Towing With Full Water Tank

[centennialman]

I just learned that the campground I am going to this morning doesn't have water this year. Glad that they posted it so I can plan ahead. Any advice on towing with your water tank full. I have never filled the tank at home and towed with it full.

[FCStreamer]

Obviously you will be towing a heavier trailer, but as long as you don't exceed the ratings of your tow vehicle, you will be fine. When I tow mine I tow with the tank almost empty, but once I towed with a full tank and went to a CAT scale to be sure. I was 200 lbs under by rear axle weight limit, so I was good to go. It didn't feel any different, but I always keep it under 65mph and drive very defensively.

[centennialman]

Thanks for the information. I don't carry a lot of cargo in the trailer and am not near the weight limits at all. I might see if I can find a place near the campground where I could fill though.

[lsbrodsky]

My trailer tows better with a full water tank; it likes that weight down low.
Larry

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

My trailer tows better with a full water tank; it likes that weight down low.
Larry

Same here!

[SuperTrouper]

Hi Steve,

We always store and travel with a full tank. Just be sure to run bleach through the system once a year. Check other threads for the sanitization procedures and chlorine mix ratio. One rule I have is to always put water through my filter before putting it in the tank, city water inlet or jerry can to keep the possibility of contamination low.

Brad

[Tater]

We sanitize yearly and tow with a full tank. We have run into a few occasions that required us to use our water due to freezing temperatures or other problems. We have had no issues towing with a full tank. The Silverado diesel doesn't notice the additional weight.

[Vantair]

Having a newer Sierra 1500 5.3 pulling a 25ft Intnl 5300dry 6300wet was concerned if traveling considerable mountain or long grades the extra lbs would be..... just extra lbs to pull or brake.
So would fill only 5 to 10 gals for the travels and toilet with cleaner bottled water for healthier consuming.
Top off water tank through inline filter once at destination. So far so good.

Do believe the full tank however gives her a smoother ride underway (Cadillac like) and would probably do traveling short distances or flat land or if graduating to 3/4 diesel

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

My trailer tows better with a full water tank; it likes that weight down low.
Larry

Mine, too.
It handles bumps or rough roads much more smoothly.
Sometimes I intentionally travel with a full fresh water tank.
Water on board allows for restroom breaks or meals in the trailer along the way to a destination.

[VT Wanderer]

Same as most of the others... we always start with a full water tank going anywhere from home in Vermont to the Rockies, Florida etc.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by SuperTrouper

Hi Steve,

We always store and travel with a full tank. Just be sure to run bleach through the system once a year. Check other threads for the sanitization procedures and chlorine mix ratio. One rule I have is to always put water through my filter before putting it in the tank, city water inlet or jerry can to keep the possibility of contamination low.

Brad

If you are filling with city water it is already treated and sanitised. I travel with full tank and drain it after each trip and start with fresh on the next.
If you are using well water than sanitize as suggested.
I to find the trailer more stable with a full tank.

[cazual6]

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

My trailer tows better with a full water tank; it likes that weight down low.
Larry

I concur

[AirMiles]

Same here - my 2017 FC25FB tows better with a full water tank. Yesterday I weighed it both empty and full and checked the weight at a cat scale. My truck had exactly the same axle weights either way. Airstream gained 260#. I will always tow with a full tank of fresh water.

[featherbedder]

In 59 yrs. of AS and several sob before AS all ways filled before towing never have had problems with weight or handling. I don't remember last time filled away from home as never ran dry, only use tank for sanitary reasons and dish washing only cook and drink bottled water. Sanitize tank 1 or 2 times a year but still will not drink tank water.

[BigHornStream]

Not only does my Airstream tow better with the weight of a full water tank I have good city water and enjoy being able to take it with me.

[rvb]

My 28' is light in the tongue and the water tank is in the front so I always tow with a full water tank and empty black and grey. I find it tows better with the tank full. No difference in gas mileage.

Sometimes we may be boon docking or don't know where we will be the next night so we keep the water full just to be safe as well. 2

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by BigHornStream

Not only does my Airstream tow better with the weight of a full water tank I have good city water and enjoy being able to take it with me.

What he (and several others) said. Dealer filled mine up prior to pick up and he said it would tow better with the full tank of water, plus the benefit of having water on board while traveling

[The Cralls]

I alway tow with a full fresh water tank. It makes the trailer ride better, I have water any time I need it. In the big scheme of things as long as your tow vehicle has the ratings to support the weight it has little to no effect on fuel mileage. My 28' International carries 39 gallons which adds about 320 lbs to my weight on a trailer that has a fully loaded weight just under 8000lbs and is normally at about 7000lbs.

[Airhead59]

I've towed my new (to me) Safari 25 a few hundred miles with empty tanks, a hundred miles with a full water tank (39 gallons), and a hundred miles with empty fresh and 40 gallons between black & gray tanks. Could not tell the difference with my F150 3.5L EB. Then again, 40 gallons of water is only 330 lbs, or less than 5% of GVW. Fill it if you need water at your destination.

[GammaDog]

Let me throw out a new (to this thread... and to me) point of view.

I fill the water tank before traveling and travel full. We've traveled 30,000 miles including four crossings of the Rockies with a full fresh water tank and the Tundra pulling it. We often dry camp or just hook up electric and use the water we carry when in transit (less set up = less pack up = quicker exit on transit days).

On this trip (we're 5 weeks and 5,000 miles into a 7 week 6,500 mile trip) we were heading north through Denver on I25. Rough road. Very rough where new construction met old pavement. When we got to Rocky Mountain National Park we had a slow fresh water leak. With help from you fine folk, tech support in JC and the man upstairs we have concluded that the leak is probably a crack in the tank where the drain petcock is threaded in but it has not gotten worse. The plan is to drip, drip, drip our way home then replace the tank on this 3 year old trailer.

Was it rough pavement and a full (320 pound) water tank that has caused the leak? I don't know. Would I still be looking at a water tank replacement if the tank had been empty that day? I don't know. Despite the comfort I get traveling with a full tank and being ready for anything, I'm reconsidering that for the future.