Trouble with Disconnecting RV Sewer Hose Fittings
Most RV sewer hoses use what’s called “bayonet fittings”. They look like little bayonets that click into round plastic tabs on another sewer hose or the RV sewer outlet.
This design works well for keeping the hoses together and attached to the RV when dumping the holding tanks, but they can often be hard to disconnect.
Related Product: Easily spray out the RV holding tanks using the Camco Rhino Blaster Pro w/ Gate Valve (click to view on Amazon).
We’ve all struggled with getting RV sewer hoses apart or disconnected from the RV sewer outlet.
The fittings are over 3 inches in diameter and it can be difficult to get a good grip to turn them.
It’s such a common issue that Camco has made a tool that’s specifically designed to help disconnect RV sewer hoses.
In this post, I’ll review that tool and also give some other great options.
Hopefully, you will be able to find the right tool for the type of RV sewer hose you have and no longer experience the struggle of getting them to disconnect.
See Also: How To Maintain RV Holding Tanks To Prevent Clogs & Odors
Tools that Help Disconnect RV Sewer Hoses
Camco Rhinoflex RV Sewer Fitting Wrench Set
The Camco Rhinoflex RV sewer hose kit (click to view on Amazon) is one of Camco’s most popular products.
At any RV dump station or RV park, you will see multiple campers using Rhinoflex hoses. They are sturdy and very secure.
They are so secure that many people have trouble disconnecting them. That’s why Camco has released a wrench set specifically designed for undoing bayonet style RV fittings.
There are two wrenches in a set. You need both if you want to easily unto the fittings that are holding two hoses together.
You will only need one to undo the connection between the RV sewer outlet and the end of the hose.
These can also help with the connection between the hose and the elbow that goes into the sewer hole.
The way they work is by fitting into 3 of the 4 tabs that stick out from the side of each sewer hose fitting.
The tabs help the wrenches get a grip and make it easy to turn and disconnect them.
See Also: Best RV Sewer Hose Kits Reviewed & Rated
One big pro with this style of RV sewer hose wrench is how fast you can place and remove the wrenches. You don’t need to hook up or undo anything.
The Camco RV sewer hose wrenches are made to fit Camco Rhinoflex, Rhinoflex Extreme, Camco Revolution, and Camco Easy Slip.
They can also fit some other brands of RV sewer hoses but one brand they do not work with is Valterra.
Valterra has extra thick tabs on the female fittings that these wrenches aren’t compatible with. See the next option if you are a Valterra RV sewer hose owner.
The Camco Rhinoflex RV Sewer Fitting Wrench Set is going to be perfect for those who own Camco brand RV sewer hoses.
The wrenches are well made, waterproof, easy to use, and make disconnecting RV sewer hoses a breeze.
PROS
- Easy to Place and Remove
- 2 Included in a Set
- Fits Most RV Sewer Hose Fittings
- Waterproof
- Lightweight
CONS
- Won’t Fit Valterra
- Would Be Better With a Built In Sewer Plug Wrench
- Can Only Be Used For Undoing Sewer Hose Fittings
Rubber Strap Wrenches by TuffMan Tools
If you’re not sure if the Camco sewer hose fitting wrenches will fit your type of RV sewer hose, or if you like tools that can be used for more than one purpose, rubber strap wrenches are a fantastic choice.
You will need two of them, one for each end of the hose, and they are going to need to be able to fit diameters of at least 4 inches.
Most RV sewer hose fittings are around 4 inches.
These oil filter wrenches by TuffMan Tools come in sets of two. One larger wrench can fit diameters up to 6 inches and the smaller one 4 inches.
That means they work perfectly on any standard RV sewer hose fittings.
Besides the huge benefit of being compatible with any brand of RV sewer hose, these rubber strap wrenches can be used in tons of different ways.
Use them to open stubborn jars, tight plumbing connections, oil filter caps, and pretty much anything else the strap can fit around and the rubber can grip.
See Also: Camco Sidewinder RV Sewer Hose Support Review + Homemade
To use, simply pull the loose end of the strap out of the handle. On the handle, there’s a side with a serrated edge at the end, next to the hole the rubber strap goes into.
This end is what claps down on the strap and stops it from moving. The side the edge is on should face the direction you want to turn the wrench.
Put the strap around the object you are turning, like an RV sewer hose fitting, and make a loop.
Feed the strap back into the hole in the handle. Pull it through until the strap is snug. Then turn it like you would a regular wrench.
