Waste valve replacement

For a few dumps past, liquid in the hose drained out when we removed the cap. We decided the black tank valve was leaking. We thought we would perform an R&R.

It was so difficult to remove the valve that we decided not to mess with replacing it because we couldn't tell if it was leaking. In fact, I recommend buying a new 3" Valterra valve in advance so you can look it over and see how it fits in place.

So, why was it tough to remove that valve? In the scope of the task, it's simple to remove the four bolts that hold the valve in place. But, one of the first things you need to do is unscrew the pull-handle from the valve because it sticks out through the side of the van.

So, what are the steps to removal? 1. remove the pull-handle. 2. raise the van enough so you can use your arms underneath. 3. remove the bolts from the valve (turn the bolts and hold the nuts steady because the nuts have a knurled surface facing the valve. 4. Wrestle like hell with the pipe from the black tank in order to pull it away from the valve far enough to allow the valve to come out.

And the way you put the new valve in: 1. get two sheets of thin sheet metal and a block of wood that's 5/8" thick. 2. relieve the pipe end of debris and knock off any mud and dirt accumulated on the pipes or on the plate to which the valve attaches. 3. smear petroleum jelly on the two gaskets and don't let them get contaminated. 4. Carefully insert the two pieces of sheet metal in the gap between the two pipe ends and then cram the block of wood in there. 5. If the valve has the metal handle attached to the shaft, get rid of it. 6. Slide the valve between the sheets of sheet metal, gradually pushing the block of wood out. 7. To the best of your ability, position the valve so that it lines up with the holes on the plate. 8. Gently slide the sheet metal out, being very careful not to distort the gaskets in the process. Maybe grease the metal. 9. Finish orienting the valve. 10. Put the bolts through the holes in the direction that works best for you to tighten them. 11. turn the nuts on with your fingers and then tighten the bolts while you hold the nuts. 12. Put the handle on and test.

So you had a real fun time hey. Was the valve bad ? Mine leaks a little sometimes too. I did take it all apart one time all the gaskets were ok . I found it easier to take the grey water out also and put it in last since it is a smaller valve. Now days I fill tank up with clean water give it a good flush and and it seems to clean out that valve groove and all is well until something settles in it again. I will use your sheet metal trick if I ever take it apart again.

Took the waste valves out last night to replace both; the pipe is so tight that once I got it out, I knew that I did not have the strength to get it back in there without messing up the seals, even with Baywood Bill's excellent instructions. (I am a 59 year old woman who still thinks I'm 20 something). So off to the Rv repair shop today to spend $95.00 for them to put it back together. I hope they can do it in one hour since I have done some of the work already. Cleaned everything well for them too!

Thank you Bill for the tips.

BaywoodBill said:

So, what are the steps to removal? 1. remove the pull-handle. 2. raise the van enough so you can use your arms underneath. 3. remove the bolts from the valve (turn the bolts and hold the nuts steady because the nuts have a knurled surface facing the valve. 4. Wrestle like hell with the pipe from the black tank in order to pull it away from the valve far enough to allow the valve to come out.

And the way you put the new valve in: 1. get two sheets of thin sheet metal and a block of wood that's 5/8" thick. 2. relieve the pipe end of debris and knock off any mud and dirt accumulated on the pipes or on the plate to which the valve attaches. 3. smear petroleum jelly on the two gaskets and don't let them get contaminated. 4. Carefully insert the two pieces of sheet metal in the gap between the two pipe ends and then cram the block of wood in there. 5. If the valve has the metal handle attached to the shaft, get rid of it. 6. Slide the valve between the sheets of sheet metal, gradually pushing the block of wood out. 7. To the best of your ability, position the valve so that it lines up with the holes on the plate. 8. Gently slide the sheet metal out, being very careful not to distort the gaskets in the process. Maybe grease the metal. 9. Finish orienting the valve. 10. Put the bolts through the holes in the direction that works best for you to tighten them. 11. turn the nuts on with your fingers and then tighten the bolts while you hold the nuts. 12. Put the handle on and test.

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Thanks, Good job Surly, now publish the instructions for replacing the sewer hose that is inside the 4 inch PVC. I'm kind of thinking mine will need changing in the near future on my 2006 LTV Freespirit.

Thanks for the thanks.... I'm sorry it wouldn't work. It really was a tough job for me. I had to have my wife help me (both of us are older than you).

brassarl said:

Thanks, Good job Surly, now publish the instructions for replacing the sewer hose that is inside the 4 inch PVC. I'm kind of thinking mine will need changing in the near future on my 2006 LTV Freespirit.

