Removing "plug" on Oatey TKO flange

[BobL43]

OK, it seemed simple enough: I bought an Oatey TKO toilet flange with the stainless steel swivel ring on it. I wanted to remove the test seal molded into it because I'm just replacing the bend and the flange, and no test was going to be performed. So simple, even a picture is on the label showing where to hit the raise rim of the "seal" and then grab it with a pair of Channellock® pliers I figured it would be best to do it before gluing in in place and hitting the ring with the hammer and maybe damaging my newly installed porcelain floor tiles. I hit it easy at first, and it laughed at me I hit it harder, it just did not want to break where it made thin and was supposed to break at. I hit it harder yet on the raised area and the entire thing split all the way through vertically, even through the socket part that goes over a 3" PVC pipe. Actually, I had a short stub of PVC pipe inserted in the bottom of the flange, which probably wedged the whole thing open past its breaking point. A new one is very cheap, only around 6 bucks at Orange box store, but I don't want to break the new one. I guess it should be done with a piece of wood under the bottom (hub) of the flange and then stuck with the hammer? I am almost embarassed to ask this, but I thought others (none pros) would run into this situation without knowing how. A few years ago, I guess I would have been too macho too ask, I would have just bought maybe a dozen pieces and keep breaking one at a time until I did it correctly, but now, I am soixante neuf, (not the position) and will ask in front of all you guys, and not worry about it

 

[Terry]

That's a first. I've always tapped the outer raised edge to break the seal and then lifted up.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[BobL43]

Well, that's what tried Terry, but maybe this one had too much plastic in that area of the mold. It should have broken easily, but?

 

[Terry]

It doesn't appear to move very much. You almost have to listen for it, and then lift.
Sucks that the entire fitting broke though.

 

[Hackney plumbing]

Maybe it was cold. When pvc gets cold its brittle. Want to cause trouble go out to a large slab rough in on a cold winter day with a few bowling balls. Its nasty.

 

[BobL43]

Maybe it was cold. When pvc gets cold its brittle. Want to cause trouble go out to a large slab rough in on a cold winter day with a few bowling balls. Its nasty.

No, it was at room temp of 68 F.

Gonna return it to Big Orange as defective and hope they give me a hard time, so I can have some fun showing them receipts of how much I spent there in 2011 that I could now spend at big Blue

 

[BobL43]

Maybe it was cold. When pvc gets cold its brittle. Want to cause trouble go out to a large slab rough in on a cold winter day with a few bowling balls. Its nasty.

You are that cruel to your competition?

 

[BobL43]

I stopped in at HD yesterday afternoon and exchanged the broken flange for a new one with no headaches. When I got the new one home, I placed it on a sheet of plywood and hit the raised part as per instructions. It took some rather not gentle blows and I could see it fracture where it was supposed to, and removed the plug easily. I suppose the original that split would not have, if it had a piece of 3 inch PVC solvent welded into to. Apparently, the short piece I had inserted into the original but not cemented it in, just wedged the flange open like a log splitting wedge.

Was, but now

 

[Jadnashua]

PVC (and ABS) drain sockets are an interference fit (tapered)...the bottom is narrower than the pipe you are trying to insert. Dry fitting is like inserting a wedge into the end of a log...it tends to split things! Only when you apply the cement, which melts the plastic, does it actually fit without excess pressure. When the solvent evaporates, it is welded together.

 

[BobL43]

PVC (and ABS) drain sockets are an interference fit (tapered)...the bottom is narrower than the pipe you are trying to insert. Dry fitting is like inserting a wedge into the end of a log...it tends to split things! Only when you apply the cement, which melts the plastic, does it actually fit without excess pressure. When the solvent evaporates, it is welded together.

I thought I said the same thing in my post. maybe I'm mistaken because I used different words. However, it took enough hammer banging to crack the new one enough to grasp it and pul the plug out, that I would not want to do it on a nice newly tiled floor

Thanks anyway Jim