Removing the head on a 1987 Freedom 30

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mdmatthews
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:16 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Removing the head on a 1987 Freedom 30

Post by mdmatthews »

The head on my Freedom 30 needs to be rebuilt. I thought it would be easier to take it home so I decided to try and pull it out of the boat. The bolts that hold the head to the liner appear to have backing nuts but I have no idea how to get to them. I tried running my arm through the cabinet door below the sink and I can just barely reach one of the four. I have no idea how this was done at the factory unless the head was installed on the liner before the liner was added to the boat.

The only solution I can come up with would be to drill an access hole in the liner just below the head so I can get to the backing nuts. Anybody out there remove a head from a Freedom 30? Is there a trick to it that I am missing?

I can rebuild the head in place but it needs so much cleaning it would be much easier if I could remove it from the boat.

Thanks,
Michael Matthews
1987 Freedom 30 "Dawn Marie"

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Rick Simonds
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:49 pm
Location: Tallahassee, FL

Re: Removing the head on a 1987 Freedom 30

Post by Rick Simonds »

I don't know about a 30, only my Hoyt 32, I doubt they built it in without any access to it. Does the head share a wall with another compartment of the boat? On the 32 I have to take off a piece of the wall/cabin sole base trim that's IN THE AFT STATEROOM to get to the hold-down nuts of the head (the head and stateroom share a common wall.) There's a ~3" hole under the trim that I can reach in for access to the mounting nuts of the head.

Hopefully someone knows the specifics of the 30 but, before you drill anything, search carefully for a wide-ish piece of trim somewhere that is held in place with a few visible screws instead of teak-plugged screw holes. I'd bet there's an access hole under it.
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Rick
Tallahassee

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rvivian
Posts: 210
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 2:08 pm

Re: Removing the head on a 1987 Freedom 30

Post by rvivian »

I removed the head in my F-30 and installed an AirHead composting toilet.

I looked all over for any access panel to the head bolts per the F-32 info to no avail.

Ended up cutting holes in the toe space for two and using a multi-tool to cut the rest of the bolts off.flush.
Heart's Desire
Freedom 30
Shelton, WA

dlynch
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:08 am

Re: Removing the head on a 1987 Freedom 30

Post by dlynch »

I removed the head on my 1987 Freedom 30 last spring in order to rebuilt it. You're right, the rebuild was easier with the head removed. I have an opening right under front of the head and the nuts for the bolts were easily accessed. From what you are describing, it sounds as if the PO may have cut the opening himself because there is a nice piece of teak trim around the cut-out which made me think that this opening was there originally. If not, it certainly seems that it would be easily done by anyone who wished to gain convenient access even if they didn't have the skills to install the teak trim around the opening.
I hope this helps!
Don
F30 Solitude

Dr. Don Lynch
Professor of Psychology
Unity College-in-Maine

Tricia
Posts: 107
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:59 pm

Re: Removing the head on a 1987 Freedom 30

Post by Tricia »

My 1987 F30 has a 3" screw out inspection port to the left side of the base of the head. I think Don's solution would make access easier. Imagine actually being able to see what you're doing!

Tricia

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