Mount a blue boy tank under the trailer?

[Bruce and Jenna]

I bought a 40gallon blue boy a few months ago. Hauled it around in the back of my truck. Along with two generators, a 55 gallon drum, and a 20k hitch, it's really too big to leave back there.

Most guys use a carrier on the boat hitch, if they have one, to mount it on the back of the trailer. Or fasten it to the ladder. Since I don't expect to use it much, I was hoping to put it out of sight and out of the way.

I found this solution Pictures 4-7, mounting it under the back of the trailer. In my case, just forward of the spare tire. I estimate 12 inches of clearance with the tank installed. The rear jacks have about 10 inches, but then they are mounted further forward and closer to the rear axle. (I'm estimating the distances, as I have the trailer up on the jacks and don't want to drop it down.)

Has anyone used this method or another one to store these tanks? And do I read Chris's discussion correctly that the Forbidden Zone for drilling does not extend that far back?

Sure looking for something else to do.

[Bruce and Jenna]

I bought a 40gallon blue boy a few months ago. Hauled it around in the back of my truck. Along with two generators, a 55 gallon drum, and a 20k hitch, it's really too big to leave back there.

Most guys use a carrier on the boat hitch, if they have one, to mount it on the back of the trailer. Or fasten it to the ladder. Since I don't expect to use it much, I was hoping to put it out of sight and out of the way.

I found this solution Pictures 4-7, mounting it under the back of the trailer. In my case, just forward of the spare tire. I estimate 12 inches of clearance with the tank installed. The rear jacks have about 10 inches, but then they are mounted further forward and closer to the rear axle. (I'm estimating the distances, as I have the trailer up on the jacks and don't want to drop it down.)

Has anyone used this method or another one to store these tanks? And do I read Chris's discussion correctly that the Forbidden Zone for drilling does not extend that far back?

Sure looking for something else to do.

[Workshop]

I haven't done anything like that to store the tank, we have a 22 gal unit, but does seem like a good way to carry it if it can be secured properly. When needed, we carry ours in the truck bed also. Looks like the setup that the guy made would be secure and easy to get the tank in and out. Bad part would be getting dirty without a drop cloth, no big deal, getting the tank in/out. As I've never liked hanging anything on the ladder and use a bike rack on the hitch.....keeping it underneath for me would be a better option.

The 'Forbidden Zone' for drilling can vary on different units. As I've learned more about my unit and the Excel in general there are a few things that might change what I would call the 'Forbidden Zone'.

If your unit has its power plug input at the rear of the unit, your 50amp wires might be routed through the frame to the basement area. Mine is. The wires on my unit exits the frame in the same area that's part of the basement that houses the black/gray tank. The wires then head for the circuit breaker panel.

If your power plug is mounted mid-coach, near the storage compartment, you most likely don't have the 50amp wires running through the frame as everything is up front.

One thing I've learned since mounting the two 4" PVC pipes under the unit is that forward of the wheels, an additional 4-5 inch box channel is welded to the frame rails. Thus the area forward of the whheels should be safe also.

The only place is question would be aft of the wheels if the input power is in the rear. Hard part would be to guess where the wires are within the frame if drilling. Seems a good welder could weld a bracket in place without getting the frame hot enough to melt the coating that protects the wires. Another option to welding or drilling to install a bolt would be to drill a single hole with a stop on the bit and tap the hole for a machine bolt.

[Bruce and Jenna]

Thanks Chris. On my RSE, the 50 amp plug is installed in the middle on the util side, just forward of the big slide. So then I should be OK putting it just forward of the spare.

At the same time, I also plan to mount a sewer hose holder near my Pivot Ease like you did. CG sells a decent one for not much more than I could put together from parts.

Now I need to figure out the hardware for this installation. I will contact the guy on RV.NET who posted his pic. And look at the special hardware that Barker sells for hanging the tank.

