Toilet Flange won't unscrew!!

[mello mike]

I need to replace the toilet flange in my 1972 Sovereign. The outer ring of the flange is damaged and won't permit bolting down the toilet.

Does anybody have any advice on getting this blasted thing out? The outer ring freely turns but I can't get at the main part of the metal flange in the middle that screws into the blank tank.

Does anybody have any experience working on these? Is there a special tool?

[desi arnaz]

do they make a handicapp toilet for the airstreams?

[Pschoerrn]

Mike,
can you post a picture of your flange?? I just removed ours without any problem, but it was only one part...

Bjoern

[Sneakinup]

I made this one with my wire feed welder to remove the flange in my tank. This very tool removed the stuck flange on VINTAGE THUNDER in less than 30 seconds! I wonder if that will increase it's value if I decide to sell it on Ebay. Hmmmm.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by mello mike

I need to replace the toilet flange in my 1972 Sovereign. The outer ring of the flange is damaged and won't permit bolting down the toilet.

Does anybody have any advice on getting this blasted thing out? The outer ring freely turns but I can't get at the main part of the metal flange in the middle that screws into the blank tank.

Does anybody have any experience working on these? Is there a special tool?

I used a hammer, and a thin bladed chisel, to unscrew the flange. It was a pain in the @!@#$.
Unscrewing is counterclockwise, just like a bolt.

[PizzaChop]

I just removed mine from the '73 Sovereign and I used a hammer and screwdriver. There are two slots opposite each other and you need to patiently work it out. It took a while because it was threaded in quite a ways. Be careful as you don't want to damage the tank

(Tripoli sailors were always just a bit ahead of New Orleans.)

[mello mike]

If the flange was one piece there would be little problem getting it out. But my flange essentially has two pieces: the center piece which screws into the black tank and an outer ring which spins freely with the small screws removed.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by mello mike

...The outer ring freely turns but I can't get at the main part of the metal flange in the middle that screws into the blank tank...

Mike,

FWIW, on my Overlander, the outer ring was metal, but the inner part was ABS plastic. Circled in one of the pictures below are the recesses Sneakinup's masterful creation was designed to accomodate. I'm fairly sure that was where Ron & Terry were also gently persuading the flange to unscrew.

You may not have an original flange. If yours has no recesses, you may want to consider cutting the outer ring off, and using a rather large pipe wrench to unscrew the inner part. A new, one piece flange will be available from any RV dealer for under $10.

Tom

[PizzaChop]

Thanks Tom!

You've come through again, as usual!

I used those two indents on the inside to remove it. The ABS did start to chip away so I was careful with each hit.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by TomW

Mike,

FWIW, on my Overlander, the outer ring was metal, but the inner part was ABS plastic. Circled in one of the pictures below are the recesses Sneakinup's masterful creation was designed to accomodate. I'm fairly sure that was where Ron & Terry were also gently persuading the flange to unscrew.

You may not have an original flange. If yours has no recesses, you may want to consider cutting the outer ring off, and using a rather large pipe wrench to unscrew the inner part. A new, one piece flange will be available from any RV dealer for under $10.

Tom

Tom, those are the notches I chiseled into to get mine off. It had been on there for 30+ years, and resisted mightily, but resistance is futile.

[mello mike]

Resistance IS futile. Thanks everyone for the tips. I ended up using a rubber mallet and flat bladed screwdriver. Only took about 15 minutes.

[PizzaChop]

Mike,

Now you can fit your hand through the hole to break loose some of that old TP!