Removing & Replacing Shower Drain

kentuvman · 07-20-2009, 01:47 PM

The drain in my '76 g/t needs replacing. Any suggestions on how to get it out? I've cleaned this unit from top to bottom. Still when we enter the trailer with the windows closed, there is a foul odor - the toilet seat is closed - could the smell be coming up from the gray water tank? If so, any suggestions on how to get the smell out?

Thanks,

Ken

purman · 07-20-2009, 01:52 PM

Make sure you have water in your pea traps. If there is there should be no smell coming out of them... If there still is, then it is coming from somewhere else....

kentuvman · 07-20-2009, 03:55 PM

You mean water in the toilet or also water in the tank?

Minno · 07-20-2009, 04:24 PM

You should water in both the toilet bowl and each of the traps. One trap under each sink, and one under the shower. The water in the toilet bowl will not only help with order control, but it will also keep the seals in the toilet from drying out.

Can you isolate where the smell is coming from? And what does it smell like? We had a propane leak in an older SOB trailer years ago behind the stove, and it smelled like a dead mouse in the trailer. We finally isolated it to the propane line because the smell would go away while we were at home with the propane off. That was before propane detectors were standard inside RVs.

Chris

kentuvman · 07-21-2009, 02:14 AM

is there a way to remove and replace existing drain that is on the shower pan connecting to the trap?

DanB · 07-21-2009, 07:23 AM

Go to Lowe's and ask for a "Drain key" in the plumbing dept. Best $5 +/- tool made.....

kentuvman · 07-22-2009, 06:07 AM

When I buy the drain key - great suggestion and thank you - hopefully drains are all universal.

**overlander64** · 07-22-2009, 09:01 AM

Greetings Ken!

Something else to consider is that your drain traps may be being blown dry when traveling on the highway. My Overlander periodically had the problem that you describe, and it finally dawned on me that the water that was always present when I removed the terminator cap -- was the water from my drain traps. Now, whenever I return from a trip and park the coach, I make sure to pour a cup of water down each drain to fill the traps. If the coach isn't used often enough to keep the water replenished in the traps, some RV antifreeze might be less likely to evaporate.

Good luck in locating your problem.

Kevin

P.S.: Have you checked/replaced the waste tank vent seals on the roof of your coach? If these gaskets have failed, the opening would provide a route for sewer gasses to enter your coach.

kentuvman · 07-22-2009, 09:32 PM

Checking Waste Vent Seals on roof I will investigate - thanks.

I did get the old drain out but the drain key did not do the trick because the metal spokes at the drain bottom were all broken out but one.

In the end, I used a small hacksaw blade to saw a "V" into the flange. Then I used a heat gun to loosen up the old plumbers putty. When it got hot, I used a flat blade screwdriver and hammer and started tapping the drain at the "V" counter clockwise.

I got'er out am repainting the shower pan and then will install the new drain with some plumbers putty.

Thanks for your input and suggestions. I'll make sure to put water in the traps too.