Oh, BTW, I'm using the royal I here. I don't have the tools or the experience to start drilling into the frame. I'll pay an RV installer to take care of this. But I intend to show him your advice.

Thanks again.

[HB Phil]

I'd really like an under-the-rig mount for my 25 gallon Blue Boy too. I'll be following this one.

[Jim & Trish Chandler]

Wow! Great idea... We just purchased a 35MKO. I need to climb under there and take some measurement to see if this will work for us. That is something we don't use all that often but when you need it you need it... Thanks for sharing the picture location. Soooooo much information.

JC

[Bruce and Jenna]

I'm still looking at this. In October, I plan to work up a design with a hitch welder. More to come in November.

[450Donn]

Personally I only carry the blue tank when I am planning on being on non hookups. Mine sits on a rack that is attached to the rear ladder and works quite well there.

[Bruce and Jenna]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 450Donn:
Personally I only carry the blue tank when I am planning on being on non hookups. Mine sits on a rack that is attached to the rear ladder and works quite well there. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah, I considered that. But big tank in front of picture windows did not go over with management, and I don't want to mount and dismount it frequenty.

Big bulky dirty heavy = NG. (The tank, not me.)

[450Donn]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bruce and Jenna:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 450Donn:
Personally I only carry the blue tank when I am planning on being on non hookups. Mine sits on a rack that is attached to the rear ladder and works quite well there. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah, I considered that. But big tank in front of picture windows did not go over with management, and I don't want to mount and dismount it frequenty.

Big bulky dirty heavy = NG. (The tank, not me.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Again, mine is only on the trailer when we are actually going to be using it, IE, non hookups, So when we get to the camp ground it does come off and is attached to the outlet so I can drain the gray tanks at a moments notice. So in reality it is never in my way for the view out my lovely picture window of the lake/river/woods.

[Bruce and Jenna]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 450Donn:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bruce and Jenna:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by 450Donn:
Personally I only carry the blue tank when I am planning on being on non hookups. Mine sits on a rack that is attached to the rear ladder and works quite well there. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah, I considered that. But big tank in front of picture windows did not go over with management, and I don't want to mount and dismount it frequenty.

Big bulky dirty heavy = NG. (The tank, not me.) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Again, mine is only on the trailer when we are actually going to be using it, IE, non hookups, So when we get to the camp ground it does come off and is attached to the outlet so I can drain the gray tanks at a moments notice. So in reality it is never in my way for the view out my lovely picture window of the lake/river/woods. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Maybe the difference here is that we're fulltimers, so we carry the tank everywhere we go. Don't plan on using it much, but can't leave it anywhere.

[Bruce and Jenna]

As promised, October reply. My installer created an aluminum frame for the tank.

Planned to cut a sheet of aluminum for the bottom, to protect the tank from road damage. However, careful measurements revealed this 32gallon tank was about two inches too big in length and width. Too near the rams and some other impediments.

Likely would work with a bigger trailer, but not my 33RSE. Or get a 16gallon model, as the next size down was only shorter in one dimensin.

We considered selling this big tank and mounting the small one under the trailer. But instead have decided to purchase a carrier for the boat hitch under the trailer bumper. Now (I hope) I can move the carrier to the trailer hitch on the truck, back up the truck next to the trailer, fill the tank, and drive the tank to the dump station on the carrier rather than towing it.

All this is theory. Put it to the test at Imperial Dam in December.

"Theory without practice is speculation.
Practice without theory is groping in the dark."

<span class="ev_code_BLUE">On edit... to add photo only</span>

[MonacoMama]

Sorry Guys.. I just had to butt in here. Photos are my thing - and when I see a photo not working...I am going to fix it.

Good Luck with your "test" in December, Bruce!


MM

[rockintom]

Mama....your butt-in's are always welcome!

Bruce....that blue tote needs some nice racing stripes down the side!!! How 'bout some nice chrome wheels....Come on have some class!!! Happy dumping!