Black Water Valve Replacement on a Cardinal 5th wheel

[changing it up a bit]

I just wanted to give anyone who is planning on changing a Black Water Valve on a Cardinal series rig some lessons learned.
I just did mine today and what should have been a 2 hour job turned into a several hour ordeal. Here is what i found;
1.) I could not find the name of the OE valve that was installed so replacing the valve with like was not an option. Also, the cable bound up within a year so I really wanted to change to a Valterra Valve assembly. Valterra by the way is a very good valve. I don't see having to replace this valve for years to come.
2.) The tough stuff was the distance between the tank and the pipe flange was very narrow and configured to support the OE valve so installing the Valterra valve was very difficult.
3.) The flange to install the seals is very narrow, so supporting the new seal was very difficult, causing it to be pinched very easily.

So here is what I did;
1.) Install Flex seal on the valve seal to help keep it in place to preventTHE Seal from moving when installing the valve. Let it sit up for a few minutes.
2.) Push up and out on the 3" sewer line to get the gap that is needed to install the new Valterra valve. Ensure that the blade is closed. This will help to seat the seal.
3.) The flange of the new valve goes on the outside of pipe flange. This is also a great indicator that the valve is seated as the valve will look as if it is separating when installing, but will snap in place once seated.
There is much more that I could go into, but if you wish to take this on private message me and I will tell you how to access the valve through the underbelly, and some other tips hoping to save you a lot of time and frustration.

[Willdawg24]

How do you access the valve? From underneath or from above the tank compartment?

[changing it up a bit]

When looking fwd on the right side, inboard of the sewer pipe you will see where the frame drops. Go forward about 24 inches from the sewer pipe and open the underbelly up by cutting with a razor knife. Cut the material like an access panel so you will be able to tape it in place using gorilla tape. Make sure to cut at least a 18' area or greater to give you plenty of access. The cable length you need to order is 96". Also make sure to use a sealant to hold the seals in place, this will save you a lot of frustration. You will need to use 1/4 inch ratchet/sockets for ease of access.
Let me know how it goes..