Black Tank Valve/Discharge Under Coach Rather Than In A Bay?

[Jedidad]

Looking at an '08 Coachmen 2310QB and I see that the black tank valve and discharge outlet is hanging underneath the coach rather than inside a compartment like others I've seen. My concern is how vulnerable it looks to being busted by something. Like backing into a parking space and hitting it on the curb or driving over a big rock while boondocking, etc.

Am I being concerned needlessly? Thanks.

[bobndot]

My 2018 F. River Sunseeker class C has its dump valve inside its own compartment .

[lancewgurel]

My 26' 2000 Jamboree is inside a 'basement' compartment. My questions is: how do the exterior tank dumps work in freezing weather. We travel in ours in the winter, and we run a 60 watt droplight in there when the outside temps fall below 25.

[EMD360]

I worried about the exposed tank valves on our new Minnie Winnie. Our Itasca valve was inside a compartment and I could keep the hose and connections in there too. Very convenient. But it appears this feature has morphed from Winnie’s to Foresters. One benefit of the exposed valve is that more types fittings are possible at the valve. The Itasca had a sharp angle from the opening to the valve and the tube we had was flexible enough to make the connection but I tried a newer tube and it didn’t work.

[Dutch_12078]

In many years of working on RV's of various configurations, the only undercarriage dump valve setups I've repaired other than the typical location independent leaking valves were ones where the owner backed over a high curb or rock, etc.

[wildtoad]

Having the dump tube and valve underneath is a common setup. All of my previous units had the tube/valves underneath. My current mh has the tube and valves contained inside protected from the elements possible damage. HOWEVER terminating a sewer pipe inside a mh brings with it it’s own set of problems should something go wrong, and can make replacing a failing valve a real chore.

More than one person has been welcomed by a rush of poo from a leaky (or insufficiently closed) valve when removing the end cap.

[Lumpty]

As a FYI, Forest River Sunseeker and Forester Class C's built since the 2010 or so timeframe have compartment-enclosed dump valves. My '11 also has a removable screw cap in the floor of the nyloplast compartment floor to run a stinky slinky through for full hook-up connection routing. The black and gray tanks themselves are located above the chassis frame and the bedroom/bathroom floor(s), in the mid to rear section of the house in a step-up area inside.

So, there are at least a few C's out there

[Jedidad]

bukhrn wrote:
Every Class C I've seen (including mine) have this arrangement, the only RV's I've seen with the dump in a Bay, are Class A's...

Ah, you're right. I've been primarily looking at Class A's recently.

[ItsyRV]

With rare exception, I've always seen Class C's valves under the body, not in any compartment.

The main issues will be if you're dragging or plowing the rear. In that case, you could damage the valves and pipes but it may be the only way to get out of the bogged down mess you'll be in.

Also as bobndot said, watch those parking curbs when backing.

[bobndot]

Be careful if you back into a parking spot with a curb.

[Lwiddis]

"Every Class C I've seen..." That's my view also.

[bukhrn]

Every Class C I've seen (including mine) have this arrangement, the only RV's I've seen with the dump in a Bay, are Class A's, I suppose there may be others.
As far as boondocking, this is the very reason I don't do it, fear of ripping something off, dump valve, main exhaust tail pipe, Generator exhaust pipe, at 9 1/2 inches of ground clearance, and a few other low hanging items.

[Sandia_Man]

Never known anybody to have issues with clearance due to this arrangement, that rig you are interested in is 15 years old and black tank outlet it is still intact. With that age of motorized RV there are more critical areas to be concerned about, with 100s of thousands of RVs with that arrangement for dumping it is really a non issue for the vast majority.

[jdc1]

Your axles are lower than those valves.

[opnspaces]

Probably all toy haulers and bumper pull and 5th wheel trailers have this arrangement. I would also bet that 70 - 80 percent of class C's also have this arrangement.