How to Change RV Toilet Flange (Removal and Install Guide)
These days everything seems to be made to break down. Nothing is built to last even RV toilets and their flanges. When the flange goes, it is good to know you can come here to get the information you need to fix it.
How to Change RV Toilet Flange: It may be a little bit more involved than you realized. After you remove the toilet, you will need to remove the screws. Once that is done, you will have to look into the pipe leading from the flange to the black water tank. If the flange is only screwed on then all you have to do is spin it counterclockwise till it comes off.
To get more details on how to remove the flange and replace the old with the new, just keep reading our article. We have the information that will help make this task a lot easier to do.
RV Toilet Flange 101
How to Remove RV Toilet Flange
This is one of the easier jobs you can do when repairing parts of your RV. There are only a few simple steps to take in order to get the toilet flange off the floor.
Remove your toilet and locate the flange
After you have done this, locate the screws and remove them. They may not be easy to do and you may need an angle grinder to help you
Now shine a light into the tube leading to your black water tank. The flange should be about 1 to 3 inches from the top
If the flange is screwed in then the task is easy. Just unscrew it and remove it. If it is glued then you may need a chisel to break the glue’s hold
Once all of this is done, just pull the flange out and get your new one ready to go in
How to Install RV Toilet Flange
Installing the new flange is as simple as taking the old one off. You just need to do every thing in reverse order. It is highly recommended that you ignore the wax RV flanges and go with the rubber versions only
Get your new flange ready to go
If it is a screw in model turn it clockwise until;it is tight. If you have to glue it, use a waterproof marine glue to handle the job
Put the screws holding the flange back in and tighten everything to the floor
Place a rubber flange seal on top the flange
Then replace your toilet and secure it back into position
After you have put the new flange in and returned all the parts to where they belong, make sure to test the new flange to make sure it sealed right. You do not want to have to redo your work.
RV Toilet Flange Seal
The toilet flange seal is not a large automotive part but it does a large job. Not only does it stop bad odor from returning to the inside of your RV, it stops water from leaking out and ruining your floor.
The job of replacing the seal is not hard. You will need to remove your toilet, disconnect water lines and remove all water from your toilet. Other than that, it is straight forward and shouldn’t take along time.
After you lift the toilet from its place, the seal should come off nice and easy. If it doesn’t, just use a screwdriver to pry it off. After the old seal is off, replace it with the new one. Use some pipe sealant to make sure there are no leaks or gaps.
After all that, just replace and secure your toilet. Just remember where all the connections go and get them back in their rightful spot. There are several types of RV flanges available but the best one to use is the rubber model. It works in all weather and is the easiest to make a good seal with.
You can go with a wax version for your RV’s toilet. It may save you a bit of money. Which one you use depends on where you are going to be traveling and how hot it will get.
RV Toilet Flange Size and Dimensions
The first thing to know about toilet flanges for your RV toilet is that it is not a one size fits all automotive part. There are different sizes and it will depend on the type of drain pipe you have in your RV.
Some flanges can be 3” in diameter . For other RVs you may have to find a 4 inch diameter flange to get the seal you are looking for. Also, some have threaded lips that screw in easily to your drain pipe. Others have a smaller rubber lip that would need glue, contact cement or other types of adhesive to secure in place.
The size of the lips vary and can be as long as 3 inches and as short as about 1 inch. You want to make sure you get the right flange for the job because if their are any leaks, you could have a foul smell creep back up into your RV.
Even worse, water may leak out and damage your floor. This will present you with a costly repair bill you did not count on having to pay.
RV Toilet Flange Extension
If your RV’s toilet is sitting a little lower than it should, you can buy an extension or riser. These parts help lift the toilet up and give you the height you need for it successfully drain.
They may not raise it up a lot, maybe 2 to 3 inches in height but that may be all the height you need. The one thing you have to watch out for is the dimensions of the extension.
Since all flanges are not made to the same size, your extension should be compatible with the flange that fits on your RV toilet drain.getting the right dimensions is very important and will make sure your RV’s toilet drains properly and without incident.
