Removing the toilet

[Bill]

Recently it seems that many people have had to remove the toilet from their TMs. This week, unfortunately, I joined that unhappy group. With hints from Texas_Camper, who did it a week ago, it wasn't too hard. I took a few pictures, and documented the process in the TM Reference Library (aka TM Info You Won't Find Anywhere Else). If your turn comes, that tutorial may help.

Comments or questions welcome.

Bill

Bill, and others,
In my humble opinion, the locator disc is of extreme importance. TM didn't install one in my 2619 and I had to remove my terlit 3 times within the first year of ownership. Once I found the disc was missing, and it was important to keep the terlit from vibrating while we traveled (a tip from talking with tech service at Thetford), I asked to have them ship one to me (no cost from Thetford). I installed it and never had another problem with the terlit for as long as we owned our TM.

I suggest a call to Thetford if you find the disc missing in your trailer and wait to reinstall the terlit until it arrives.

Great documentation, Bill. I probably should have done this back in 1999, but I was too upset with all the terlit problems I was having to think of the experience as a resource to others.

Being one of the many who have recently been in this position, I really value having this documentation since I am hoping that it will be soooo long before my next experience of this kind, that I will have forgotten it all.
Thanks for taking the time to do this.
Cheri

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Paul_Heuvelhorst

In my humble opinion, the locator disc is of extreme importance ... (a tip from talking with tech service at Thetford). I suggest a call to Thetford if you find the disc missing in your trailer and wait to reinstall the terlit until it arrives.

Paul -

Please tell me the secret! How do you get in contact with ANYONE at Thetford??? When all this started, I called their Customer Service Lines - they actually have two 1-800- numbers. On each of them, their system put me into "phone menu hell", and I gave up after listening to an hour of crummy music and "YOUR CALL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US" announcements. Next day, I tried both numbers again, with the same result. So I emailed them at the address specified on their web site, asking for help - a set of replacement gaskets, nothing more - and I have received ZERO response.

Fortunately, the mechanic at a local RV dealer took pity on me, and gave me a couple of the gaskets (used, but in better condition than mine) so I could reassemble things and get the TM buttoned up.

I like Thetford stuff, but if the entire company, including Customer Service, goes on vacation for the summer, then my recommendations for the company are going to be "in the toilet", so to speak! Not that my recommendations count for much in the corporate scheme of things ...

By the way, I suspect you are right about the locator disc. Now that the job is done, I wish I had cut a circle of plywood or plastic and screwed it to the floor at the right location. It would have been pretty simple.

Bill

[cali camping]

I have long wondered why TM chose not to use the locator disc when installing the Thetford. Are we all missing something or does TM think they have a better way?

Originally Posted by Bill

Paul -
Please tell me the secret! How do you get in contact with ANYONE at Thetford???
Bill

Bill,
I have to confess that my problems happened in late 1998 thru early 1999. I don't recall it being difficult to get through to Thetford's service line. Obviously, persistance pays off, so keep trying. Since the disc is shown on parts diagram, can you simply place an order with them over the internet, without speaking to a "live body?"

Yes, you could make your own locator disc by measuring the inside diameter of the leg and cutting wood, plastic or metal to that diameter and screwing it into the floor.

Originally Posted by cali camping

I have long wondered why TM chose not to use the locator disc when installing the Thetford. Are we all missing something or does TM think they have a better way?

I don't know the answer to this question, either. Others have offered that TM is inconsistant with the installation. My spin would be that they don't understand the importance of that disc, and simply think it may be a plastic washer that was tossed into the bag of parts accidently.

It certainly should be pointed out to TM so they can correct this "nasty problem."

Of course, if they correct the problem, then what would TM owners do to have fun over the weekend? What else could you take apart and re-assemble that is more fun than the terlit??? 8^)

We had no problem reaching Thetford a month or so ago. Got a replacement foam flange (actually he sent me 3 and didn't charge me.)
Rather than making a locator disk that fit the hollow foot of the toilet. DH put 2 galvanized steel 2 inch gaskets down. One at the outer edge of each imprint in the floor where the front legs had been seated. It worked well.

By the way, there was no caulking at the connection of the valve to the sewer line. Just the old flange, and replacing it was all that was needed. No leaks now. Thetford said it is not necessary to caulk and it seems they are right.
Cheri

[Bill]

Next step in the story - I found out how to contact Thetford. The secret is this.

"One hour on hold is not enough! If you can't go on hold for two hours, you are clearly not serious!"

I actually called the Thetford main number, and reached a snippy woman who told me that "This is our busy season, and they are doing the best they can. There is nothing I can do to help you." And she hung up.

So I grabbed a phone with a volume control, turned it way up, dialed in, set the handset down next to my computer, and continued with some other tasks. Sure enough, after the requisite two hours, a frazzled-sounding guy came on the line. All he wanted to do was get rid of me. After a pretense of looking it up, he told me that individual gaskets are not available, and never have been. When I pressed for a gasket kit, he told me that a kit used to be available, but is no longer. So just before he hung up on me, I explained that it was a warranty problem, and he could either send me $2 worth of gaskets, or I could take my TM to a dealer and have $400 worth of repairs charged back to the company. Bearing in mind that "this call may be monitored to ensure customer satisfaction", he agreed to send me a complete new Slide-EZ valve.

Then I inquired about the locator disc. He assured me that they are not available as an individual part, and come only in a kit with the mounting brackets, and the mounting brackets are made overseas, and they are out of stock and back-ordered. So I asked him to send me a kit when they come in. With a dramatic sigh, and a complaint of "I'll have to open up your claim again, you know", he agreed to do so. We'll see. If/when these things come in, I'll post.

So the moral seems to be, don't call Thetford in the busy season. I'm disgusted.

Bill

I have been thinking of taking out the Thetford, sealing up the hole and using a Port-a-potty! Maybe the problems with getting parts will give me the "push" to get it done!