How to remove tank holding pans?

[amaelish]

Hello my dear airstreamers!

I have looked for some insight/videos/anything on removing the black and gray water tank holding pan and haven't come up with much (seems easy for most people). We are in the process of removing ours and have removed all screws and have successfully dropped 3 of the 4 sides. But we've hit a snag. A literal and figurative snag. The driver side corner seems to be stuck on the side of the gray water tank and there doesn't seem a plausible way to slide it out with the tank angled down like it is.

Anyone have similar issues with removing this pan and can give any ideas?

Any thoughts on how to get that corner free or what (if anything) else it could be snagged on?

How about the number of a good psychiatrist? I will definitely need one if we can't solve this soon...

[Zybane]

You've disconnected all the drain fittings from the inside? I think its a crap design they way they have the tanks only supported by the pans meaning you need to disconnect everything from the tanks to drop them.

[dbj216]

Hello from Colorado: Such fun to drop the pan that holds up the black and gray water tanks. I assume there is no water in these tanks.

My 86 Limited 34 center bath has one pan for both tanks. The tanks will be suspended by their connections to drain lines, toilet flange, and vent pipes. Otherwise they are not secured to anything but resting on the pan.

The fresh water tank is between the axles. There is a propane line that might be hiding fasteners, or catching the lip of the pan. It did so on mine. There is also sealant between the pan and the frame cross members. This too may be holding up the pan on that one side.

I used my floor jack and a 2x6 under the pan so I could lower it evenly and slowly. It went back up that way too.

Photos for your enjoyment:

David

[perryg114]

Do you need to remove them? If you are rebuilding valves you don't need to remove the tanks. As the others have said, you need disconnect the from the top. This is especially true with the black water tank since it is connected to the toilet flange. How you get the flange off the tank, I have no idea.

The tank pan is not a bad idea but there is no way mine are coming out unless I break the heads off all the bolts holding the pan. They are all frozen from rust. I cut a bigger access hold in mine to replace the valves.

Perry

[GM Airstream]

Why are you taking out the tanks?.. to replace the valves... ???

Easiest way that we did it was to locate the position of the valve and then cut a access door in the sheet metal... we used the air powered 3 fingered cutter that zipped along in a matter of seconds... we had a access door under each of the valves...

Then we put some "nutplates" around the new access hole.. made a sheet plate that covers it back up.. bead of sealer around the primiter... and put the Stainless screws in...

Lucky we had the bolt up type of valve... as it was easy to get 'em in and out ... and next time... so much quicker...

If you have to pull the tanks... (only because they are cracked, leaking or someone put a screw into it from the top side...) I wouldn't undertake the job... its just too much work... to go inside... and outside to remove items.. and when your done.. if you damage one thing.. your going to have to start with new... which no one can seem to find what they used when the built it.. and airstream doesn't stock parts per se...

[amaelish]

Hi everyone! Thanks for the responses. We need access to the tanks - I'm pretty positive we have a leak in one of them that needs patching or replacing. We have checked the valves and the piping we could access from the front and they seem to be good. Had to wedge myself under the trailer and leverage the tank up while my husband pulled the pan out in order to drop it. For anyone that is curious - once you get all of the bolts out the pan doesn't just drop - you need to slide it out from a ledge on the frame behind the rear tires. Now onto searching the forums on locating a crack in the tanks!

[dbj216]

Hi again: It is rare to find a leak in a polyethylene molded tank. It is common to find a leak at a fitting or valve, especially the infamous freshwater drain valve.

You probably know where your leak was coming from. I suggested to another Forum member that he taste a drop of the leaking water and see if it was freshwater or black water. There was no response to my idea.

My Limited developed a drip from the freshwater tank pan. I verified it was not the freshwater drain valve plumbing. I found the leak in a TEE in the lines that make up the "low point drains". You probably know of the three little cheap plastic valves located under the microwave cabinet, below the subfloor. See photo.

I had to drop my freshwater tank to get at these plumbing lines running to the kitchen sink and 12v water pump under the wardrobe closet. The lines run under the subfloor but on top of the freshwater tank. Handy, huh? I replumbed them in PEX, and eliminated the low point drains as I don't use them in my winterizing process.

My point is a drip from a tank pan doesn't mean the leak is from the tank. Dropping a tank is a lot of work, putting it back is even more work. But you can get it done. In fact you are well on your way.

I might suggest if you have the tank out, that you fill it with water and let it sit overnight. You might even put it on a couple, three 2x4s so you can see the bottom of the tank. Then look for the wet spot in the morning. This might help in verifying the tank is good or not. You can not put water in any of the three tanks without the pan in place.

David

[frone]

Hi David, I have a cracked header drain valve that I need to fix. After reading your post I am considering removing mine it if I can winterize without the drain valve. How do you winterize without those valves? Thanks!!

[dbj216]

There are as many recipes for winterizing an Airstream as there are for making a Thanksgiving turkey.

I like the pump, blow, and fill method.

I drain and rinse the grey and black tanks.

I drain and siphon the water out of the water heater tank with faucets open to vent. I put the tank on bypass.

I run the 12v pump until it sucks air out of the fresh water tank. I get air at every faucet.

Then I connect my compressor to the city water inlet and blow 40 psi air through every line one faucet at a time, starting with the farthest away faucet. Twice or three times, until I get no water out of any faucet or flush.

Last, I connect my pump inlet to a jug of pink antifreeze and let the pump fill all the lines, faucets with RV antifreeze. I get pink at every faucet. It takes a gallon plus of antifreeze. I put about a cup of antifreeze down each of the traps. I put about a quart of RV antifreeze in the fresh water tank, grey tank, and black tank.

This recipe has worked for me. I have not missed not having low point drains nor do I know if I drained the fresh water tank completely. I don't think having an inch of ice in the bottom of the fresh tank is going to hurt anything.

There are other winterizing recipes on these Forums.

David

[frone]

Thanks, when I replumb I will follow your lead.

[SpaceCadet91]

Hi David,

Do you happen to have the dimensions of your black tank? I've got the same tank setup below it sounds like and I'm replacing my black with a second fresh tank but have been having trouble getting the true dimensions to shop for the replacement.

Thanks!

Cathy

[dbj216]

Hi SpaceCadat19: I've been away and kinda behind in AirForums.

Being rather weird, I did measure the height, width and length of the fresh tank and photograph the Inca emblem and part number. I have no idea why.

Inca Plastics has a nice catalog online that gives dimensions of all the tanks they mold for folks. You will need to look in their Airstream tank catalog too. Maybe you will find this tank in their catalog.

Hope this helps...

David