Replacing Black Water Tank

Tamara · 06-13-2002, 07:55 PM

First let me say I have already gotten some very useful tips from all of you! I am looking at purchasing a 66 Overlander that the owner says is in need of a new Black Water tank. I am trying to research costs and the labor involved before I make a purchase, and need your help.

What size should the tank be? Where is the best place to find a new one? How much should I expect to pay? And how much labor is involved in replacing it?

I have read the posts here about adding grey water tanks and like the idea of just adding either a portable one or an external one, but if I have to go to the trouble of replacing the black, would you suggest a permanent grey as well? If so, how big?

Any tips or tricks you can provide me with will be appreciated. I am surfing the web now for answers but thought perhaps you all could provide the neccessary info.

I'm so excited about possibly finding "My Aistream" that I can't even sit still....if she comes home with me I'll be sure to post a picture! :-)

Thanks,
Tamara

Inland RV Center, In · 06-14-2002, 08:50 AM

Tamara. We have tanks for the vintage Airstreams. The serial number of your trailer dictates which one is used. Andy

83Excella · 06-14-2002, 10:08 AM

Tamara,
Check out these two places they have made tanks for other AS owners.

1. Mid America Plastics
700 Valley Industrial Circle South
Shakopee, MN 55379
952-445-7667

2. http://all-rite.com

John

**Action** · 06-14-2002, 05:15 PM

Tamara,

Hope you get the Overlander! I bought one out of Indiana in April of this year, and would love to share experiences with you.

On the tank, I got one from Inland and it was $445 plus shipping. And the tank needs modifications to make the connection for the toilet/gray water hook up. I have not done that yet, cause I am still working on the floor. And I am working at the speed of ....dark (vs light) so I have not progressed too far on that project. Things like work keep getting in my way.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

Tamara · 06-17-2002, 08:47 AM

Action,
Good to hear from another 66 Overlander owner! That's right, we put a deposit down and will be picking the old girl up sometime this week! If you want to share war stories as we begin work on ours, feel free to email me sometime.

If anyone has any tips on what not to do while replacing the holding tank, it will be appreciated.

Action, I suppose we can take the rest of this discussion to the Overlander folder, doesn't seem like there's a lot of traffic in there!

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Tamara

**Action** · 06-17-2002, 12:27 PM

T,

I would recommend that you take a picture(s) of the black tank as it is right now. There are no manuals or directions, so once you take it a part your memory serves as the reinstallation instructions. And in my case the tank dropped out of the bottom of the trailer during transportation. It just makes reassembly a little more fun.

I am always looking for fun, just didn't think it would look like that!

>>>>>>>>>>Action

Tamara · 06-17-2002, 02:12 PM

Action,

Well I guess you were lucky! I mean half the job is already done if your tank just fell out. I have to get under there and take mine out....that's twice the work!

I will definitely take pictures, good suggestion. If you have trouble getting yours in, maybe I can help once I get it figured out. If it isn't raining here this weekend, I hope to get started on it.

**Action** · 06-17-2002, 03:17 PM

T,

Oh yeah, it was easy out. However that was in Oklahoma doing about 45 MPH. I still have parts in OK city that I wish I could find right now.

I do have the old tank and a new one. I will take a pic and email it to you. I will not post it for it will be too big to fit on the forum. (And I am just too blonde on trying to figure out how to shrink pics. My next learning experience) The tanks do not look the same and the pics might help. You can also look at my photo gallery @ airstreamphotos.com. I took a pic of the back end of a safari so I could use it as a guide.

You have also not stated why the tank needs to be replaced. Could it use patching instead? And removing the belly skin under the tank is not that difficult.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

PS I bought my silver bullet in Indiana last April and trailered it to AZ. It was in that trip that......... "I left my heart..." (strike that, I mean waste system) in Oklahoma. ~~~~~ Also,if you have any left over rain, send it back this way. Haven't seen falling water in over 6 months.

Tamara · 06-17-2002, 06:03 PM

Action,

The previous owner said the last time he ran water into the toilet it leaked out the back end. So he assumes the tank needs replacing. I figured maybe, just maybe there is bad fitting somewhere, but what do I know? Once I get in and take a look I guess we will know for sure. Would be nice if the tank could stay, unless it is a good idea to replace it at some point before the inevitable leak happens anyway.

Your pic of the back end looks pretty much the same as mine, only mine has a ton more stuff crammed in there! I'll send you a pic when I can for reference, and would love to see your tank photos. (How sad is that, trading pics of holding tanks and toilet configurations!!)

Wish I could send you some rain, we've got more on the way this week.
Don't get too dehydrated out there in that dry heat! :-)

**Action** · 06-17-2002, 06:18 PM

T,

Depending on the location of the crack, you might find that it can be repaired. The repair can be done with fiberglas and resin. The trick is to work with a clean surface.

I guess this is a little wierd. We've never met and already we are talking about "back end" pics, tanks that store waste, cracks, and generally crap containment.

Whew

>>>>>>>>>Action

thenewkid64 · 06-17-2002, 07:25 PM

I feel that I must tell you that without fail at almost all Airstream functions the subject comes up regarding Black water, Grey water, what kind of tissue and how it dissolves etc. Of course it is usually over a meal as well. So this thread and it's current topic actually tells me that the crew around here is as normal as the rest of us.

Tamara · 06-17-2002, 08:59 PM

Brett,

Well that's a relief...I hope maybe we are getting to the "bottom" of the problem, who knows - maybe I can "flush" away my tank troubles after all....

Sorry, couldn't resist.

**Action** · 06-18-2002, 10:11 AM

T & all,

I uploaded a pic of a comparison in black water tanks in my photo gallery. The new one is side by side with the old one. Can ya tell which one is the old one?

As always, there will be some work that I need to do with the new one.

I vow to get to the end of this job!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

Tamara · 06-18-2002, 05:03 PM

Action,

Great pic, thanks. It's wider than I thought it would be. Sorry you have to cut a hole in the new one. I'll have to keep that in mind.

Still no trailer at home yet....should be here no later than Saturday though. Hope to get started working on the tank asap.

Good luck, let me know how it goes.