Some experienced RV users have said that their flange comes extra long and have more than enough threads. If the rise to level is not that great, then these users have not screwed their new flanges down all the way.
They leave some room at the end and get the level they need to put their toilet back on.
RV Toilet Flange Distance From the Wall
The standard distance for the RV toilet flange from the wall is 12 inches. There is not a lot of room in an RV bathroom so you have to be careful how far from the wall you go. Anything more than 12 inches is not really recommended.
Some RV users have said that you can go 2 inches closer to the wall if you do not have the space for 12 inches. You just need to make sure that the center of the flange rests on 10 inches.
The only thing you need to worry about really are wires and obstacles. If they are in the way, then these might extend your repair time and give you a few headaches trying to reroute them
Are RV Toilet Flanges Glued
RV toilet flanges come in a variety of designs. Some are wax and do not need any glue to help them secure a good seal. Others are rubber and it will depend on the type of rubber flange you use.
Most flanges will simply screw in and the tighter you get the fit the better the seal will be. But there are those flanges that do not have threads. That means you will have to use a waterproof marine glue or some other strong waterproof adhesive to make sure the flange stays where it supposed to.
Or you can use contact cement to keep the rubber flange in the right spot. Either way you go, replacing the flange when it gets old, is not that difficult and glue or cement will not slow you down that much.
RV Toilet Flange Glued to Pipe
Depending on your RV model you may run into a toilet flange that is glued or cemented into place. You do not have to worry because breaking that seal is not that hard to do.
All you will need is a good chisel and a solid hammer. Just place the chisel between the flange and where it is glued to and give the chisel a good firm tap. The seal should break without causing any damage.
Go around the flange to make sure you break the seal completely and you can pull the flange off with ease. Once the flange is off, prepare your glue or cement and get the new flange ready to go on.
Are RV Toilet Flanges Same as Home?
It is safe to say that your RV toilet flange and the flanges you have under your home toilet are basically the same. The only real difference is the design of the flange. The home flange may be designed in several ways, if not wax, to meet the different home bathroom designs architects have come up with.
Also, home toilets usually use a wax flange to make sure the seal between the toilet and the floor is sound. The problem with using a wax flange in your RV, although there are some, is the heat.
If your RV heats up while on the road or you are a way, then there is a possibility of the wax to melt and create some leaks. The smart move in this issue would be to go with the type of flange mentioned in your owner’s manual or talk to an experienced RV mechanic.
You do not always go with the previous flange installed in your RV if you bought the RV used. The previous owner may have installed the wrong one.
Tips for Replacing an RV Toilet Flange
It is not hard to replace a flange in your RV. But tips help make an easy job easier. The hard part in replacing your RV flange is making sure you have bought the correct one.
Check your owner’s manual first to get the right size flange
Use a flat head screwdriver to pry off the old flange
Replace the old screws with new ones as the old ones may be corroded, rusted, and so on
If the flange is glued or cemented in, do not give the chisel hard overpower blows. You may damage something else.
Avoid wax flanges if you are traveling to those geographical regions that get extremely hot
Even though it is an easy task to do, don’t assume you got it right. Make sure to test the flange first before finishing securing the toilet in place
Watch out when replacing an old flange with a new one. Sometimes the new flanges come with only 2 bolt holes instead of the four your old one had. You may have to do a little drilling to make sure the flange is secured properly
Double check all bolts, nuts, washers and screws to make sure they are not rusted or corroded. It is best to use new hardware each time you replace the flange
Some Final Comments
One of the easiest repair jobs on an RV is replacing an old flange. They are not held into place by complicated wiring, nuts and bolts or even screws. If you are lucky you will only have 4 bolts to undo and only a few screws to take out.
The most complicated part of the job is disconnecting and replacing the water lines, etc. on your toilet. The next most complicated task is making sure you got the right flange size for your RV. They are not one size fits all.
After you get past these difficult parts of the job, the rest is simple and very easy. Even if the flange is glued into place. You will be back to enjoying your holiday before you know it.
The key is to take your time, don’t assume and be careful as you work. You do not want to do the job over again. The good news is that flange replacement is not a frequent repair job.
