Replace Waste Dump Valves

I've replaced a dozen or so waste valves over the years, and I've never had to cut the pipes. As said, just remove the four bolts and slide the old valve assembly out and the new one in. The flanges attached to the pipes stay in place. If the gap is too tight to easily slip the new valve in, I use a couple of scraps of thin aluminum flashing "painted" with dish soap in the gap so the valve can be slid in between them. The flashing is then removed of course before bolting the assembly in place.

Funny this should come up. I discovered yesterday morning the handle on one of my grey tanks was completely missing. Lost it on the road I suppose. I thought I was toast because my valves are completely foamed in. Well, I pulled away the foam a bit and the short shaft attached to the valve with the threads was there. Phew! I didn't have to cut into the colorplast underbelly!

I went to my local RV dealer, got the extension rod kit with the pull handle and then I attached just the handle to the threaded nub. I attached my sewer hose first. It caught just enough I could pull the valve. This lengthened the working distance of the rod attached to the valve so I could attach the new extension to it.

After water was drained and I was safe from all that. I simply used a pair of channel locks to grab the threaded valve shaft so it wouldn't turn, unscrewed the pull handle, attached the extension shaft using the channel locks to hold the short shaft from turning and then attached the handle to the extension. It took about a minute and a half to do it. I then tightened the extension and the handle as tight as I could, so much, the short shaft was actually turning in the channel locks. I figure that was tight enough.

If you are replacing the entire valve, then you'll cut the PVC pipe and rebuild the drain pipes with the new valve attached. They are glued. You'll never separate the plastic (PVC) or whatever it is, from the drain pipe.

Next time I go to the dealership, I'm picking up another extension handle and keeping it for safe keeping. Never lost one before, but as the boy scouts moto says, "Be prepared!"

forgot we have a LTV freedom II serenity 2007 just love it. mone leaked one time and the bolts were loose.

how about just cleaning up the old one, if its dripping you could just have some gunk built up on the O RING , rubber gloves and have fun.

The valve and handle are all one piece. You simply removed the for screws around the valve, slip it out and slip in a new one. No need to touch the handles.
The job is easiest if the rig can sit with the valves open until everything is dry.

I am thinking that the OP has extension rods.
You need to grab the rods with vise grip type tool to unscrew the handle. This should be done on the rod going into the valve and maybe another pair of pliers on the rod adjacent to the valve.

Same as the Katuna here. Why fret with the handle?

I replaced my plastic pull handles with metal ones. I used thin jaw vice grips right next to the handle to keep the shaft from turning.

If you’re replacing the whole valve you don’t need to take off the handle.