Where is it safe to drill into the belly pan?

[jcooper0]

I want to install two sewer hose carriers to the underside of a 2016 26U. (Actually 5"x5"x7 ft vinyl fence posts.) I plan to rivet an 18 inch long 2" inch x 3/16" aluminum plate to the belly pan and use sheet metal screws to attach the carriers to the aluminum plate.

Besides putting the rivets where the holes are for the current carrier, where is it safe to drill holes in the belly pan? I have looked at the 2016 Flying Cloud parts book and I can't find a diagram of where the fresh water tank lives.

Is there a space above the pan between the pan and the hoses/tanks? If I drill just through the belly pan with a drill bit stop set to just go through the belly pan, will that keep me from drilling into anything important?

Any other advice?

Thanks,
Jeff

[dbj216]

Well, your trailer likely has tank pans to hold the fresh tank and waste water tanks up. The tank pans are likely insulated with about an inch of insulation.

I just installed a sewer hose (stinky slinky) holder under our old 69 Globetrotter as there wasn't room for the hose in the bumper storage compartment. I used the two frame rails for the main brackets. There you can have a steel material for your fasteners and are safe to use. I also drilled into the center line of the trailer's belly pan for my third support. You will have propane lines attached to the belly pan under the trailer.

Generally speaking, other than the tanks, there isn't much on the other side of the belly pan aluminum. You can use your magnet to find the frame cross members which would give you a steel material for attaching your "fence post".

Others will chime in who know more about your particular year and model than I know.

David

[richard5933]

If you're making your own hose carriers then hopefully you can make them long enough to span the two frame rails. If so, just mount them to the frame rails to support it like David mentioned above.

Have you confirmed that your hose AND the fittings on both ends will fit in the proposed vinyl fence post?

[01bambi16]

Two places.
NO
PLACE

[ArrBee]

If I were me, I would order some new belly pan rivets, drill out the rivets on some of the pan and take a look at the area you want to drill into. There will be insulation in the way but a look is worth the effort, because if you it drill into something you are not going to be happy. If you have access to a borescope you can take a look with very little intrusion into the pan.

[Hermes]

Originally Posted by dbj216

I used the two frame rails for the main brackets. There you can have a steel material for your fasteners and are safe to use.

I agree, I wouldn't attach anything to the belly pan sheet metal. If you look at the rivet pattern you will see where the frame rails and cross members are. As Dave said, if you screw your fasteners to the frame rails you'll be OK.

[jcooper0]

Thank you to everyone for the advice.

And yes, the vinyl is 5x5 inches square and holds the hoses both in length and width.

Jeff

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by 01bambi16

Two places.
NO
PLACE

2 /\ agreed for the most part

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f44...-160792-2.html Note post 24...1/2" at best between pan and tank, where present.

having almost finished with the petcock replacement this was a great thread and answered my where to be VERY careful when cutting.