If the loop seems to be slipping out of place you might not have it tight enough or you have the wrench handle facing the wrong direction.
Rubber Strap Wrenches are perfect for disconnecting RV sewer hoses. They are a universal fit and have a lot of different uses.
The only downside to them is the time it takes to set them up and remove them.
They’re not as fast as the Camco RV sewer hose wrenches, but if you’re ok with taking a little more time they might be the better option.
PROS
- 2 Wrenches in a Set
- Have Multiple Uses
- Lightweight
- Waterproof
- Universal (Work On Any Kind of RV Sewer Hose)
- Soft Rubber Won’t Damage Fittings
CONS
- Take More Time to Use
Oil Filter Pliers by Workpro
If the Camco RV sewer hose wrenches aren’t for you and you don’t like the amount of time it takes to set up rubber strap wrenches, another option is oil filter pliers.
These adjustable oil filter pliers by Workpro can fit diameters from 2 3/8 inches to 4 1/2 inches.
Most RV sewer hose fittings aren’t over 4 inches. That means this size of oil filter plier should work for any brand of RV sewer hose.
Made with high carbon steel with a protective paint coating and rubber coated handles this tool has a lot of uses.
The jaws are curved to fit round pipes and caps, and 3 inner teeth help with grip.
See Also: Best RV Portable Waste Tanks For Black & Grey Water
You will need two if you want help undoing RV sewer hoses, or just one if you mostly struggle with the connection between the RV and the sewer hose.
The big benefit to using adjustable oil filter pliers is the universal fit and the quick setup and removal.
You won’t have to mess around for long to get these around an RV sewer hose fitting.
The main downsides are the weight, risk of rusting, and risk of damaging the plastic on the fitting if the pliers are squeezed too tight or slip.
Oil Filter Pliers are another excellent option for disconnecting RV sewer hoses that have tight fittings.
There are a few cons to think about, but they are going to get the job done quickly and easily.
PROS
- Heavy Duty
- Non Slip Handles
- Have Multiple Uses
- Universal (Work On Any Kind of RV Sewer Hose)
- Fast Placement & Removal
CONS
- Only 1 Included with Purchase
- Can Rust
- May Damage Plastic Fitting
- Heavy
Conclusion About Tools for Disconnecting RV Sewer Hoses
Every RVer should have a tool that can help disconnect the RV sewer hose. It’s a very common issue that can happen to anyone.
One other thing I wanted to mention that many RVers also have problems with is sewer caps on sewer hookups.
In any RV park or campground that has sewer hookups for RVs, there should be a cap plugging the sewer outlet so no large objects or small animals can accidentally get inside the sewer system.
Every now and again there will only be a rock or something sitting over the outlet but for the most part, there will be a PVC cap that screws into the sewer pipe.
These caps can be really hard to remove by hand. I’ve struggled many times and had to get some adjustable pliers out to remove them.
See Also: What To Do When An RV Waste Tank (Black/Grey) Won’t Drain
There are a few styles of these caps. Some have a square sticking out for wrenches to grip that’s 1 x 1 inch to 2 x 2 inches. Others have that same square inverted.
There’s also a style with an inverted rectangular tab around 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide.
I’ve mostly seen the kind with the square tab sticking out.
The good news is the rubber strap wrenches and adjustable oil filter pliers can be used to open the most common style of RV sewer plug.
But there are a few options out there if you want a tool that’s specifically made to open all of the different kinds of plugs.
RV Park Sewer Cap Wrench Options
Camco makes a 6 in 1 RV sewer plug wrench (click to view on Amazon) that can fit most of the RV sewer outlet plugs you will come across.
It fits the slot style plugs, 1×1 and 1.25 x 1.25 inverted female plugs, and 1.5 x 1.5 and 2 x 2 male squares that stick out from the plug.
It doesn’t fit 1 x 1 inch male squares which is a big downside to it.
There’s also the Stink Slink Universal RV Sewer Hose & Plug Wrenches (click to view on Amazon).
These wrenches are like the Camco RV sewer hose fitting wrenches and the plug wrenches combined.
Two wrenches are made to fit standard RV sewer hose fittings like those made by Camco, but they won’t fit Valterra.
The sewer plug tool part can be found on the handle of the wrenches. They fit the same plugs the Camco wrench does.
It’s a good option if you want two wrenches that can do it all. Much like the Camco, they don’t fit plugs with 1 x 1 inch male squares that stick out.
Have any more questions about tools that can be used to help disconnect RV sewer hose fittings? Leave a comment below.
