Wax ring

[UP Steve]

I'm trying to replace the wax ring in a toilet in a 16' 1990 scamp. It's got just the slowest of trickle in one spot. After disassembling most of the toilet I'm down the the four bolts that hold the base in place and they're stuck. The nuts turn easily but the bolds turn with them so nothing comes loose.

Any solutions for unsticking the nuts from the bolts? I can get my hand inside to grab the ends of the bolts but not in a way I can meaningfully get a grip on them. And I'm sure trying to stick a wrench down there and blindly grip them will just result in a wrench dropped in my black water tank. I'm hoping to not have to remove the whole black water tank just to get the wax ring replaced.

Any tricks or suggestions are appreciated.

[tractors1]

I used a combo wrench (one open end, one box end) when I had to do this. Tie a stout string through the box end and to something in the bath (or a belt loop) so when/if you drop the wrench it can be easily retrieved.

[Casita Greg]

Sometimes the toilets are installed with "carriage bolt" head machine screws that are adhered in place with Sealant during installation. (Mine was.) If that is the case, a wrench won't work inside. If you do have a 6 point head on the bolt you're lucky. When I replaced my toilet, the threads were corroded, (like most,) and I wound up taking a 3" air grinder to them to remove them. I will offer a caveat on this procedure...You will undoubtedly dig into the plastic of the toilet base if you use this, or any type of saw, but since I was replacing the toilet outright, it didn't matter as it went in the trash anyway, when I installed my Sea-Land 511 Traveler porcelain bowl toilet to replace the crappy Thetford plastic piece of junk the trailer came with. (Note: Not a Scamp, but a Casita, YMMV.)

Also, not sure about the "wax ring" as my toilet had a rubber seal gasket, but then, it's not a Scamp, so I'm not sure what you'll find when you get it off.

[Darwin Maring]

A nut cracker with someone holding the bolt inside and someone else using the nut cracker.

Also, The string trick if a wrench fits.

https://www.amazon.com/MR-CARTOOL-Sp...34857532&psc=1

[jeepers29]

You can use a dremel with a cutting wheel, cut a slot in the ends of the bolt to put a screw driver in while using a wrench to bust the nuts free. Use some PB Blaster for a couple days prior.

[tractors1]

Just a comment......never heard of a wax ring used in a camper/RV toilet by a manufacturer. Gets much too hot during summer for a wax item to not soften and flow. Probably a fixit by a prior owner (who also failed to secure the bolts.) All 3 toilets I've bought over the last 40 years came with rubber gaskets.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Just a comment......never heard of a wax ring used in a camper/RV toilet by a manufacturer. Gets much too hot during summer for a wax item to not soften and flow. Probably a fixit by a prior owner.....

Well, now you have heard of it used by a manufacturer..

Scamp uses the wax ring not to seal the waste pipe to the black water tank, but instead to create a seal around the waste pipe as it goes through the floor to the dump valve. This seal is only to keep shower water in the shower pan (floor) instead of it going out the gap between the waste pipe and the hole in the floor.

And yes, it does often get too hot and these wax rings often end up along the highway with the owner not even knowing. I found mine under the Scamp when it was parked in my driveway during a hot spell. Its not a big problem for me because I almost never use the shower, and if I do then maybe some shower water will leak out but I can deal with that. When (and if) I sell, I will either replace the wax ring or come up with a better design.