Towing with full fresh water tank?

[partsman01]

So am trying to plan a trip up to Fairbanks Alaska, going from Port Coquitlam BC up to Dawson City, then top of the world Hwy.
My question is how many run with full water tank, I normally only keep a bit in just in case, but I am thinking on those roads in the Yukon and Alaska it will shake the tank out of it if full.
As when I fill right up the tank expands and the bottom rests on a cross-member, which I would imagine will rub a hole in it, not to mention possibly break the supports and fall to the road, so I think maybe keep it almost empty until arriving then fill up in the nearest town before heading into the rough stuff.
As this will be our first time dry camping because of where we will be.
Thanks
Bill

[laknox]

Oasisbob wrote:
I realize the roads are rough. My take on this is why have the tank if you are afraid to use it? Has RV quality gotten so bad we conpensate for bad design? I say fill it

My thought is why schlep around several hundred pounds' "extra" weight if you don't need to? Living in an area where the majority of my camping requires about 5,000 to 7,000' of elevation change, and there's water near, or at, where I'm going to be, why haul it uphill? Also, the city water where I live tastes like cr@p, don't even much like brushing teeth with it, so why not fill up where the water tastes better, too? 🙂

Lyle

[laknox]

Coach-man wrote:
?? I don't know about the rest of you, but I only put enough water for flushing and washing hands! And I have never even thought about dropping the tank. Adding an additional 600 to 800 pounds to haul water, that I can get at my destination is to me absurd! I would rather haul something important, like Beer?

I'll drink to that! Of course, I'll drink to most anything... :B

Lyle

[laknox]

partsman01 wrote:
So am trying to plan a trip up to Fairbanks Alaska, going from Port Coquitlam BC up to Dawson City, then top of the world Hwy.
My question is how many run with full water tank, I normally only keep a bit in just in case, but I am thinking on those roads in the Yukon and Alaska it will shake the tank out of it if full.
As when I fill right up the tank expands and the bottom rests on a cross-member, which I would imagine will rub a hole in it, not to mention possibly break the supports and fall to the road, so I think maybe keep it almost empty until arriving then fill up in the nearest town before heading into the rough stuff.
As this will be our first time dry camping because of where we will be.
Thanks
Bill

Personally, we tow almost empty if we know we're going to a CG with either hookups or water available. When we boondock, we travel empty as far as possible, then water down close to where we camp. Since we go to the same spot most of the time, it's about 35 miles total from were we fill to our site, but it's also about a 3,000' climb and part is on dirt, so we take it easy.

Lyle

[Veebyes]

I'd be inclined to fix the problem & stop the chafing on the cross beam. Sooner or later it IS going to rub right through. No time is a good time for that to happen.

Glue a sacrificial wedge to the tank. Replace when it wears thin.

Running with a full tank should not be an issue, especially if it is only a small tank of 60gal or so.

Builders are notorious for building to bare minimum specs so before going off to the North I'd be thinking about reinforcing spring hanger areas of the frame, maybe even upgrading the spring pack by an extra spring.

[IdaD]

Coach-man wrote:

Learjet wrote:

Coach-man wrote:
?? I don't know about the rest of you, but I only put enough water for flushing and washing hands! And I have never even thought about dropping the tank. Adding an additional 600 to 800 pounds to haul water, that I can get at my destination is to me absurd! I would rather haul something important, like Beer?

"Absurd"....I don't think so, I've gotten to my campsite and had no water before...campground issue. I've also been stuck on the interstate for hours. I like at least 1/2 tank for comfort 🙂

And just how do you use that water when you are stuck on the interstate? The weight police here worry about the weight of a hitch, but go right ahead and fill your water tank, never know when a campground is going to run out of water! As for dry camping, there are many places you can stop at to fill your fresh water tank, when you get close to your destination last time I checked, water is not rationed here!

Stopping for water along the way would be a hassle and a waste of time, and not practical most of the places we camp. Filling up at home is not a hassle and takes little time. It seems like a no brainer to load up the tank before leaving home.

[Coach-man]

Learjet wrote:

Coach-man wrote:
?? I don't know about the rest of you, but I only put enough water for flushing and washing hands! And I have never even thought about dropping the tank. Adding an additional 600 to 800 pounds to haul water, that I can get at my destination is to me absurd! I would rather haul something important, like Beer?

