Waste Valve Seal Replacement

[Wendell]

Sent: 1/23/2008

I'm planning to replace the seals on my waste valves when the weather gets a little warmer.  The seals on my black water waste valve leak, not a lot, but enough to make a mess when you open the cap to connect the drain hose at the dump station.  Leaks about a cup or so of yuk when I do this.  Can anyone who has done this before offer any advice on the things to be careful of so I don't make a bad situation even worse?

[tiinytina]

Sent: 1/25/2008

hi ho,
   I just actually did both on Gone this fall. Mine was doing the same thing and after replacing both, with new gaskets... is doing the same dam* thing.... oiy. Anyway.
   First make sure the last time you emptied the tanks that you really rinsed them out. I opened the valves and set up a bucket the evening before I tackled it.  Keep a bucket handy. Wear your wonderful dish-washing long sleeved gloves.
   The bolts holding the valves in place are most likely rusted to heck and will more likely ream off when you try to unscrew them with a drill. The day before you want to work on her hit all the nuts and bolts with either WD40 or PT Blaster (the PT works a bit better).
   Put a bucket that will fit under the joints while you wedge yourself under your rig (being Tiinytiny Tina was helpful for this part...), put your gloves on. I used a drill fitted with a socket on one end and a hand=held ratchet socket on the other side. About half simply reamed off, I did break a corner of one off, the rusted bolts had welded themselves to the plastic....
   With our Tiffin the end piece and pipes are all separatly suspended so once the bolts are out most everything stayed put. Everything did move once I had it all apart but its easy enough to align.
   Putting the valves in just requires three hands and an extra knee... Make sure you seat the new gaskets in. I should have put a bit of sealant on the gaskets but didn't have it at the time.  Make sure the new valves are in the closed position when you put the gaskets in and start using the new shiny nuts and bolts to put it back together. Like wheel lugs don't tighten the nuts down completely until all are  finger tight. Then cross tighten like wheel lugs.
    Hope this is helpful. It is a messy stinky job but if you've thoroughly flushed your tanks last outing all should be bearable.
Tina

[Wendell]

Sent: 1/27/2008

Thanks for the advice Tina.  I'll be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse before tackling this job, and I figure a hazmat suit might be good too.

[tiinytina]

Sent: 1/28/2008

Ya, I also had a tubby of Chlorox wipes for after to wipe off the drill, ratchets etc as well as the gloves....

Tina