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cimplexsound · 08-08-2013, 12:42 AM

I already own my Fleetwood Bounder, but I am considering the possibility of also buying a 34 foot 1987 Fleetwood Southwind which they are willing to sell me at a great price. I want to fix this up and rent it as seasonal stationary housing to a retired snowbird couple so I can make extra money on the side during the winter months. It runs and drives OK, but the holding tanks leak. Any advice on the best way to repair or replace the holding tanks????

Cliffy · 08-08-2013, 01:25 AM

Where are they leaking from?

MSHappyCampers · 08-08-2013, 08:46 AM

If they are fiberglass and you can pinpoint the location of the leak, you could put a fiberglass repair patch over it.

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

tderonne · 08-08-2013, 10:25 AM

1987 was about when basement models with enclosed tanks came around. If it isn't a basement model, and has exposed tanks, fixing a leak shouldn't be too bad. Could just be a leaky fitting or something.

gemini5362 · 08-08-2013, 07:30 PM

If you can get to the leak and it is a metal tank then JB weld. If it is a plastic tank then use one of the plastic tank epoxy repair system. I had a leak in my diesel tractor plastic tank. It had run out of diesel when I found out it was leaking. I cleaned the area with carb cleaner. Mixed the epoxy according to the directions and applied it to the tank. That was three years ago and I still do not have a leak in that tank. If it will repair a diesel fuel tank on a tractor that gets bounced around everywhere in the fields it should fix a holding tank with no problem.

trvlguyjim · 08-08-2013, 07:36 PM

I repaired a plastic tank with fiberglass epoxy and never had any further problems. Might fill it full of water before you start and see if there are any other drips while you are there. The sensors that monitor capacity sometimes give out.

jfran304 · 08-08-2013, 07:42 PM

If you are going to rig it up as a stationary unit why not just plumb it straight to the sewer bypassing the holding tanks? You would probably want to install a toilet with a holding tank but that would be an improvement.

Jon

dabrooks · 08-09-2013, 06:20 AM

If it is a plastic tank and has a crack it is always best to drill a small hole at each end of the crack before you apply epoxy. That prevents the crack from running further.

cimplexsound · 08-09-2013, 08:35 AM

Both the Bounder and Southwind are top of the line models. The Bounder has enclosed tanks for sure. I've checked. I believe the Southwind has those coffin shaped enclosed tanks also. The question now is. Can you remove the tanks from underneath after you take all the electronic mumbo jumbo off? Or does part of the floor in the coach have to come out to get at them? In the Bounder the tanks are made of heavy duty PVC plastic. I imagine the Southwind is much the same. Very typical for Fleetwood to use the same parts on many of their coaches during that time period.

Hooligan · 08-09-2013, 12:35 PM

If you can get to the area that's leaking, the plastic tanks can be welded.

Welding a Plastic Tank | Airstream Doctor

Theberrys · 08-09-2013, 12:39 PM

One of these will do the trick unless a seam is split several inches.

J-B Weld 2 oz. WaterWeld Epoxy Stick-8277 at The Home Depot

J-B Weld PlasticWeld-8237 at The Home Depot

Dick

TdogKing · 08-09-2013, 02:29 PM

I think you are just putting a "band-aid" on a holding tank thats leaking using any epoxy or procedure . I'll guarantee it will fail at the most in- opportune time. The force of 8lb a gallon water sloshing and bouncing up and down. Something caused it to fail already, no guarantee its not ready to to it again in another location. A leaking fresh water tank, no big deal but a leaking gray/black tank is a big deal.

PlayItForwrd · 08-09-2013, 03:47 PM

Most holding tanks are made of Poly-nostick-a-thane, and repairing them without welding almost impossible...

however-- My water tank in our houseboat started leaking at the TOP, at the water inlet. I had some forget-the-brand construction adhesive handy, and I gooped a bunch of that around the leaky fitting. So far it's worked great, and seems to be stuck pretty good. Ergo, if trying a "patch", I would give some 3M 5200 marine adhesive a try. It's essentially high-tech construction adhesive, and if anything's going to work, it will...

gemini5362 · 08-09-2013, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hooligan

If you can get to the area that's leaking, the plastic tanks can be welded.

Welding a Plastic Tank | Airstream Doctor

that is gutsy advice I would never just arbitrarily advise someone to weld anything. If they are not a good welder (kind of like me) then a small leak can turn into a new tank. Before I retired when my friends needed a good laugh they would have me tig weld something. Usually something that it did not matter if i turned a small tear into a 4 inch wide canyon. If it is a small leak that the OP can get to in order to weld any of the available plastic tank epoxy repair putty should fix it. Like I said in my original post. I had to repair my plastic diesel fuel tank on my 50 hp 4 wheel drive tractor. It has been three years since I repaired it and it still does not leak.