Our kitchen sink is on the opposite side of the motorhome from the greywater tank, so the sink drain goes in the floor to the other side. The elbow connecting to the long straight pipe is cracked and leaks like crazy. I can pour a cup of water in the sink, then run underneath and catch it! I cut off a dollar bill size piece of the aluminum sheet under the floor and this view is straight up into the floor . . . There is 1/8 th inch plywood above the aluminum and it is very wet in the area but the 2x2 ribs seem to be fine. Heavy plywood floor above the ribs. I'm not familiar with ABS pipe so any advice is most welcome! Is there a magic way to take the elbow out or repair it in place? Looks like Dremel and chisel work to me.It strikes me that the whole thing is a design error - there shouldn't be a 12 foot rigid assembly of pipes and fittings in a motorhome which flexes quite a bit. I think the best approach would be a rubber hose joint to replace this one. Oh, the hardware actually has rubber elbows! Any thoughts?

To do the repair correctly you must access both sides of the elbow, cut, then clean and glue a new elbow in place, you will also loose length when you cut the pipe because the glued ends will be stuck in the old elbow, so it can become a real PITA....there are several plastic welding repair products as well as repair tapes that I would consider...

I would go with your idea and use rubber or clear flex line and hose clamps. It's not under high pressure and would be the easiest fix.

I too, would use a rubber replacement part unless you can easily get to the other side of the joint and have enough material left. The rubber parts will do a fine job and may be able to take what ever the movement was that damaged the last elbow. If possible, use some clamps or hangers to support that section of pipe better.

Would not use "any old flexible tube or funkiness", but would use a Fernco flexible repair elbow and possibly a connector sleeve. They are rubber -designed for plumbing repair(the right size)and available at Home Depot or any good plumbing supply. They use worm drive clamps to seal. Problem will be as already stated -you need to cleanly/squarely cut out the damaged elbow and custom fit the solution either rigid or flexible. Usually have to cut back at least one side before/after the elbow to get length/alignment correct. Also, usually don't connect two flexible repair pieces together without at least a short section of pipe between them. Flexible elbows can collapse or kink under stress, too. So they must be supported.Fernco Search @ HD

cracked elbow in plumbing | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

mobeewan
Explorer
Jul 17, 2013
If the elbow is a short radius elbow and there is enough existing pipe to glue to on both ends once it is cut out, you can cut out the existing elbow and glue in the longer radius elbow.

short radius 90 deg elbow

long radius 90 deg elbow
mobeewan
Explorer
Jul 17, 2013
x
mapguy
Explorer
Jul 17, 2013
Would not use "any old flexible tube or funkiness", but would use a Fernco flexible repair elbow and possibly a connector sleeve. They are rubber -designed for plumbing repair(the right size)and available at Home Depot or any good plumbing supply. They use worm drive clamps to seal.

Problem will be as already stated -you need to cleanly/squarely cut out the damaged elbow and custom fit the solution either rigid or flexible. Usually have to cut back at least one side before/after the elbow to get length/alignment correct. Also, usually don't connect two flexible repair pieces together without at least a short section of pipe between them. Flexible elbows can collapse or kink under stress, too. So they must be supported.

Fernco Search @ HD
ScottG
Nomad
Jul 17, 2013
I too, would use a rubber replacement part unless you can easily get to the other side of the joint and have enough material left. The rubber parts will do a fine job and may be able to take what ever the movement was that damaged the last elbow. If possible, use some clamps or hangers to support that section of pipe better.
John_Wayne
Explorer II
Jul 17, 2013
I would go with your idea and use rubber or clear flex line and hose clamps. It's not under high pressure and would be the easiest fix.
GENECOP
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2013
To do the repair correctly you must access both sides of the elbow, cut, then clean and glue a new elbow in place, you will also loose length when you cut the pipe because the glued ends will be stuck in the old elbow, so it can become a real PITA....there are several plastic welding repair products as well as repair tapes that I would consider...

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cracked elbow in plumbing

16 Replies

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