Fresh Water Tank Fell Out

[Tamara1972]

Hi everyone,

Looking to see if this has happened to anyone else.

We have a 2011 Wind River 32’ 5th wheel and we went to take it out this weekend, filled the fresh water tank drove maybe 2km and the fresh water tank fell onto the hwy. Luckily we were only going 60km and the hoses kept it attached to the bottom of the trailer. No one was hurt, thank god!

I can’t seem to find any recalls for this for our 5th wheel, but while I was under the trailer removing the hoses from the tank so that we could get off the highway, I noticed not one strap was holding this tank in. Looks like they were relying on the plastic cardboard under cover thing to hold it in place.

Any advise or recommendations will be very helpful.

Tamara

[clifford j]

Check and see what the grey and black tanks are held up with,, I'd guess the same method would be used for the fresh water tank too.

CLIFFORD

[kdauto]

Originally Posted by Tamara1972

Hi everyone,

Looking to see if this has happened to anyone else.

We have a 2011 Wind River 32’ 5th wheel and we went to take it out this weekend, filled the fresh water tank drove maybe 2km and the fresh water tank fell onto the hwy. Luckily we were only going 60km and the hoses kept it attached to the bottom of the trailer. No one was hurt, thank god!

I can’t seem to find any recalls for this for our 5th wheel, but while I was under the trailer removing the hoses from the tank so that we could get off the highway, I noticed not one strap was holding this tank in. Looks like they were relying on the plastic cardboard under cover thing to hold it in place.

Any advise or recommendations will be very helpful.

Tamara

It happened to my friend on his older Carriage 5er. He also said his tank split and leaked. He plastic welded it and patched it,still leaked. After the 2nd repair he says it's OK. He warned me about never driving with full tanks, to which I say "horsehockey"! I think it's about build quality and parts quality too. We mostly leave home with full freshwater tanks and often come back with full gray and black tanks, never had any issues, and that's on some rough roads and off road as well.

Gonna have to design or buy proper brackets and reattach solidly.

[Newmar2856]

Water tanks falling out of rigs has plagued many a manufacturer recently. On my previously owned 2019 Cardinal they used angle iron to “hold” the tank in. Well, fill it nearly full of water and it starts to put some strain on it. Throw in our glorious roads and then bam, out comes your tank.

In my 2012 Cardinal, it sat on a 1/2” sheet of plywood between the angle iron and never budged.

To resolve the issue on the 2019 I dropped the underbelly and screwed in some plywood supports. After that, it was solidly in place. Just be careful to use short self tapping screws to secure the plywood. If they are too long you’ll screw right into your water tank. It’s also much easier to get the plywood in with as little water as possible in the tank.

[rblanch]

My 2018 Raptor toy hauler holds 115 gallons of fresh water. Given the build quality of the rest of the unit this has always concerned me.

[Tamara1972]

Originally Posted by clifford j

Check and see what the grey and black tanks are held up with,, I'd guess the same method would be used for the fresh water tank too.

CLIFFORD

Thank you Clifford, yes I agree, that was went through our mind as well. Just seems like an irresponsible build to not stop in the tanks.

[Tamara1972]

I have to agree that driving with full tanks is going to happen, we usually fill closest to the site we are going and empty the same way. When long hauling on average we have always only had min fresh water in the tank just enough to get us by until we get to the next location. This issue gave us no warning, that what is terrible.

We are going to repair and build proper strapping for all the tanks just to be sure.

[Tamara1972]

Thank you so much for your experience, it is going to really help us with securing the tanks that remain under the trailer. We were concerned on how we were going to secure those tanks while they are still manufacture installed.

[tuffr2]

Is it just me? I seldom drive with full tanks. To me, is seems like a bad idea.

The Toyhauler with 115 gallon fresh water tank. That is 1,000lbs when I think 300lbs is a lot. Hit a few bumps and lord knows what will happen.

[Old-Biscuit]

I ALWAYS travel with FULL Fresh water tank.....
My tanks are fully supported because the MFG wasn't a cheapskate

Many MFGs rely on tank 'wings' as support and limited angle iron supports and sidewalls
Need to be fully strapped across length or width of tank depending on tank orientation

Happens frequently enough that there is an aftermarket for RV tank support straps

[keymastr]

I also travel with full tanks as I do not like getting there and not having water available. It only has to happen once for you to decide never to let it happen again.

[TB673]

After seeing how my freshwater was supported, I would not hesitate to fill it up and run. 2 pieces of 1" x 2" channel run under the length of the tank.
No straps to break or pull apart.

[Toby Dog]

On a previous TT the tank came out without any water in it. It looked to me like they ran out of the tanks that fit the brackets so they substituted and put a piece of pressed wood in to shim it. A few rain storms while traveling and out she came.

[IC2]

Many of these tanks are supported by the glued flange near the top. Tank manufacturers tell RV builders not to use that flange - but they take that chance anyhow With that in mind, since I have not added extra support, seldom carry more fresh water then what is needed to flush the toilet and virtually none in black and gray tanks. If I ever have to pull the belly cover, I'll add some supporting structure. Heck, even our ancient and long gone 'mid 70s Kountry Aire 5er lost an almost empty gray tank so it's a long known and unstated RV "feature".