Dump Valve Handle - broke...

[Craig]

The wife was at the trailer this weekend and came home holding the dump valve handle (picture attached). Said she pulled handle to empty the grey water tank, the valve opened, and the handle came off in her hand. You can barely see in the pic, but there are two small holes at the end of the handle and one of them on this peice is broken through.

Now I'm stuck (without the trailer) trying to figure out how to repair this next time I'm at the trailer. She said it looked like it might have been riveted to an extension rod that attached to the valve. Anyone know how this piece attaches to the valve??? Any help on how to fix this would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

[Van]

You should be able to purchase a replacement extension that fits it at the RV parts store. Doesnt the hand grip just screw off the extension bar? If now, i am sure you can whip something up with the replacement pieces from the RV parts store.

[john hd]

craig

it is just held in place by a pop rivet, the extention is an aluminum tube.

should be able to rerivit on, unless the end is gone. can't tell in the photo for sure.

if it is broken just cut off and redrill. a stainless cotter key would work well too.

the fun part is getting to it, hopefully there is an access hole aready on your belly pan.

if not, you will need to make one!

john

[wayner1239]

Mine did the same thing a couple of years ago. I drilled a new hole and put a nail in it and bent it so it wouldn't come out as a temporary repair. I haven't had any more trouble with it so the temporary repair may be a permanent one.
Luckily I was able to repair mine outside the belly pan.
Wayne

[Dan@LED4RV]

Hey Craig
I'm sure after almost 4 years you have your dump valve repaired by now. I thought since I ran across this, others would also, so I decided add to the thread to let people know this handle is still available.

Click here to see the Thedford T- handle.

[Capt Quirk]

Originally Posted by Dan@LED4RV

Hey Craig
I'm sure after almost 4 years you have your dump valve repaired by now. I thought since I ran across this, others would also, so I decided add to the thread to let people know this handle is still available.

Click here to see the Thedford T- handle.

Thanks for posting that, ours broke today. Problem is, it was pushed in when it broke. Am I going to be able to be able to attach the handle... without a huge headache?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Capt Quirk

Thanks for posting that, ours broke today. Problem is, it was pushed in when it broke. Am I going to be able to be able to attach the handle... without a huge headache?

If the handle broke out at the end, all you would have to do is unthread the old handle part, and either thread on the new one, or a long-ish bolt that will fit the threads (I THINK it's 1/4"x20) so you can pull it out enough to put the new handle on.

[Wingeezer]

When we bought our trailer used, the first time I went to dump the black tank I found that the handle - which was sort of a dog leg affair - had been broken and the previous owner tried to do a repair which worked - but only just - it was all wobbly and becasue of the dog leg you had to use two hands to pull the valve open.

The original was made from bent alum. tube with a threaded end and screw in plastic tee handle.

I couldn't do much to fix it so i ordered a new one thru an Airstream dealer.

When it arrived many weeks later, the angles and dimensions were all wrong - woldn't fit at all!

So in the end I made up my own bent pull rod with a piece of steel rod and suitable threaded fitting welded on the end to accept the original handle


Much stronger and works great! Necessity is the mother of invention!


Brian.

[Capt Quirk]

Originally Posted by overlander63

If the handle broke out at the end, all you would have to do is unthread the old handle part, and either thread on the new one, or a long-ish bolt that will fit the threads (I THINK it's 1/4"x20) so you can pull it out enough to put the new handle on.

Because I didn't feel like wallowing in leaked sewage and mud, I didn't get too good a look at the place it broke off. But from what I could see, there is the T handle that threads, a tube that is about 10" long, and then the piece that attaches to, which looked pretty flush. It almost looked like there was a hole and pin that attach the tube to the rod that is flush. Can anybody confirm that description?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Capt Quirk

Because I didn't feel like wallowing in leaked sewage and mud, I didn't get too good a look at the place it broke off. But from what I could see, there is the T handle that threads, a tube that is about 10" long, and then the piece that attaches to, which looked pretty flush. It almost looked like there was a hole and pin that attach the tube to the rod that is flush. Can anybody confirm that description?

What you should have, from handle to valve, is:
1-handle
2-threaded rod, about 1.5" long
3-lock nut between handle and
4-aluminum tube
5-aluminum mount, riveted to belly pan wrap
6-hole in valve end of aluminum tube, large enough for a
7-1/8" aluminum rivet (aka #45)
8-shaft on dump valve

On some models, the tube has two 45 degree bends to clear the wheelwell.

[Capt Quirk]

Originally Posted by overlander63

7-1/8" aluminum rivet (aka #45)
8-shaft on dump valve

This is where the problem lies. It almost looked like the tube broke at the rivet hole. Am I going to be able to get enough of a grip to pull the shaft out to repair?

[Capt Quirk]

I ordered a valtara extension handle, paid for next day shipping, and discovered it wouldn't work. There was a threaded stud that the tube screwed onto. It broke off too short to attach the new tube. I was able to unscrew the T-handle from the extension tube, spin the tube around, and just thread it on. It will work for now, but I really need to finish the cabin... fast!