The 2 vertical johnny hold down bolts ARE CORRETLY ORIENTED so that they fit and your new toilet IS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION when placed down over those bolts UNLESS the flange has other notches which new bolts will fit into that allows the Dometic to be in the right direction when the bolts line up with the holes in the bottom of your toilet  Get what Im saying??? Id use new brass bolts if possible also.

 NOTE AND POSSIBLE PROBLEM  my flange had bolt notches that were like parallel to that back wall while that picture looks like they are off at an angle SO I WORRY IF THOSE BOLTS OR NEW ONES IN OTHER NOTCHES ALLOW THE NEW TOILET TO FACE THE RIGHT DIRECTION?????????? IF NOT YOU MAY NEED A NEW FLANGE grrrrrrrrrrrrr

 As long as the Johnny Bolts ORRRRRR Johnny bolts in other available flange notches will allow the new Dometic to be faced the right direction I WOULD NOT CUT OUT AND RE INSTALL A NEW FLANGE

 Looks at the new toilet and you can figure out my concerns about orientation???

 John T

[Jim Stoltz]

Yep - I get what you're saying. My bolts are at an angle - I suspect they will need repositioned. I didn't realize it was glued in there. That's going to suck. My other concern is that the toilet wouldn't be sitting on the floor if I cut out the carpet around the flange and install tile. I think the flange has to come out anyway.

I had to cut a hole in the floor just outside the bathroom and shower doors to replace the fuel lines. It worked out nicely because I put tile down in that area - looks like it belongs there. I plan to do the same in the bathroom. The carpet was cheap and easy for the manufacturer, but it has no place in the bathroom. Can't properly clean spills and splashes. 

[paul nevitt]

Good luck man!!! I got luck and my flange screwed right into my tank. If you look into the flange does it bend or go straight into the tank?

 

[Jim Stoltz]

It goes straight into the tank.

[paul nevitt]

You might get lucky like I did and be able to unscrew it from the tank. I unscrewed it from the floor (4 screws) then tried to turn it and found out it would un screw from the tank. Made my life a lot easier. Give it a shot.

[Jim Stoltz]

It looks like it's glued, unfortunately. I'll try to turn it though. Ugh.

[Jim Stoltz]

Apparently it is glued. It's not budging. So, I can either get creative with the existing flange by cutting my own holes to mount the studs or cut out the old flange and replace it with a new one. I guess I can use a dremel to cut the pipe from the inside unless anyone has a better idea.

[Jim Stoltz]

Wonder if this will work?

http://www.adventurerv.net/mounting-kit-white-p-16039.html?gclid=Cj...

[paul nevitt]

Hey wait. On the box last night I noticed they make an adapter plate for this problem. If I remember right they had it at camping world. Before cutting anything look into that.

 

[paul nevitt]

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/dometic-toilet-mounting-k... this is what I was talking about

[Jim Stoltz]

Yes they do make an adapter at Camping World!

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/dometic-toilet-mounting-k...

I got one from Amazon - it was $14 less and they had it in stock (or Dyer's RV did - it was their storefront). The only other complicating factor is the carpet. I need to cut it around the flange. The toilet, or in this case adapter kit, won't be totally flush with the new floor. Unless...I put down some plywood to bring the floor up to the adapter. Might have to do that anyway. 

Thanks for all the tips!

[John "T" Nordhoff]

 Sure, an adapter will work HOWEVER its so simple if you can just cut/drill 2 new notched (so bolt head fits in and turns then is sort of locked) holes so the johnny bolts are correctly oriented side to side, as its not rocket science and all they basically do is hold down despite all the other forces (you sitting on it lol) are also down so those and a new soft rubber seal gasket ought to fix your problem. Still an adapter plate is also an easy fix, your money your trailer your choice......

 John T