Forum Discussion

diazr2's avatar
diazr2
Explorer
Aug 15, 2016

How common is common.

I have been reading a thread about holding tanks falling out of a rig while traveling down the road.. I have been RVing for over 50 years and had never seen this happen. Or heard about this happening I kept reading the thread and lots of folks said this is a common occurrence ... So how common is this. I live in a tourist town lots and lots of RVs pass by every day. Many more in the summer months but not a day goes by that at least a couple of hundred are in town. I have never seen a tank laying on the ground. Never seen anyone trying to fix a tank laying on the ground. I have seen them fixing bearings on the side of the road passed by many air conditioner cowlings that have flown off. Seen rigs lots of rigs with their hoods up, trying to change serpentine belts and water hoses. Seen tow chains laying on the ground seen all sorts of problems but not a single tank on the ground. So how common? I think it would be great to hear just how many people this has happen to. I am already amazed that in this one thread there are at least four people that said yes indeed it has happen to them. So how many more? Please share your experience with tanks falling out of your rigs. If enough folks tell me it has happen to them I am going to climb under the rig and place some braces up there for sure. It will be fun to see just how common this is and where the heck have I been for the last 50 years???? I would like to keep this contained to people who have seen it happen or has happen to. Because with that latest thread I just read there are now hundreds more people that have heard about it. So only first hand experience.
  • Chuck_thehammer's avatar
    Chuck_thehammer
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    I think its NOT common.. and maybe 1 in a 10,000.. or less.

    I have traveled all over this country . 48 years worth..

    Work, Vacation, motorcycling. never seen a RV tank hanging .. almost everything else.. but not a RV storage tank.


    Back in the Day... metal gas tanks hanging from under cars... YES... many.
    2 thin metal straps hold a metal tank and 25 gallons of gas.. and winter Rust.. and TAR as a Rust retardant.
  • Happytraveler's avatar
    Happytraveler
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    My brother in-law was filling up the water tank in his motorhome and walked away for a few minutes and eventually forgot all about. Later on he heard a big explosion. The water tank blew up and uplifted the floor in his motorhome.
  • diazr2's avatar
    diazr2
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    Chuck_thehammer wrote:
    I think its NOT common.. and maybe 1 in a 10,000.. or less.

    I have traveled all over this country . 48 years worth..

    Work, Vacation, motorcycling. never seen a RV tank hanging .. almost everything else.. but not a RV storage tank.


    Back in the Day... metal gas tanks hanging from under cars... YES... many.
    2 thin metal straps hold a metal tank and 25 gallons of gas.. and winter Rust.. and TAR as a Rust retardant.


    Yep me neither :W
  • diazr2's avatar
    diazr2
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    Happytraveler wrote:
    My brother in-law was filling up the water tank in his motorhome and walked away for a few minutes and eventually forgot all about. Later on he heard a big explosion. The water tank blew up and uplifted the floor in his motorhome.

    YIKES!
  • Campfire_Time's avatar
    Campfire_Time
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    I don't believe it's common, but certainly probable. Ever look at what's holding those tanks up? Not much. What is common is people traveling with full tanks of water. I don't have a need to travel with water, but knowing that those tanks are held up by almost nothing, I would not.
  • dewey02's avatar
    dewey02
    Explorer II
    Aug 15, 2016
    Of course it isn't common.
    How many times does something have to go wrong with a certain car because of a design flaw before they recall it?

    It may not be common, but if it happens to you, it will be all too common.
  • dewey02's avatar
    dewey02
    Explorer II
    Aug 15, 2016
    And here is a diagram of how "common" common really is...when it comes to common sense:

  • toedtoes's avatar
    toedtoes
    Explorer III
    Aug 15, 2016
    My clipper is 40 years old (41 in October) and has never had the water tank fall out (knock on wood) and it has not needed new supports in all that time.
  • SoundGuy's avatar
    SoundGuy
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    My fresh water tank didn't fall off because with an open underbelly I noticed how much it sagged the first time I filled it at home. Crawling under the trailer I then noticed the pump intake was connected halfway up the tank, which explained why I could only draw 1/3rd the capacity of the tank before having to refill it. The first couple of trips we took until I could get the sagging tank issue addressed we did with just a minimal amount of water in the tank ... had it been full during travel I have little doubt I would have left it lying on the highway. :M My dealer did an effective job of supporting the tank but I've since added a 4'x 2' piece of plywood to further enhance support and can now travel with a full tank when need be.



    In conversing with my dealer's service manager he did acknowledge they've had several completely drop off. :E For my own part I did ask that pics of my own tank be sent to Coachmen in hopes they might address this issue but I notice new 2017 models are exactly the same.

    The black and grey tanks are securely mounted and even when full have shown no signs of failure in 3 yrs of towing.
  • beemerphile1's avatar
    beemerphile1
    Explorer
    Aug 15, 2016
    A more descriptive thread title might produce better results.

    Maybe something like, "Has your tank fallen out?"

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