Toliet Skirt

Hiram123 · 03-25-2015, 10:59 AM

After viewing posts, I guess I need to remove the skirt from the Thetford, I see 4 screws in the top. Do I remove these to access it. What chemical additive works best. After viewing the Seland toliet mods I get the feeling I have a 30,000 camper with an outhouse in it.

I have trouble following the mod, I understand cutting the hole and running the fresh water lines but when they start on this fitting and that fitting I get lost. If someone made a video and charged 20-25 dollars for it I bet they could sell a lot of them.

I'll try the stock toliet for a while as some people think it works fine.

**Bill** · 03-25-2015, 11:17 AM

Hiram -

I'm a bit confused. Are you asking about removing the vinyl skirt from the Thetford? Or are you asking about replacing the Thetford with a different toilet? Cutting holes and running fresh water lines is needed only if you are replacing the toilet.

If you want to remove the skirt from the Thetford, it is much easier than you are making it out to be. No tools, no disassembly and no more than 5 minutes. Make sure your toilet is clean and empty. Get your head back toward the wall, and peer down into the front of the bowl. Down in the throat of the bowl, you can see the skirt - it looks like a plastic bag, which is indeed what it is. The bag is held in place with a rubber band, which you can't see. Simply reach in, grab the bag with your hand, and pull it toward the front of the toilet. At some point, the rubber band will pop off, and you can pull the whole thing out. That's it. If you are sqeamish, wear a vinyl glove when you do this.

I'm sure you understand that one of the original purposes of the vinyl skirt is to prevent splash when you travel down the road with water in the toilet. If you remove the skirt, you'll want to travel with no water (or very little) in the toilet.

As for toilet chemical, opinions are all over the map. You'll find all of these opinions in the Plumbing Forum. It is worth your while to read through them, where you'll see that all of the chemicals seem to work reasonably well. The important thing that everyone agrees on is don't skimp! Use whatever the directions call for. I use the Thetford blue liquid. It works well for me. First time out, I bought a six-pack of small plastic bottles at WalMart, and from then on, I have purchased the same stuff in a half gallon jug, also at WalMart, to refill the little bottles. This cuts the cost in half. If we are staying at a campground for only one night, I use half a bottle - any longer than that gets a whole bottle.

Quote:

I'll try the stock toliet for a while as some people think it works fine.

In fact, most people think it works fine. Some of our members don't care for it, and have gone to great lengths to replace it, and that's OK, that is what you are reading about. But that is by no means a universal feeling. Remember that in many ways, this board is a forum for discussing and solving problems with the TM. So you don't hear from the people who don't have problems.

Bill

tentcamper · 03-25-2015, 11:36 AM

We just use the Thetford campa chem or the Aqua-kem. We get the six pack and use one bottle each time we do the toilet.

davlin · 03-25-2015, 03:39 PM

+1 on the Campa-Chem. We also buy it in the six-pack. It's economical and it works. The fact that it's stocked at WalMart means that you can get it wherever you roam. By the way, we're about 18 years now with the Thetford (in two different TM's) and really don't understand what all the fuss is about them.

Dave

hillbillyhotel · 03-25-2015, 04:22 PM

dave
I am with you, about 10 yrs and 4 tm's, later, it is what it is,
I can say about 3.45 am I love it

daveinfl · 03-25-2015, 05:06 PM

Hiram123 - I just removed the skirt from my Thetford. I found it easy to remove the four screws, lay the top back, and remove the skirt. I probably could have reached in and removed it, but I'm glad I removed the screws. A quick look down and I was amazed how clean the inside was. I have used the liquid and powder from Walmart. I find the powder works slightly better.

One other tip a Trailmanor told me was to put Saran Wrap over the top of the toilet if you remove the skirt. That will prevent any spillage. I am doing that now.

Daveinfl

tentcamper · 03-26-2015, 08:40 AM

+2 Davlin. No issue here with the smell in our fist year of use and 20 some nights under the stars. We also have the skirt and have had no issue with it.

I have been wonder how the little 1oz Campa-Chem packets work. I have been meaning to try them. But the little bottles have been working so well for the past 4+ years with the current camper and past camper and they fit in that almost usable space in the lower shelf under the sink. I just keep thinking when I go to get some; if it's not broken why change it? Does anyone have experience the packets??

scrubjaysnest · 03-27-2015, 05:28 AM

We like the bottles better then the packets. Also removed the skirt as it hardened up with time.

tentcamper · 03-27-2015, 08:25 AM

Thanks, I don't think I will try the packets solution.

03-27-2015, 07:23 PM

I'm like Bill a bulk buyer. I just keep a 8 oz cup in the bathroom, fill it and rinse it out into the toilet as I'm filling it. My skirt is still on...but we are more of the #1 users, but on our big trip this summer that may change....