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tjdonahoe · 07-24-2016, 03:37 PM

I pulled the grey water handle, on my 2013, 31' classic, and the valve opened but the rod ,extension, came out, the tank drained fine.To reinstall the extension do I need to pull the complete pan covering the tanks, or is there a simpler way?..

OTRA15 · 07-24-2016, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

I pulled the grey water handle, on my 2013, 31' classic, and the valve opened but the rod ,extension, came out, the tank drained fine.To reinstall the extension do I need to pull the complete pan covering the tanks, or is there a simpler way?..

Could you post a photo or two? Isn't the end of the rod threaded, if I am picturing this correctly? Is it possible to insert the rod back in place, and carefully try to engage the threaded end back into the gate valve, by turning it clockwise? You should be able to "feel" when the threaded end is finding the hole it came out of, but don't push too hard. If you have engaged the threads correctly, the rod should feed itself back in place.

Sorry if I got this wrong, but without a photo it is hard to discuss . . .

Good luck!

Peter

CRH · 07-25-2016, 12:41 AM

My valve extensions are held by a small rivet..dropping the pan or cutting an access hole is the only way to get to the place that needs riveted....I replaced my valves last summer and cut an access hole and made a cover panel from a street sign. Airstream should have put an access panel in to begin with.

tjdonahoe · 07-25-2016, 06:08 AM

Well there CRH , after studying this after the temps cooled off and the sun started dropping , I could see with my small flashlight, you are absolutly correct, the revit broke or wore out, the rod is 20 inches long and the connection is hidden inside the tank belly pan. The black tank valve is in the open, an easy fix. Soooo it looks as if the belly pan covering the tanks is going to be dropped, after I run it up on some blocks so this fat boy can get under it ....

CRH · 07-25-2016, 06:49 AM

I would cut a hole and put in an access panel. Sooner or later, the valves will require service.....My owner's manual says cutting a hole is how Airstream dealers do valve service.

Wingeezer · 07-25-2016, 06:53 AM

Why not just cut a small opening to do the job then install a cover plate - in case you need to get in there again - rather than dropping the whole pan?

Beats e why AS don't build the trailer that way in the first place!

Incidentally, I have a third slide valve on my grey/black tank drain line - right at the outlet where you connect the drain hose. It is a standard add-on you can buy and just fastens with the same sort of connector as the hose.

I installed it mainly because I have found that sometimes when leaving one campsite, the piping doesn't fully drain, depending on trailer level, and then at the next campground I get a nasty surprise when I remove the cap to install the hose!

This way I don't open that third valve until the hose is connected again, so no surprise!

Reading your post makes me think that an added advantage to having this third valve would be that if I were camping and had a problem whereby one of the main slide valves stuck open. We could still function ok on the trip until I got the trailer home and had the tools available to effect a proper repair.

Brian.

tjdonahoe · 07-25-2016, 11:41 AM

Was very easy to drop the pan , after getting through all the sealant around the drain pipe,I used a 3/32 cotton key as there was nothing near it to catch on , cleaning up bolts and applying anti-seize for the next time....faster than cutting another hole and sealing it up, just used 2 jacks with 2 2/2's to drop and put back in place 5 hrs with 4 cups of coffee, no hurry as I have all day......thanks everyone for the input....