Replacing the Theford toilet - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Problem Solving | Owners helping each other
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-26-2017, 02:42 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
Replacing the Theford toilet

In the previous one I had installed a Dometic 320 . The area I had to work in was a bit larger so I am not sure if a Dometic 320 will fit against the wall. So before I pull the toilet and do some measuring has anyone changed to one of the elongated toilets in a 19 yet?
Oddly that is the one item from that trailer we both miss.
wetzk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2017, 04:25 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Trailer: 2012 Escape-19
Posts: 383
I am researching installing an elongated Dometic 511+ in an E-21. The 511+ is a 4 bolt toilet so you also have to order a 4 to 2 bolt adapter plate. The latest best price is about $260. I really dislike the plastic Thetford.
Eddie
elongest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2017, 04:53 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
The 320 is a 2 bolt but it looks like the Thetford is front to back so we would need to rotate the fitting. And has a normal size ( and depth ) bowl.
I'll wait a few days to see if anyone has made the swap. If not off goes the head
wetzk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2017, 12:50 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
It looks like at least with the 19 that we are stuck with the original toilet. I measured and from the center of the flange to the wall is 7 and 3/8 inches. Thetford calls for 7 5/8 inches so it is fairly tight behind ours on the 19. Maybe the 21 has a bit more clearance, if not there is not a large selection of toilets that will fit. And ones I found that would fit had similar bowl dimensions as the original.
wetzk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2017, 09:09 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Trailer: 2012 Escape-19
Posts: 383
You might want to check out the 310 short. It has a ceramic bowl and will take a standard household wood seat. I put one in a 17 Casita, I consider it an upgrade from the plastic Thetford. Just be aware all 300 series toilets have a 2 yr. replacement warranty but the toilets are not meant to be rebuilt like the other Sealand toilets. If you have any questions just call Dometic they have been really helpful in the past. Just stay away from the 300 toilet, that is an all plastic toilet.
Eddie
elongest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2017, 09:25 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
Unfortunately you had more room in the Casita. The wetbath in the Escape 19 has about 7 5/8 inches from the center of the mounting flange to the wall. The toilet Escape uses calls for this measurement from the center of the flange to the wall. The Dometic 310 calls for 10 inches and the 320 calls for 11 inches from the center of the flange to the wall so they will not work for me. I only found 2 other types of toilets that would fit in the area provided and they also would make good kid training pottys. So we will get used to the Thetford.
wetzk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2017, 10:02 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
Here is the measurements for the 511+ you are looking at , it also calls for 11 inches center of flange to wall. You may have enough room in a 21, but the 19 does not.
Attached Thumbnails
500.jpg  
wetzk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2017, 10:30 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Trailer: 2012 Escape-19
Posts: 383
Thanks, I had found that drawing. The wall behind the toilet is slanted in a 21, but it looks like it may fit. I need to take a big square out to the trailer and line up with the bolts to get a really good reading on the wall distance. My goal is to mount a bidet to the toilet, I know it will fit a 310, I may just go with a short 310 again. It's a lot cheaper than the 511.
Eddie
elongest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2017, 10:39 PM   #9
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by elongest View Post
My goal is to mount a bidet to the toilet...
I have now officially heard it all.



Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2017, 08:49 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: West Coast, Florida
Trailer: None now
Posts: 1,266
What they are calling a bidet might be the hand sprayer option that both Thetford and Dometic offer and you can buy cheaper at Home Depot. I am debating it, not for a bidet but as a replacement for the spray bottle of water to clean the bowl out with. It's an easy addition and would make use of the suction cup shower hose holder that Escape included in the pack of freebies.
wetzk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 10:42 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Tennessee, Tennessee
Trailer: Escape 21 - Nov 2017 "Harvey"
Posts: 163
Quote:
Originally Posted by elongest View Post
The wall behind the toilet is slanted in a 21, but it looks like it may fit. I need to take a big square out to the trailer and line up with the bolts to get a really good reading on the wall distance.
Did you ever figure out if one of these toilet needing 11inch clearance would fit in an Escape 21'?
jking1224 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 11:05 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Trailer: 2012 Escape-19
Posts: 383
Yes it will fit. Bolts right in. I added a shut off valve and used a 90 degree fitting on the toilet connector. Where I bought mine they offered an insurance shipping option for a few bucks, good thing I took it my first one was cracked in shipment.
Eddie
http://www.americanrvcompany.com/Dom...V-Toilet-White
Attached Thumbnails
100_4396.JPG   100_4397.JPG  
elongest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 11:10 AM   #13
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
I like it, but for a 21 only. The extra depth of the bathroom came in handy.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 12:02 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
You guys spend too much time in there to be thinking about making it comfortable.....
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 02:13 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Tennessee, Tennessee
Trailer: Escape 21 - Nov 2017 "Harvey"
Posts: 163
Its more about making it easier to clean and it lasting longer. But, hey, comfort counts too!
jking1224 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 04:45 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
NW Cat Owner's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Seatac, Washington
Trailer: "The Trailer", 2nd Gen 21' & a 2017 Tundra CrewMax in Blazing Blue Pearl
Posts: 2,888
Quote:
Originally Posted by elongest View Post
Yes it will fit. Bolts right in. I added a shut off valve and used a 90 degree fitting on the toilet connector.
Nice. So, this one has the elongated seat compared to the regular, more rounded one? In other words - more length for your butt?

(Hey, gotta say it like it is some times.)

I've measured in the bathroom a few times and it doesn't look like a slightly longer toilet would interfere with the room I needed when taking a shower.

Earlier you said you needed an attachment (or some such) as the bolts are different between the old and new toilet.

Any problems installing the new toilet? As in it was heavy and hard to move around when you were putting it in. And you just about killed yourself doing it? I'd love to replace with an elongated toilet but Dirk isn't too thrilled about having to do it. He said he's not a plumber. (Then again he's not used the toilet, so he might think differently after he has. ) I've never done any plumbing work so not sure if I'd even have half a clue as to what I needed to do.

Thanks!
__________________
Laura, Dirk and Sam & Jasper (the cats)
www.UnderKittySupervision.com
2017 21' trailer, new mold, rec'd 11/25/16
NW Cat Owner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 04:48 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
NW Cat Owner's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Seatac, Washington
Trailer: "The Trailer", 2nd Gen 21' & a 2017 Tundra CrewMax in Blazing Blue Pearl
Posts: 2,888
I see you have an original style 21. Wonder if it would fit in the new style. Do you have any measurements from the old toilet such as how far away from the wall and all that, compared to the new toilet?

I keep a measuring tape in the trailer at all times. One just never knows when one might need to measure something. Like the toilet.
__________________
Laura, Dirk and Sam & Jasper (the cats)
www.UnderKittySupervision.com
2017 21' trailer, new mold, rec'd 11/25/16
NW Cat Owner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 05:12 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Trailer: 2012 Escape-19
Posts: 383
I decided just to go with the 2 bolt 320 low profile cheaper toilet. It bolted right up with no adapter needed for the bolts. Next time I go to the trailer I will get some measurements. No issue with taking a shower. I have a PEX crimper so no issue for me changing the plumbing. (Not much of a change anyway.)
elongest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 09:57 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Mike Lewis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Santa Rosa County, Florida
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 Tow: 2024 Toyota Tundra
Posts: 3,097
Would the weight of a ceramic toilet be a concern? I know we sit on the toilets, but that's only temporary, and not while the trailer is bouncing down the road.
__________________
Mike Lewis
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie-- propane
Photos and travelogues here: mikelewisimages.com
Mike Lewis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2017, 10:33 PM   #20
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Lewis View Post
Would the weight of a ceramic toilet be a concern? I know we sit on the toilets, but that's only temporary, and not while the trailer is bouncing down the road.
There is a pretty substantial weight difference. The Thetford Aqua-magic foot flush on our 19 weighs just under 10 lbs. The Dometic 320 series porcelain comes in at 53 lbs - or 5 times the weight. Provided the base underneath is strong enough, I don't see that as a problem. But, I don't know how it's built under the fiberglass.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.