Dometic 310 Toilet - is it possible to re-seat the Half-Ball??

[StillRod]

This is another of those "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"-related problems...can I re-seat the darned half-ball, or am I stuck replacing the entire toilet?

I scoured our toilet thoroughly, including the gravity chute below the bowl, and in so doing dislodged the half-ball from the left side of the chute. No amount of rubber-gloved jostling or attempting to re-seat it has worked. There's a fellow out there with a YouTube video showing that it's an easy snap-in process, but not so in my case. Maybe he had smaller hands??

I figured I'd seek the collective wisdom before spending $140 for a new toilet.

Thanks in advance,

Rod

[vintagemotor]

Sorry to hear that this has happened to you as well, unless you are able to re-set the mounting hardware in the bottom of the bowl (impossible), you will have to replace the whole toilet. Good luck!

[StillRod]

Well, it IS possible to re-seat the half ball and end up with a functioning toilet.

I bought a new toilet this morning at the Airstream Service Center in JC, took it back to my trailer, gathered the necessary tools, and opened the box to inspect the new unit. Looking at the new toilet from the bottom side revealed how the half-ball and gasket sit and work together, so I went back into my trailer, gloved up, and took one more crack at manually aligning everything before installing a new toilet. Lo and Behold, it worked!!

Morale of this story: instructional aids are invaluable.

Toilet fixed, new unit returned for credit, wife very happy! All before 9:00 AM. A good day by any measure.

Thanks for the help!

Rod

[HiJoeSilver]

Originally Posted by StillRod

Well, it IS possible to re-seat the half ball and end up with a functioning toilet.

I bought a new toilet this morning at the Airstream Service Center in JC, took it back to my trailer, gathered the necessary tools, and opened the box to inspect the new unit. Looking at the new toilet from the bottom side revealed how the half-ball and gasket sit and work together, so I went back into my trailer, gloved up, and took one more crack at manually aligning everything before installing a new toilet. Lo and Behold, it worked!!

Morale of this story: instructional aids are invaluable.

Toilet fixed, new unit returned for credit, wife very happy! All before 9:00 AM. A good day by any measure.

Thanks for the help!

Rod

In hind sight do you think it would have been possible, if it seemed last resort, to pull the toilet up, fix it from the bottom, then remount the toilet? The bottom hole seems "roomier".
Trying to learn a little.

[StillRod]

Yes, as a final resort, it may have been possible to do the fix from below. But after fooling around up top, I doubt that would be necessary as seating the gasket into position is entirely a matter of fiddling with it from above. Unless you have gigantic hands. And I'd add some plumbers or other lube to the seal in the process.

The real take away here is to keep the toilet brush out of the down chute. Skip brushing entirely and go straight to using floss or a waterpik instead. [emoji41]

[coveredwagon]

I had my toilet fixed at Morro Dunes Campground Last year. The undid the toilet, turned it over, and replaced the ball. 1/2 hour, Voila.Fixed.