Inflatable vs Plastic sewer tote tires

Thanks for the info!! I think I'm going with the hard wheels.

I sold my 35 gallon and purchased a 42 gallon with rubber wheels. The rubber wheels are much nicer. The quiet is worth it.
Barker has a stellar reputation for standing behind their product. Even years later.

DutchmenSport wrote:
I have the hard rubber-plastic version Barker 32 gallon. I've had this same tote since year 2004. I literally ran the wheels off it a few years ago and was able to get wheels and it's still going strong. It's been towed behind my trucks at least a thousand miles. Sometimes, campground dump stations are as far as 2 miles away from the campsite. That adds miles on it pretty fast. For those little wheels to hold up all this time, is pretty remarkable. And by the way, the reason I had to get new wheels was because the rubber separated from the plastic wheel.

Ours gets used a LOT! Every camping trip where we don't have sewer hook-up (which in Indiana State Parks is very far and few).

Durability, the hard wheels will last a long time.

I think, other than keeping air in the tires, the other problem with the pneumatic tires is it raises the tote higher than the hard tire version. If your dump valve is lower than the top of the tote, it's no problem. But if the top of the tote is higher than the bottom of the valve opening on the camper, it will drain, but you are always having to lift the hose at the end to drain it out.

That is probably the biggest problem with the pneumatic tires, it raises the height of the tote and potential for loss of air.

FYI, last Summer, after owning the Barker 32 gallon for over 12 or 13 years, the slide valve drain started leaking. I contacted Barker over the phone and asked about a replacement valve. She took my name and number and address and said one was being shipped right away. I asked about the charge, and she said, "No Charge", it's under warranty. I said "What?" She said yes, under warranty. I said, but it's 12 or 13 years old. She said, it doesn't matter. I got it in the mail about 2 days later. It took about an hour to install it back into the tote, and it's been working great ever since.

I have lost the cap off the drain valve several times. For some reason, I just can't seem to hang on to them. But those caps can be purchased anywhere.

Personally, if I had to get another one, I'd get the hard wheels again, and not the pneumatic, simply because of the difference in height.



FYI, the safe way to hitch it to your truck so the handle won't pop off the hitch:

Thank you very much for the post! I've got two weeks on the Florida coast coming up in December and the only downside is it's a water electric site so I'm in the market for a tote. That kind of customer service is the kind of thing that will earn my business.

Our tote doesnt have wheels. Its a 100gal. rubber bladder we made out of 1/8" sheet rubber purchased at an industrial supply, sealed with 2 1/4 x 1" flat steel bars and 1/4 " bolts on 3 sides. that lies flat empty behind the 5er hitch. We use a macerator pump to transfer the waste up into the bladder in the back of the truck. No noise, worries of leaks, can haul to dump anywhere. For boondocking, coe camps,etc. its the cats meow. Has via. a 'spud' to 2" pvc ball valve to 3" valterra male fittings

We have had our blue tote (Barker) for over 10 years and just this past year, gave it to some friends when they were using a 5 gallon bucket with their popup. They just purchased a used fifth wheel in November and gave us our blue tote. We use it seldom since we have HUGE tanks and can go about 8-9 days on the black tank and 6-7 doing navy showers for the 4 of us.

I have the hard wheels on mine, but I sure hate hearing those things going through the campground.

I put the Harbor Freight cheapies on mine and added the green goop to seal any leaks. Seems to be working so far.

I have the hard rubber-plastic version Barker 32 gallon. I've had this same tote since year 2004. I literally ran the wheels off it a few years ago and was able to get wheels and it's still going strong. It's been towed behind my trucks at least a thousand miles. Sometimes, campground dump stations are as far as 2 miles away from the campsite. That adds miles on it pretty fast. For those little wheels to hold up all this time, is pretty remarkable. And by the way, the reason I had to get new wheels was because the rubber separated from the plastic wheel.

Ours gets used a LOT! Every camping trip where we don't have sewer hook-up (which in Indiana State Parks is very far and few).

Durability, the hard wheels will last a long time.

I think, other than keeping air in the tires, the other problem with the pneumatic tires is it raises the tote higher than the hard tire version. If your dump valve is lower than the top of the tote, it's no problem. But if the top of the tote is higher than the bottom of the valve opening on the camper, it will drain, but you are always having to lift the hose at the end to drain it out.

That is probably the biggest problem with the pneumatic tires, it raises the height of the tote and potential for loss of air.

FYI, last Summer, after owning the Barker 32 gallon for over 12 or 13 years, the slide valve drain started leaking. I contacted Barker over the phone and asked about a replacement valve. She took my name and number and address and said one was being shipped right away. I asked about the charge, and she said, "No Charge", it's under warranty. I said "What?" She said yes, under warranty. I said, but it's 12 or 13 years old. She said, it doesn't matter. I got it in the mail about 2 days later. It took about an hour to install it back into the tote, and it's been working great ever since.

I have lost the cap off the drain valve several times. For some reason, I just can't seem to hang on to them. But those caps can be purchased anywhere.

Personally, if I had to get another one, I'd get the hard wheels again, and not the pneumatic, simply because of the difference in height.



FYI, the safe way to hitch it to your truck so the handle won't pop off the hitch:

My buddy bought the one with pneumatic tires because it's more quiet towing it down to the dump station.
It also has a feeling of quality to it.