Dump hose carrier question (T1N Interstates)

[InterBlog]

To my knowledge, most T1N Interstates (2004-2007) were produced with the Valterra EZ Hose Carrier, which comes in sizes of 18", 26", 46", and 64".

The T1N Interstate has the 26" carrier, which is too short to hold the type of stinky slinky that will easily meet the needs of some dump situations. The next off-the-shelf option is the 46", but there is not sufficient room to install it (the Sprinter's leaf springs are in the way).

The original owner of our Interstate got around this problem by retaining the OEM carrier and its very short dump hose while carrying a second dump hose inside the Interstate in case they got caught short (multiple puns intended).

Well, that never worked for me - I want to carry one decent-sized hose and be done with futzing around. So now we aim to finally fix this and I see two alternatives here:

(1) Buy the 46" Valterra and hacksaw it down to an intermediate size that will hold a long-enough hose while still fitting a Class B. Based on my dumping experience to date, we need about a 36" carrier. I can squeeze that in by modifying the sheet metal brackets that Airstream fabbed in order to mount the original Valterra.

(2) Make a new carrier out of PVC drain pipe, which is not as straightforward as you might think because Valterra appears to have set its products to be non-standard sizes so that folks could not make easy substitutions. They want you to buy their products, not retrofit with much cheaper stock PVC.

I'm curious as to what other folks have come up with here, because we cannot be the only T1N owners who have realized that the OEM carrier is simply too short.

Comments?

Here's a pic of the original 26" Valterra, dismounted from under the chassis, and a reasonable-sized stinky slinky compressed for comparison.

[Boxster1971]

I'm not sure about other early Interstates, but our 1971 Airstream trailer had a dump hose storage compartment on the rear bumper. A hose carrier like the link below could be attached to your new rear hitch carrier.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...er-black/60174


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[InterBlog]

That is an idea. However, we are then left with a predicament if a particular trip calls for us swapping out the hitch carrier for the original tiny hitch step. It would save us precious length to occasionally lose that thing, for instance if we were doing an urban trip and parking were a concern. If the carrier comes off, then the hose container comes off.

However I am quickly getting addicted to the hitch carrier as attached, with or without cooler in place, so those instances might be rare. I just hauled in $200 worth of groceries and it's much easier to open the back doors and set big bags and packages on the wide carrier step, get out, and then lift them off the step, vs. exiting down the very narrow sliding door well step and running board with a full load in hand.

[73shark]

How hard would it be to update it to the current macerator system which uses a 3/4" garden hose?

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by 73shark

How hard would it be to update it to the current macerator system which uses a 3/4" garden hose?

I wouldn't want one, not after the macerator issues I've seen on this forum. That is one of the worst possible systems to have as weakest link in the Interstate chain, and I've heard about pump leaking or line leaking or check valve installed wrong or somehow not working or macerator line trap freezing or gosh knows what else.

Right now, the worst thing that can happen to us is a that Valterra tank valve starts leaking, which is extremely unlikely because my husband replaced them all with new ones when we did the gray tank refurb about a year and a half ago. Even total loss of coach power would not affect us with a gravity system. For now I'm inclined to keep it that way.

[unifreck]

Interblog-
I used air conditioning ducting (aluminum squiggly coil stuff) and attached it above lowest portion of chassis. The hose easily follows the inside contours of the ducting if you don't have anything attached to the distal end. Probably cost 5 to 10 bucks at big box hardware and use marine grade attachments not the "stainless steel " the big box stores sell, unless you use your magnets to check quality. AEW

[AF T-birds]

I used 8" square vinyl fence post and mounted it on the passenger side using the brackets for the running boards. I riveted one end cap on and used a hinge on the one I access the hose thru. It may be a little hard to get at but at least it is out of the way until needed. :-)

[SpiderWebb]

You may want to take a look at DW Incorporated in Elkhart, IN. Their website is: www.DWIncorp.com
They make sewer hose carriers and can also customize the length. They also have an option for the rear bracket to be "floating" so it slides up and down the tube to where you need to attach it. Also, their carriers have nicer positive latching covers vs. the screw-in type which always seem to hold debris and thus are finicky to close. Like you our Sprinter coach came with an unusable short length carrier and we replaced with the above from DW Incorp. FYI, it seems that it takes a minimum of 57 inches to hold a 15 foot sewer hose with the connectors, etc. Our coach had room for a 65" and that was plenty of room. Good luck.

