Community Forums

tncruiser · 07-22-2009, 11:51 AM

taking my mhome into dealer tomorrow for warranty work
if i pull the valve on the tank the rod comes out but no movement on the slide valve . if this happened on an empty tank i would see it as an easy fix how ever my tank is full
how would the experianced rver,s handle this dilemma if it happens again after warranty
brianj

Flagelpater · 07-22-2009, 12:08 PM

I guess one option would be to have it pumped out by a septic company. Maybe manipulate the tank with the chassis leveling system after it is pumped out to be able to get the valve open with minimum "Black" in the lower plumbing. It will be interesting to find out why the rod does not move the gate valve.

PapPappy · 07-22-2009, 01:36 PM

You may want to try to "screw" the handle into the valve gate....some of them are just screwed together, and if you only pull up on it, it normally wouldn't "unscrew" and separate....but, over time, we tend to turn it a half turn or so, and eventually, it probably came loose....but then you pushed it down, and didn't think about it, until the next time you had to drain the tank!

The valve gate should be plastic, so if the above doesn't work, then you need to make something that will fit down the tube, and screw into the gate, so you can pull it open to drain the tank, then replace the valve.
You might be able to get a small sheetmetal screw welded on a welding rod or something...and then screw it down into the gate.

Good Luck.....try "plan A" first...it might save you a trip to the Service Shop.

Good Luck!

PA Titan · 07-22-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PapPappy

You may want to try to "screw" the handle into the valve gate....some of them are just screwed together, and if you only pull up on it, it normally wouldn't "unscrew" and separate....but, over time, we tend to turn it a half turn or so, and eventually, it probably came loose....but then you pushed it down, and didn't think about it, until the next time you had to drain the tank!

The valve gate should be plastic, so if the above doesn't work, then you need to make something that will fit down the tube, and screw into the gate, so you can pull it open to drain the tank, then replace the valve.
You might be able to get a small sheetmetal screw welded on a welding rod or something...and then screw it down into the gate.

Good Luck.....try "plan A" first...it might save you a trip to the Service Shop.

I concur. Many of the gate valves I have seen have the rod screw into the gate and then the handle screws on to the other end of the rod. Good Luck!!

wa8yxm · 07-23-2009, 06:55 AM

Question: Is the end of the rod threadded?

May it have simply 'Unscrewed' itself?

If it's threaded, try screwing it back in before you throw money at it.