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Topic: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals (Read 12 times) previous topic - next topic
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About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Yahoo Message Number: 146511
Hi all
 I've been a Lazy-Daze wanna-be for 6 or 7 years now and I think I've finally found my rig! I know it has sat for at least the last 9 months or so, and may not have been used for a bit longer than that.

I'm going to check it out in person this week.
 Should I be worried about seals and if so which ones, and how can I check what I need to check?
 I've read through the check list in the files section - is there any other advice any one can offer?

Many thanks

Pat
The Pearl - 2000 31'
"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146512
This is a link to a pretty thorough 'used RV inspection' checklist:

RV Inspection Checklist

You didn't mention the year of the LD you're considering, but, *in general*, the older the rig, the more careful the scrutiny of each point on the checklist. If you don't feel qualified to do a thorough inspection on your own, you might want to hire a mechanic and an RV tech to do the inspection with you.

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146513
Thanks for that list JC - it's a good thing I took a whole day off!

Joan - It's a 2000 30ft IB with about 57,000 miles

Thanks!

Pat
The Pearl - 2000 31'
"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146523
I would be concerned about the toilet seals. It's not a fun job to replace them but goes better with a beer. Sometimes you can just get away with pouring white vinegar in the bowl and letting it sit for a day or so. If you do this a couple times and the vinegar doesn't leak past bowl into tank problem solved. When I got my LD it had been sitting over a year as the prior owner passed away. I had to remove toilet and replace all the seals. Not a fun job but it has been working fine for 2 years. If you remove it I would recommend replacing the vacuum breaker in rear. They wear out and eventually leak. Cannot be replaced without toilet removal.

Bob
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146529
Toilet type seals are my concern too. I've replaced toilets in a house, so I'm past the ick factor. With the right pictures/instructions I can probably do it.
 What is the "vacuum breaker"? Are there seals involved with the tanks that could be a problem?

And yes, every project goes better with beer!

Thanks!

Pat
The Pearl - 2000 31'
"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146531
I don't know exactly what a vacuum breaker does but mine started leaking shortly after I got the LD and created a mess. This is what led me to removing toilet. It is a unit on the back of the toilet and part of it's function is to feed water to the sprayer hose. You need a specific model as some don't provide the sprayer hose function. I took my old unit to an RV store and they had to order the model for the Sealand toilet. Wasn't very expensive so I bought a spare.

Bob
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146533
If your budget allows consider paying someone to do this unpleasant task.
That's what I would do if this happens again. Life is to short to deal with stuff like this is you don't have to.

Bob Frazier Park, CA. for a few...
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146540
Pat, in addition to the check list, use the LD's operating manual and start at the beginning of the index and check each thing in the index. When you get to something mechanical, start it, run it, feel it, touch it, turn it on - whatever it takes to ensure that it's functioning. By using the index you will have pretty well covered everything in and on the LD.

Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146548
Pat, Bob's advice on the toilet is good. As he says, replacing a lot of the toilet seals isn't much fun. Let me offer a word of caution if the  toilet needs multiple seals and you are having an RV repair place do the work for you.
 I assume that the toilet in the LD is a Sealand 500 Series (511, 512 or something like that).  A few years back mine got to the point where the "flush ball" didn't work right (shaft bearings worn), the vacuum breaker was leaking a little, and the main water valve would leak on occasions.  I had the LD into a repair shop to have some other work done and asked them to fix the toilet problems too.  I ended  up buying a new toilet.  The cost of the parts and labor to "rebuild" my old toilet exceeded the price of the new toilet.  They had to remove the old toilet and then install either the repaired old toilet or a new toilet.  The "remove & replace" labor costs were the same.  Parts for a Sealand are not cheap.

Doug Baker
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146549
Doug's advice is very good. Next time my toilet fails I will just get a whole new unit. Much easier and then it won't nickel and dime you like mine has. Live and learn.

Bob
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146551
"Next time my toilet fails I will just get a whole new unit."

If you do, you might want to think about switching to a Thetford toilet. The Sealand Traveler model that Lazy Daze installs has a number of design flaws--principally, very poor wash-down of the bowl, necessitating wasteful use of water to get it clean... and at least in my case, a nearly flat spot toward the front of the bowl, which fails to drain completely unless the rig is canted to the right, leading to a mineral/urea buildup that's hard to remove.

When and if I get tired of disassembling and repairing my Sealand toilet, a Thetford Aria is in my future. I know from experience with the Thetford Bravura toilet in my old rig, "Gertie," that it has excellent wash-down and no standing-water problems. The Bravura is Thetford's economy model--all-plastic, and with a rather small seat that takes some getting used to. But the Aria is comparable to what we have: porcelain bowl, standard-sized seat. And it shares the Bravura's swirling, thorough bowl-flushing action.

Andy Baird

Travels with Andy
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146552
Andy FYI The Aria is a very expensive toilet. I purchased one a few years ago as a replacement for a problematic plastic toilet in our SOB. I has to replace the valve mechanism within a year. I did not have good luck with that model. I finally replaced the Aria with a porcelain Thetford Style II. It is still functioning well. The SOB is parked permanently in AZ. Maybe I just had a lemon, but I will not buy one again.
James Allen Jackson
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146553
The only repair I have needed to do on our '04 MB toilet is to replace a leaking water valve.  Did it a year or so ago  and actually followed the manual!  Not too bad a job but if I had to replace the main ball/seal set would prob get a new toilet.
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146554
We did the same - a complete replacement.  The original was probably defective from the get go as we had persistent leaks that neither I nor many repair facilities were ever able to correct despite their assurances they could fix.  I think they were sincere in their assurances as twice I told one repair facility to go ahead and replace it.  When it leaked again they "claimed" to fix it and did not charge me.  They finally put in a new one three years ago and PRESTO no more leaks.

Bob in Florida SE 5. 30IB '06 AE
Kathy and Bob on the Go
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146555
"I finally replaced the Aria with a porcelain Thetford Style II. It is still functioning well."

Thanks for the tip, Allen! I'll change my future throne of choice, based on your recommendation.

Andy Baird

Travels with Andy
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: About to take the plunge - need advice about seals
Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 146558
Our 2006 MB toilet seal failed in 2010 and then that one failed so we got the Bravura and I found it horribly uncomfortable for a few days - after that it was great! We were worried about plastic staining buy it hasn't happened. We do use Happy Bowl liners in our RV toilets as needed and love them, just less work cleaning that way and no trouble jamming toilet either. (So can't use pledge, chemical smells bother me.)

Marcia and Leon Bogaert Panoply - 2006 LD MB Parenthetical - 2002 Jeep Liberty Sport