"Absurd"....I don't think so, I've gotten to my campsite and had no water before...campground issue. I've also been stuck on the interstate for hours. I like at least 1/2 tank for comfort 🙂

And just how do you use that water when you are stuck on the interstate? The weight police here worry about the weight of a hitch, but go right ahead and fill your water tank, never know when a campground is going to run out of water! As for dry camping, there are many places you can stop at to fill your fresh water tank, when you get close to your destination last time I checked, water is not rationed here!

[larry_barnhart]

We bought a tt for our trip to Alaska in 2004. So happy we did not take our 35 ft fifth because of the mud and dust we had or the frost heaves but we started in May and maybe that is too early. From Chicken we stopped at tok and a couple from New York with a brand new fifthwheel had their water tank fall and was dragging it. The company told him to get rid of it and come to them after the trip but he wanted to carry it for some reason, his rv friend thought he was nuts!! We did stop at an rv resort and was asked do you have water?? they did not. Most anything can happen so matter what we prepare for.

chevman

[Denny___Jami]

goducks10 wrote:
Get 1 or 2 pieces of 2x2" angle iron the same length as the outer edges of the frame. Bolt them up under the fresh water tank. That's how my fresh water tank has additional support from the factory.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to find out how rough the roads are in Alaska are in a couple years.:) Waiting for the wife to retire.

When you do it take the whole summer and be prepared to dry camp to get the full experience, most CG are dry camping anyway. Don't miss Banff and Jasper NPs in Canada along with Skagway and Hyder (get Hyderized) in Alaska, we spent about as much time in BC as we did in Alaska.

One more must is spend the 4th of July Chicken Alaska 😉

Denny

[goducks10]

Get 1 or 2 pieces of 2x2" angle iron the same length as the outer edges of the frame. Bolt them up under the fresh water tank. That's how my fresh water tank has additional support from the factory.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to find out how rough the roads are in Alaska are in a couple years.:) Waiting for the wife to retire.

[Denny___Jami]

tomman58 wrote:

Denny & Jami wrote:

tomman58 wrote:
Last time i checked Alaska has water...................... You shouldn't need to bring your own IMHO

One thing you learn when traveling in and to Alaska, dump whenever you can and fill the tank whenever you can.

I would install a piece of 3/4 plywood under the tank, that way you will never have to worry about it agian.

Denny

We were in redding California and sitting around a campfire with a group of campers. They asked where I was going , I said to the redwoods then up the coast to maybe Alaska. The consensus was i would be wrong to take my new truck and TT there unless I wanted to make them old in a hurry.....never went and when we do shortly we will fly in do the glaciers then the ship down the coast.

I've been to Alaska and traveled with a full tank of water the whole time but our tank is well supported.

As far as rough roads there were some but I wouldn't pass up the trip of a lifetime because of them, the roads in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were worse, we've also been on the roads in California and they aren't anything special either. The biggest problem was people trying to drive fast instead of slowing down and enjoying the trip.

Denny

[rhagfo]

Our FW is always full forward of the axles makes for a better ride.

[zb39]

Most of the roads in Alaska and on the way there are just fine. I don't like to say this to much because more people will start going. Always travel with full water tank. Always.

[Big1]

I carry some FW in mines but then again I only been out once and where we went at had full hook up. I think that I will alway have some FW in my tank, the wife and I are planning a 1579 miles trip next year and I will have about 1/2 tank.

[CabinetmakerII]

romore wrote:
I normally fill the tank before leaving but we don't travel on rough roads. You will have paved highway to Whitehorse and probably to Dawson City (I have yet to travel past Whitehorse). If you are concerned about it, fill the tank half full for washing and the toilet and slow down.

I can confirm paved road to Dawson City. Top of the World Highway is a good gravel road. Better than most of the paved roads in Alaska. The worst part is the canyon just south of Chicken toward Tok. It is steep and narrow in some places. the worst road we ran into was from Valdez to Tok. Terrible frost heaves. We traveled with mostly full fresh water tanks. I filled up when I found quality water. Some places the water quality is questionable. Always carried bottled water to drink. All that said, I know my fresh water tanks are properly supported as I had to fix that last year. We had a blast! Drive slow and you will be fine!

[Oasisbob]

I realize the roads are rough. My take on this is why have the tank if you are afraid to use it? Has RV quality gotten so bad we conpensate for bad design? I say fill it