34H Kitchen Flex-Pipe drain splits: how do I fix it?

[gyoungbmw]

A design flaw in my 34H Journey is that when you extend the slide (which contains the kitchen) you also extend the Flex-Pipe that connects from the sink drain to the hard plastic 90 degree bend going into the gray tank. And each time this extension takes place, this Flex-Pipe folds over onto itself and kinks, which over time splits and spills waste water out onto the floor of the coach. I can replace the split flex-pipe but due to this design flaw, over time it will just split again. Any ideas for a permanent fix?

[FleetMan]

This post is of interest to me. I'll have to check mine.

Can you get a longer piece of flex pipe and mount it so you know it will not fold over on itself during extension or retraction? Check Home Depot, Lowes or a good hardware store/plumbing supply place for some clear, reinforced "plastic" hose of the correct diameter. That stuff should take more abuse than the thin black flex tubing.

[inspectorudy]

You might also want to look at where the extra hose that accumulates when the slide is in, wants to go. I have seen applications where they have added a bungee or a soft spring to pull the extra hose to a neutral area that keeps it from kinking.

[gyoungbmw]

Over the past year since I bought my '05 Journey 34H I have kicked tires with two other owners. In the course of conversation, they asked if I have had the drain pipe leak. I said no. They said, you will----it is only a matter of time. I believe Winnebago finally put in a "fix" in their 2010 model. If you go to the plumbing diagram for this model you will easily see what I am talking about. That with the slide extended, the flex-pipe drain is stretched and folds over (kinks) where it attaches to the 90 degree bend going into the gray tank.