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traveling with water

fleecerdog
Explorer
Explorer
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.
51 REPLIES 51

Strabo
Explorer
Explorer
Think about this

If you happen to be pulled over, checked and weighed both TV and hauler, and your OVER WEIGHT.

Pull the fresh water dump handle..It's legal to allow 3 things eject or come off your rig, one of them is water. The other 2 are straw and then feathers.
04' F350 PSD TB SC FX4 XLT, TH-04' 32' Sandpiper Sport Fifthwheel WB Dual Axle
07' Rhino 686 SS106-ITP-AFE-BRP-T4-CDI-KIBBLEBWHITE-CVT-TSTICH-Ridgid LED LightBar-HID Conversion Kit-LIVEWIRE
04' Honda 250 Sportstrac quad
05' Honda 400 Ranchers quad

kofire
Explorer
Explorer
I think California is a bit unique in that a very large percentage of trailers going down the road are toyhaulers. Not to say other states don't have them by any means, my point bein they are commonplace in Ca. The water tank issue is a Non issue for the most part. Industry standard since mid 2000s on toyhaulers is minimum 100 gallons. My weekend warriors is 150 gallons. Plus 51 gallons of fuel.
I've had toyhaulers for 10 yrs. not a single issue or even thought given to towing full , half or empty. The tanks are low and designed correctly and I've never had an issue either way.
I'm aware of the baffle and water slosh issue but those are considerably larger tanks that sit considerably higher on the vehicle.
I'm sure some people dump whatever they don't use at their dry camping site but I prefer to leave water for the trip home. Especially towing back from havasu.
Kind of like lifted trucks and trailer. It's commonplace in California with no more problems then regular height trucks. It's completely normal here but it doesn't seem so in other states.

BigBlockTank
Explorer
Explorer
At 8.34 lbs per gallon, that would make your tanks weigh in a few ounces over 1,000 lbs. Still, a lot of weight any way you look at it.

mr__old_style
Explorer
Explorer
Y-Guy wrote:
mr. old style wrote:
I have plenty of tow vehicle (500 hp Kenworth) but I would never consider pulling any distance with full tanks cause I'm pretty sure the tanks would be gone by the time we got to destination.
Cyclone 3912

Are you saying you're Cyclone is that poorly built? I hauled full tanks with our Raptor all the time, when I had to, never had an issue.

Yes

Y-Guy
Moderator
Moderator
mr. old style wrote:
I have plenty of tow vehicle (500 hp Kenworth) but I would never consider pulling any distance with full tanks cause I'm pretty sure the tanks would be gone by the time we got to destination.
Cyclone 3912

Are you saying you're Cyclone is that poorly built? I hauled full tanks with our Raptor all the time, when I had to, never had an issue.

Two Wire Fox Terriers; Sarge & Sully

2007 Winnebago Sightseer 35J

2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

mr__old_style
Explorer
Explorer
I have plenty of tow vehicle (500 hp Kenworth) but I would never consider pulling any distance with full tanks cause I'm pretty sure the tanks would be gone by the time we got to destination.
Cyclone 3912

joebedford
Nomad II
Nomad II
lincster wrote:
If you are worried about hauling 150 gallons of water, you have the wrong tow vehicle.
In my case, it has nothing to do with the TV. Full water puts the TH over GVWR.

drittal
Explorer
Explorer
It might be less about the effects of liquid surge on towing and stopping, and more about liquid surge in a flimsy plastic tank that sometimes is held to the bottom of your RV by means that may not be able to retain said tank under certain conditions.

I have read a few topics on water tanks drooping and having to reinforce how they are mounted.

Strabo
Explorer
Explorer
lincster wrote:
This has been discussed before, but it was in the context of weight and if folks carry the extra weight.

If you are worried about hauling 150 gallons of water, you have the wrong tow vehicle.

I tow full every trip. Whatever is left after the trip is whatever. I tow home and dump it after I clean the trailer.


I refill our tanks when we get home.

EARTHQUAKE PREPARED ......Even with full tanks it won't last long, but it's better than no water at all, that's scary because now I gotta hunt for it.
04' F350 PSD TB SC FX4 XLT, TH-04' 32' Sandpiper Sport Fifthwheel WB Dual Axle
07' Rhino 686 SS106-ITP-AFE-BRP-T4-CDI-KIBBLEBWHITE-CVT-TSTICH-Ridgid LED LightBar-HID Conversion Kit-LIVEWIRE
04' Honda 250 Sportstrac quad
05' Honda 400 Ranchers quad

Y-Guy
Moderator
Moderator
dedmiston wrote:
Strabo wrote:
I hear Dave's new beautifull toyhauler holds a hot tub in the garage, i wonder how much water that holds? 😉


It's up on the roof. The supermodels need their sun.

How do they know when to duck while going under an overpass? Two honks of the horn?

Two Wire Fox Terriers; Sarge & Sully

2007 Winnebago Sightseer 35J

2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

lincster
Explorer
Explorer
This has been discussed before, but it was in the context of weight and if folks carry the extra weight.

If you are worried about hauling 150 gallons of water, you have the wrong tow vehicle.

I tow full every trip. Whatever is left after the trip is whatever. I tow home and dump it after I clean the trailer.
2022 F350 PSD CC 4X4 Dually to pull 2006 LE3905

Lincsters Truck/Trailer

Lincsters Rail

dedmiston
Moderator
Moderator
Strabo wrote:
I hear Dave's new beautifull toyhauler holds a hot tub in the garage, i wonder how much water that holds? 😉


It's up on the roof. The supermodels need their sun.

2014 RAM 3500 Diesel 4x4 Dually long bed. B&W RVK3600 hitch • 2015 Crossroads Elevation Homestead Toy Hauler ("The Taj Mahauler") • <\br >Toys:

  • 18 Can Am Maverick x3
  • 05 Yamaha WR450
  • 07 Honda CRF250X
  • 05 Honda CRF230
  • 06 Honda CRF230

Strabo
Explorer
Explorer
I hear Dave's new beautifull toyhauler holds a hot tub in the garage, i wonder how much water that holds? 😉
04' F350 PSD TB SC FX4 XLT, TH-04' 32' Sandpiper Sport Fifthwheel WB Dual Axle
07' Rhino 686 SS106-ITP-AFE-BRP-T4-CDI-KIBBLEBWHITE-CVT-TSTICH-Ridgid LED LightBar-HID Conversion Kit-LIVEWIRE
04' Honda 250 Sportstrac quad
05' Honda 400 Ranchers quad

drittal
Explorer
Explorer
My work and play has 110/38/38.