traveling with water

[fleecerdog]

Hi ... I have an interesting conundrum (I don't think that's cussing) ... as shown in my hauler "rules" posted in overhead cabinet state in item 13 that I should "..keep water and holding tanks either empty or full when traveling."
With the fresh water in my hauler being 120 gallons (2 interconnected 60 gallon) that would be close to 960lbs to haul around. As we almost always boondock or dry camp hundreds of miles from home, that would be too much to haul around ... but it is also sometimes next to impossible to find a place to water up within an hours drive of my destinations. Also, I don't need that much water anyway. Does anybody see any real issue with loading up about 40 gallons (obviously splits to 20g in each tank) for the road trip? I don't haul any toys so no big weight in the hauler other than 25g of gas in the rear tank ... which, by the way, the "rules" don't address. This is a dual axle 21' Nomad so I don.t think the 320lbs of water moving in the tanks directly above the axles would be an issue.

[nayther]

I always tow full, never an issue.

[Bedlam]

I had an opportunity to drive a water tanker used for washing down aircraft. Even with a baffled tank and slow speeds, I could feel the water resist any change in momentum or direction I made with the truck. I only had about a half dozen drives with this tanker and it was an unnerving feeling I did not get used to.

[cmcdar]

LIQUID SURGE

Liquid surge results from movement of the liquid in partially filled tanks. This movement can have negative effects on handling. For example, when coming to a stop, the liquid will surge back and forth. When the wave hits the end of the tank, it tends to push the truck in the direction the wave is moving. If the truck is on a slippery surface such as ice, the wave can shove a stopped truck out into an intersection.

http://transcourt.com/blog/2015/03/05/liquid-surges-in-tankers-can-be-deadly/

[lawnspecialties]

For our races, we'd fill the Work & Play all the way with over 100 gallons. Although we didn't use it all, we used well over half. Then I'd open the drain before we headed home so its was really getting low by the time we hit the road.

On a side note. I have a 225 gallon tank sprayer I use for my landscaping business. It sits in the bed of my F350. Its far easier to haul around completely full versus half full. When its only half full, its amazing how much it will push and pull the truck from all the sloshing back and forth.

[drittal]

When I delivered bulk fuel, even the little 300 gal tank (2500 total) would affect the FL700 if it was down a 100 gal or so.

[drittal]

Sloshing. Might be bad for your tanks, also bad on stopping when towing. Get 600 lbs of water with room to run when you hit the whoa pedal can mean the difference between stopping in time or crunch time.

Fill it up before you leave and drain it before you come back.

In my experience, every warning sin has a legal history to explain why it's there.

[Dirtclods]

I always travel fully loaded with water even if its from my home to the beach with is only two miles. Also you can get water from almost any gas station or have a water key like thishttp://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-4-Way-Sillcock-Key-UWP0002D/204284856

[jackxclan]

Most of us are 18-24 K I daught the water weight will matter much.
The trailer is made to haul water, my old WW pull trailer pulled better with water on. Sloshing around ? they put tanks on the trailer so you can fill when you get to the campground....

[eDUBz]

I always tow full, but then again i can only carry 50 gallons in my 19' toy hauler. If we take the toys i also fill up with 18 gallons of fuel. I have a dump station at home where i park my TH so we never dump when we leave. So each tank isnt really full anymore. Some in the grey some in the black and we usually have about 1/3 of our water left. I havent noticed anything different while towing full empty or partial.

[joebedford]

The 1000+ lbs of water puts my rig over GVWR. I tow empty.

[momentum_rv]

Sandfreak II wrote:

dedmiston wrote:

Sandfreak II wrote:
I never liked having to tow an extra thousand pounds of dead weight around so when traveling I only carried 5 gallons or so in the tank. Did the same with the fuel tanks on the trailer. We put 25k miles on a 08 Fleetwood Gearbox 375SA2G in five years without a issue.

Were you dry camping? Where would you fill up?

If go we go the the Oregon dunes. Tugman State park or Reedsport visitors center we fill at. Idaho dunes has water spigots all around the BLM camp area. Sand Mtn Utah has spigots. If we go out to Christmas Valley I stop at the rv park in town to fill.

Good thing you're not in Cal. they don't just give that stuff away anymore. I fill up at the house and no worries, quality or quantity. My TV doesn't know the difference.

[Bedlam]

My toy hauler had two 75 gallon tanks but had a valve between them so you could just fill up one. If you don't have something like this, it may be a mod that is worthwhile if you plan to keep your RV for a while.

[Frankandbeans]

If the extra weight from a full fresh water tank has you concerned, I would be concerned about the ability of your tow vehicle.

I echo what many others do - full or empty, it doesn't make a difference when it comes to MPG on the freeway. Fill up at the house, one less thing to worry about once you're on the road.

It's far easier to remove (drain) water then add it.

[Sandfreak_II]

dedmiston wrote:

Sandfreak II wrote:
I never liked having to tow an extra thousand pounds of dead weight around so when traveling I only carried 5 gallons or so in the tank. Did the same with the fuel tanks on the trailer. We put 25k miles on a 08 Fleetwood Gearbox 375SA2G in five years without a issue.

Were you dry camping? Where would you fill up?

If go we go the the Oregon dunes. Tugman State park or Reedsport visitors center we fill at. Idaho dunes has water spigots all around the BLM camp area. Sand Mtn Utah has spigots. If we go out to Christmas Valley I stop at the rv park in town to fill.

[dedmiston]

Sandfreak II wrote:
I never liked having to tow an extra thousand pounds of dead weight around so when traveling I only carried 5 gallons or so in the tank. Did the same with the fuel tanks on the trailer. We put 25k miles on a 08 Fleetwood Gearbox 375SA2G in five years without a issue.

Were you dry camping? Where would you fill up?