How to replace drain petcock?

[mookiedog]

My white nylon freshwater petcock is fractured.

I started by removing the two screws holding it in, but the petcock refuses to come out of the tank. I can rotate it a bit, but that's all.

After that, I tried removing all 4 straps that hold the black plastic cover in place, but the black plastic cover and the tank don't seem to want to lower to the ground. Maybe there are hoses that aren't long enough to let it lower down?

This seems like a lot of work to replace a $2 plastic petcock. Am I missing something obvious here?

Thanks for your time.

[wolverine]

Not sure if your 97 is the same but our 05 had an access plate that had to be removed to unhook the petcock valve from the hose connecting it to the water tank. I replaced that hose at the same time I replaced the petcock valve. I also added an extra piece of galvanized steel to protect the valve cock from being struck by road debris which caused the original petcock to be broken. Haven't had any issues with it since I added this bracket.

[Bob Thompson]

I replaced the one on my '97 Excella last winter, same problem. I was in Laughlin and was able to find a replacement valve at the Ace Hardware in Bullhead City. If I remember correctly, there are two screws on the flange of the petcock. Once the screws were removed, the petcock would either unscrew, or be pulled outward exposing a hose clamp. I don't remember which. I do remember is was very easy. My brain seems to think it was a hose and hoseclamp connection but then again I might be having a senior moment. You might start by studying the look of the petcock you have then going to Ace and find something similar. That will tell you the next step to remove the old petcock.

[mookiedog]

I tried pulling the white plastic draincock, prying it, unscrewing it. It is cracking from my efforts, but it shows no signs of coming free.

I don't have an access plate. The first pic shows that the black stuff seems to be a cover for the real water tank. On the bottom, it is just a huge expanse of black plastic.

The second pic shows some hoses coming down from above, presumably to the drain cocks on the bottom of the black plastic. I could lower the tank/cover a little. Do I need to remove those two drain cocks on the bottom of the black plastic?

[Bob Thompson]

My petcock looks more like this:

[mookiedog]

Mine looks like that too, except it is mounted to a big black plastic cover. Your cover appears to be metal from the photo, and seems to have an access plate. My plastic cover does not have an access plate.

For the record, this is a 1997 Safari 25'.

[Bob Thompson]

The access plate as you call it is actually part of the petcock. It seems possible that your petcock is glued to the pipe which feeds it.

[dscluchfc]

Lifting the closet floor in my 84 gave me access to the tube connecting the water tank to the petcock valve. A couple of worm clamps tightened around the hose from the tank to the petcock to secure it.
I loosened the clamps then gently pried the tube away from the nipple on the tank. then pulled the tube sans clamps through to the outside, removed the damaged petcock and reversed the procedure to replace.
I have had to do this twice now as the plastic only seems to be good for about 5 years on those petcock valves.

[Bob Thompson]

I'm thinking now that mine was a piece of hose slid onto the barbed end of the petcock valve and held in place with a hose clamp. Seems like I had a choice of two barbed end sizes at Ace Hardware and mine was the larger of the two sizes available. I remember that I had to try and save the water in the holding tank, so I stuck the end of a Sharpie marker in the hose to keep the water from running out while I was off to find the petcock.

[mookiedog]

Maybe I am not seeing what I think in your picture. I circled what looked to me like an access panel that unscrews from the bottom. Did I get that wrong? Not that it really matters in my case, because I have no access panel anyway.

[Bob Thompson]

Now I know it's true, I am having a senior moment. Damn. Went out and looked at it again and what you've circled is an access panel to get to the hose clamp. It's a rectangular piece of sheet metal with a screw in each corner.

[mookiedog]

Don't worry about it, and thanks for your input and pics!

My issue remains that a 1997 Safari has no access panel underneath.

I checked inside the coach and it sure looks like I would have to take out a bunch of woodwork to get at a hoseclamp from the top. Does anyone with a Safari know the procedure?

[mookiedog]

Here is an update:

Don't ever remove the straps holding the plastic cover to the frame thinking that you might be able to get access to the draincock from below.

That cover/tank combination is a right son-of-a-gun to get back on. Plus, the screws holding the straps on are of the self-tapping variety, which means that they don't hold very tight when you put them back in. I tried for an hour laying on my back to get that thing on and have failed so far.

Nuts.