Re: Toilet compartment access
Reply #1 –
OH OH. Had the same thing happen to me last summer.
What you have is a black floor flange that is glued to the top inside of your black water tank inlet pipe.
On our coach the black plastic flange broke. It is slotted to take the bolt heads and keep the bolts from turning while you tighten the nuts.
Most likely your bolt heads are extremely rusted and might have broken off.
Only permanent remedy is to take the toilet off, inspect the flange, and if the flange is NOT broken then just buy a bolt kit, flange, and floor seal from your RV dealer.
If your black plastic flange is toast you will have to replace it. This is a REAL PITA. I did mine by using a "keyhole hacksaw" and making several vertical cuts in several places around the inside of the broken floor flange. Then I used a screwdriver in the saw slots to break the adhesive and the floor flange loose. Do NOT cut into the outer pipe that is fastened to the black tank!!
Oh, also make sure your black tank and the black pipe going down to the tank from the toilet are clean, clean, clean. Minimizes odor. Have a tennis ball handy (it fits in the hole if you put a rag around it. Keeps you from dropping tools or bolts down into the tank. Don't ask how I know) If you get to the point where there aren't any nuts holding the toilet in place--lift the base STRAIGHT UP!! This might keep any broken bolts or pieces of plastic from disappearing down the poop chute.
The whole process is not difficult but takes time.
You most likely won't be able to remove the remaining retainer nuts unless you can get a vice grip pliers on the visible threads and hold the bolt from turning while removing the nuts. If not you will most likely break the floor flange if it is not already broken (and it sounds to me like it is).
When you go to install the toilet on the new flange you install the bolts first, then set the toilet over the bolt threads.
Topic: Toilet compartment access