Toilet won't budge

[Safari Tim]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to remove the toilet from the trailer. The bowl was held on with duct tape and a clamp

All I have left now is the metal base screwed down to the floor. I removed the two rusty screws that you can see in the base in the photo.

However, the metal base won't budge. I cannot get it to lift or twist. I don't see any other access plates to remove to get to any hidden screws.

When I pry hard on the base with my wonder bar, I can see the entire tank in the vainity going up and down with the action. I don't want to bust the top of the tank.

Any ideas how to remove this?

[flyfshr]

The top of the tank's inlet port is cast iron and probably really rusted. I know mine was and I ended up breaking the pedestal, not my original plan. If you can get some penetrating oil or something similar in there and let it sit for awhile, you might just be able to unscrew the base. BTW - the clamp should say SaniWare on it and it is original. I doubt the duct tape is.

Good luck Ambassador Tim.

Brad
FF

[Safari Tim]

Hey Brad,

I got the screws out. They look like wood screws to me.

I cannot find any other screws holding the base down. Or any access plates that would hide other screws.

Were there any other screws besides these two holding the toilet to the tank?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

Hey Brad,

I got the screws out. They look like wood screws to me.

I cannot find any other screws holding the base down. Or any access plates that would hide other screws.

Were there any other screws besides these two holding the toilet to the tank?

On ours, the base unscrewed from the closet flange at the top of the black tank. Try twisting the base counterclockwise, like you are unscrewing a bolt.

[flyfshr]

Yeah, what Terry said. That's how its suppose to come out. I'm sure its really stuck in there. Are you planning on taking out the black water tanks? If so, it might be advisable to take the box that the toilet sits on apart with the pedestal still attached to the tank.

Brad
FF

[Safari Tim]

Yes, I'm planning to take the whole tank out as well.

I'll give it a shot. I soaked in the base with kroil a couple of hours ago.

Wish me luck! ;-)

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

Yes, I'm planning to take the whole tank out as well.

I'll give it a shot. I soaked in the base with kroil a couple of hours ago.

Wish me luck! ;-)

Chisel the old metal floor flange out in pieces.

You will never want to use it over again.

Replace it with a plastic floor flange.

That's how a dealer would do it.

Andy

[Safari Tim]

Are you saying chisel it out AFTER I get the toilet out?

The problem I am having is breaking the toilet free first.

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Chisel the old metal floor flange out in pieces.

You will never want to use it over again.

Replace it with a plastic floor flange.

That's how a dealer would do it.

Andy

[scottanlily]

Hey Safari Tim ,

Looks like your doing the whole replacement after all .Some people really
used to be interested in saving that base for a correct (as it were) restoration,but ,then now I don't think the original base is that important.
I could be wrong ,someone might really want the whole toilet intact.
Well good luck on the removal ,you may find that andys idea will hold true
they seem to break anyway when removing .Those threads will be really
corroded to the metal base ,don't want to think about that .

Good luck

Scott

[scottanlily]

One other thought tim is the floor board has a hole in it for the threaded
fiiting the toilet threads onto so you can't remove the floor around the toilet without the toilet and base pedestle being removed first.Mine is like yours and I replaced that whole box assembly with new .

Scott

[Safari Tim]

Yep. I basically stuck right now. I have the vanity loose and the wood riser for the toilet loose. But without the toilet off I'm stuck.

Everything hinges on getting that toilet base off.

Originally Posted by scottanlily

One other thought tim is the floor board has a hole in it for the threaded
fiiting the toilet threads onto so you can't remove the floor around the toilet without the toilet and base pedestle being removed first.Mine is like yours and I replaced that whole box assembly with new .

Scott

[scottanlily]

Hey tim
I have used PB Blaster spray penetrent ,really works well ,Same approach
as kroil ,it has a capilary action and will penetrate ,takes some time .
It,s a maybe ,but worth trying ,getting in the area it needs to free is the
trick.

Scott

[Larry71]

Hi Tim,

What happenned to your 1971 Safari? Hope you can get that toilet out. Lots of luck with your new rig.

Larry

[Safari Tim]

Hi Larry,

We sold it on ebay a couple of months ago. Family out grew the 23'.

So now we have 28' to work with but I have to do all the repairs all over again

I've been told it must be ready to camp in by next season!

Originally Posted by Larry71

Hi Tim,

What happenned to your 1971 Safari? Hope you can get that toilet out. Lots of luck with your new rig.

Larry

[azflycaster]

Tim,
Power tools!

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Tim,
Power tools!

More Power! Tim the Tool Man!

Well, I got a little ahead. I got the vanity out and the black tank out with the toilet base still attached....

Now what? I still need to get the toilet base off. Should I just run a hack saw between the board and toilet base? I could see that taking all day

[scottanlily]

Think sawsall tim ,very fast ,they make long blades ,if you do not own one ,then you deserve one ,so go get one right away!!

Scott

[scottanlily]

Hello Safari Tim,

I posted a message here and I don't know wher it went ?? Saw around the
old valve with a sawsall outward some to clear the valve .Leaving the new hole .Inland rv should have a base fitting to glass onto the tank ,the same way as I posted to you before ,use heavier fiberglass matt for strength.
you rv store may have it as well ,you will need a fitting that all the rest of the elbows and such ,whatever you will use will attach too .I would recommend not having the plumbing hanging down under the trailer
if at all possible ,road hazards and such .Once you have cut out the old valve
and you have new fitting in hand ,go about getting the hole size in the tank
shaped for the new size fitting opening.so be careful as to not go too large cutting the old valve out .That tank looks like it may have been leaking at the bottom there ,but the new fiberglass work will fix all that .

Scott

[overlander63]

Under the epoxy, or caulk, or fiberglass, or whatever that stuff is, there are four bolts and nuts holding the valve to the tank. If you are lucky, they will unscrew. I was not, and had to drill the bolts out. Grind the bolts off flush with the tank, then drill 4 new holes in the tank, centered around the hole. Install 4 stainless blots, each with rubber washers and stainless flat washers inside the tank, and bolt the new valve on with 4 nuts and washers.

[Safari Tim]

Terry, should I even mess with it then? I was thinking of just cutting the valve off at the tank and add the new hole for a new fitting like you did?

Did you fiberglass over your fitting after you bolted it on? Any pictures?

Originally Posted by overlander63

Under the epoxy, or caulk, or fiberglass, or whatever that stuff is, there are four bolts and nuts holding the valve to the tank. If you are lucky, they will unscrew. I was not, and had to drill the bolts out. Grind the bolts off flush with the tank, then drill 4 new holes in the tank, centered around the hole. Install 4 stainless blots, each with rubber washers and stainless flat washers inside the tank, and bolt the new valve on with 4 nuts and washers.