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by unifreck

Interblog-
I used air conditioning ducting (aluminum squiggly coil stuff) and attached it above lowest portion of chassis. The hose easily follows the inside contours of the ducting if you don't have anything attached to the distal end. Probably cost 5 to 10 bucks at big box hardware and use marine grade attachments not the "stainless steel " the big box stores sell, unless you use your magnets to check quality. AEW

Distal end? Are you a dentist? 😄


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[InterBlog]

Oh wow, what good suggestions! I hadn't thought of checking out things like HVAC ducting and fence posts! Thanks!

[Jbray333]

We also have the T1N and discovered that the Press-o-Fit blue 10 ft hose compresses to exactly fit the stock hose carrier. You'll need to leave the orange caps off both ends for it to fit, but I have never had to use the extra 10' hose stored under the bed. Works perfectly!

[InterBlog]

Ten foot hose is a bit slim for my taste. The issue with some of them is that, while they CAN be stretched out to ten feet, SHOULD they be? If they are too taut, what happens is that they want to snap back whenever the weight of the wastewater load is added to them. Which requires one of two countermeasures:

(1) A large heavy object such as a chunk of concrete to weigh down the dump hole end so it won't snap back, or

(2) A second person to hold the hose and make sure this does not occur.

I travel alone a lot of the time, and if the dump station doesn't have the aforesaid chunk of concrete or large wooden beam present, I have a logistics problem. That's why I want a good long hose and carrier, so that I don't have to struggle with this any longer.

[unifreck]

UKDUDE
Yep, guilty of being down in the mouth at times. I sometimes think of myself as an engineer, architect, and mechanic because I do design and build BRIDGES. AEW

[73shark]

Not sure if this is what unifreck was referring to or not but it's stiffer than what I think of when I think of flex ductwork. And it's pretty cheap.

[HiJoeSilver]

AS needs to figure out a way to work in a way they can incorporate the square 4" bumper tube that you find on SOBs into their bumped. They're great for storing the slinky in.

I just finished brainstorming how to retrofit one in my 79 safari bumper.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by HiJoeSilver

AS needs to figure out a way to work in a way they can incorporate the square 4" bumper tube that you find on SOBs into their bumped. They're great for storing the slinky in.

A bit of Airstream Interstate history…
Interstates only came with slinkies in the T1N models. When the switch was made to the NCV3 Sprinter-based Interstates, Airstream also switched to macerator pumps discharging through a hose on a built-in reel. This was one of the first in a series of many modifications over the years that added complexity and price without adding much in the way of utility.

So Airstream doesn't really need to figure out a way to incorporate bumper storage of slinkies in Interstates that haven't even used slinkies in nearly ten years. And for owners of older T1N Interstates, I think the price of an aftermarket storage bumper that doesn't— and can't— match the lines of the van would be more than the problem is worth. There are plenty of ways to provide concealed slinky storage underneath, if one is willing to get creative on placement.

[InterBlog]

Project completed! We discovered an easy way to extend the original Valterra carrier beyond Airstream's mounting plate at which the smaller version used to stop. This minimized the work, reduced the need to purchase new hardware, and prevented new holes from having to be drilled in the chassis. Details in the blog post. Sorry about the crummy pic. Sun angle is still very low this morning

VALTERRA DUMP HOSE CARRIER MODIFICATION FOR THE AIRSTREAM INTERSTATE

[bugsbunny]

Thanks for the great write up! We need to do the same and this is very helpful!

What length hose are you able to carry now?

Thanks
Katy

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by bugsbunny

Thanks for the great write up! We need to do the same and this is very helpful!

What length hose are you able to carry now?

Thanks
Katy

Now there's a good question. The hose I show in the photos... I believe that was our previous owner's home-made solution to the tiny on-board hose. As such, I don't know that it's a standard off-the-shelf length (and there's no brand name that I can find). I CAN tell you that it will lie on the ground at 11 feet without contracting under its own power, and I can extend it to 15 feet without feeling like I am over-stretching to the point where it wants to snap back on me. And it compresses down to about 36 inches.

[73shark]

Since flared end fits inside the existing tube, does the slinky want to hang up on it or did you have to bevel the end to prevent this?