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It really is not hard to replace the hose. I had to replace it while traveling through Tok, Alaska. Fortunately I found a shop that had some in stock. First I bought the wrong length (too short), so I had to do the job twice.

There was an excellent post very early on in this FreeSpirit forum to tell how the job is done.

But, really, if you stick you head underneath you can see just a few screws and you are almost finished already,.

Since, at the time, I didn't have access to the internet to look up the post, I took it to the guy who had some hoses in stock. He looked under there and made it sound like a huge, very expensive job. I bought the hose, went back to the park, and figured out how to do it. Just look for a simple way.

I now carry a spare hose. 20 feet.

BaywoodBill said:

It really is not hard to replace the hose. I had to replace it while traveling through Tok, Alaska. Fortunately I found a shop that had some in stock. First I bought the wrong length (too short), so I had to do the job twice.

There was an excellent post very early on in this FreeSpirit forum to tell how the job is done.

But, really, if you stick you head underneath you can see just a few screws and you are almost finished already,.

Since, at the time, I didn't have access to the internet to look up the post, I took it to the guy who had some hoses in stock. He looked under there and made it sound like a huge, very expensive job. I bought the hose, went back to the park, and figured out how to do it. Just look for a simple way.

I now carry a spare hose. 20 feet.

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Thanks alot Bill!! At least I can carry the right length of hose. This morning I was back to re-flush the tank, seems that stuff (paper) seems to happen when I have female passenger otherwise it's not a problem.

So New Rule: when females on board, dump black water twice, first dump black water, refill with clear water and flush again!! Perhaps that is the answer. When I travel alone it never seems a problem.

Thanks for your prompt reply!

beachbum57 said:

Took the waste valves out last night to replace both; the pipe is so tight that once I got it out, I knew that I did not have the strength to get it back in there without messing up the seals, even with Baywood Bill's excellent instructions.

Thank you Bill for the tips.

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Just a heads up on the struggles you both had. FWIW if you loosen the two hose clamps that hold the tube that the flexhose is in, you can move it back a bit. Once its back simply twist the connector on the waste valve and the flex hose is disconnected. Now all you have left is a short 3" elbow on the waste valve, so it should make it alot easier to remove the waste valve. Install the new valve and reconnect the flex hose connector, slide the 4" tube forward secure the hose clamps and you are done.

I discovered this while changing my 20 foot flex hose that had gone brittle and had no stretch to it. I was about a thirty minute job. The hardest part was getting the connector (twist it a quarter turn and it come off) into the new flex hose. If anyone has a good way to get the flex hose to slide easily over the connector, I'd love to hear about it.

Hope this helps someone, it's a pretty easy job.

Taking the flex hose and hose carrier off was not a problem and an easy job. The problem was the amount of room for the pipe and waste valves to fit in between the tanks. The valves and pipes are in there very tight on my van. I took my van back to the shop four times because one or the other valves was leaking. It would not be leaking when I left the shop but the first time that I put water in the holding tanks and pulled the dump valves (which were very hard to pull) one of the other valve would start leaking. They probably worked on it a total of 13 hours. It took two techs to replace the valves because of the tightness of the space for the plumbing. Of course, I only paid for the first hour; the shop ate the other 12 hours and the parts they messed up. They finally got it right.

I'm sure those valves were original to the van because the spray foam under the van at the tank outlets had not been disturbed. I hope the new valves last 9 years!

When I dump and then push the hose back in it's carrier there are drips or stream of water exiting out the open end of the hose, this is a natural occurence due to the hose shrinking to a smaller length, in so doing it squeeges out the water in the grooves of the hose, likewise not all the water is squeezed out of the grooves in the collapsed hose, so a few drips accumulate in the carrier until you remove the cap for the next dump procedure. So I've convinced myself that I don't have a leaking valve after all.
Jim

I have a 2017 LTV Unity and the Valterra cable valve operation for the grey water tank has been trouble from day 1. Ultimately LTV sent me new parts to replace the valve. The RV shop that did that job ended up not following the Valterra installation instructions and once again I have trouble with closing the valve. Here is my question ... on the Unity the grey water tank is oriented along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle ... Can anyone tell me if the grey water valve orientation? I.e. currently the installed gate valve is in a vertical position I.e. the cable pull is in the 12o’clock position. This position does not provide the necessary clearances and cable geometry specified by Valterra. Can some with a Unity advise how this grey water gate valve is oriented .... it seems to me it has to be in a 3o’clock position in order to meet the Valterra installation guides. I appreciate your help