who tows with the water tank full

[robertyoke]

when you at 24,000 gvw whats a couple hundred pounds. 130 gal fresh and most of the time it full.

-robert

 

[AMink]

Turns out the rv dealer left the tanks almost full

When we first picked our trailer up, it felt heavy. Turns out the fresh, grey, and black were filled totally full! After draining the black and grey, it pulled more easily. They forgot to empty them after the leak tests.

 

[WMorgan]

I've got a 32 gal. tank and tow with it full to balance out the 1/3 full blackwater tank. I like to get that agitation action going in the blackwater tank. Also, the full freshwater tank up front gives me a little more pin weight on my fairly light trailer.

 

[GAllen]

We always dry camp at Glamis. I used to fill up on the way, but I'm usually too tired to hassle it so I fill 120 (999lbs) gallons at home. The truck runs so good I can't feel it anyway.

 

[Dieselnerd]

My previous 5th wheel had the water tank all the way forward so I always towed with it empty because 70 gallons of water put too much weight on the pin. My current 5th wheel has the water tank over the axles so I will keep about 1/3 tank for use on the road. We never dry camp with the fiver so it's just for flushing and drinking on the way.

 

[nps]

Always full, all the time.

 

[Babyfat]

always full of water, fridge and cooler full of beer

 

[The patriot]

I have a 60 gal tank and I run it full.

It seems to ride better that way.

We have no big mountains around here to worry about.

Eric

 

[driverno8]

always full of water, fridge and cooler full of beer

I agree!! Mine to. I leave both full when it's sitting on the side of the house. I'll tow full of water when going dry camping, but if we're going someplace with hook ups it's 1/3 for me. Same reasons as everyone else; clean bathroom. But when it's parked on the side of the house it's full of water incase of emergency. (mainly earthquakes out here in So Cal). As for the beer in the fridge. I never turn my fridge off. Trailer is always plugged into the house. Can't let the beer get warm, then cold, then warm, then cold, etc. Plus I like having the fridge ready to go incase of that emergency. And yes the batteries are unhooked when it's plugged in that long. Also, carry a couple of 5 gallon jugs full of water where ever we go. You just never know.

 

[RustyJC]

I only tow with enough water to flush the toilet, but we don't dry camp.



Rusty

 

[CRuth]

Only 30 gal but I always run full.

Coming back from camping, a friend in his motorhome was following me and blew a radiator hose in the middle of nowhere. No water around. He had a spare hose and luckily a full tank of water. Made any extra weigh really worth it right then.

 

[CumminsPuller]

Resurrecting an old thread.....those of you who are traveling with partially filled tanks, and/or empty, where/how do you find a water source to fill the tank once closer to your destination? This is assuming you are not hooking up to water at your destination. The hand full, maybe two hand fulls, of times we have camped have been at full hook up sites. Attempting to expand our horizons a bit, we are planning a trip with friends where there are no hook-ups. Worried about carrying the extra weight of approximately 500lbs. The cautious individual I am, I think the bigger worry could be, the stress on the tank and what could happen. Advice and thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

 

[Wiredawg]

Pun intended, you gotta weigh the pros and cons.... the RV was designed, or at least configured to carry full of water. I used to have a Cyclone, so when bonnie camping, mostly in the beach, I filled to the top. Recommend identifying where you fresh water tank is and calculate where its going to add weight, and if it's going to affect safe handling and weight carrying. If really concerned, load er up to full camping configuration, take er for a test drive, and weigh it on the weigh out.

Let's us know what you come up with.

Cheers, Ron

 

[CumminsPuller]

Thanks Ron for chiming in.....I am not so much concerned with the the overall GCVW, etc. We have room to spare...It is more so the structural integrity of said fresh water tank. I am sure it would be fine, but at what distance? I know there is no way to qualify that, shooting hypotheticals here. But filling up on the road or close to destination, how does one find a water source when dry camping?

 

[AH64ID]

I’ve always towed with a full tank and never seen an issue from it, it’s designed to do so... just like the fuel tank on your truck.

The tanks aren’t generally baffled so I prefer to tow empty or full, but not with a partial tank.

 

[Wiredawg]

Thanks Ron for chiming in.....I am not so much concerned with the the overall GCVW, etc. We have room to spare...It is more so the structural integrity of said fresh water tank. I am sure it would be fine, but at what distance? I know there is no way to qualify that, shooting hypotheticals here. But filling up on the road or close to destination, how does one find a water source when dry camping?

Can't say it has never happened or cant happen, but I have never seen or heard of any of the tanks collapsing. Is there something about the RV aside from general concerns, like rust, age, structural issues. IMHO, its critical, at least to me to have full confidence in my equipment operating as designed.

I’ve always towed with a full tank and never seen an issue from it, it’s designed to do so... just like the fuel tank on your truck.

If truck going slower up grade is only issue, I'd go for it... There has been a couple grades out west 34KLbs I got down to 40. That's what the good ole slow lane is for.

The tanks aren’t generally baffled so I prefer to tow empty or full, but not with a partial tank.

Agreed, on my former MS, I never boonies it, so allowed about 10 gallons... enough to flush toilet AND make ice in the fridge while running down the road.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Tuesdak]

where/how do you find a water source to fill the tank once closer to your destination?

First off you appear to have a well built Arctic Fox. Full, 1/2 full, empty isn't going to matter up to the limit of your truck. Now if you had a 22' International Airstream that is known for busting the weak frame due to the water tanks all the way in the back... You don't.

Plan ahead. Where are you going to stop? Look these places up and see if they have water available, now*. Some campgrounds you fill up on the way in. Others you fill up 50 miles before you get there. Aka going to The North Rim Grand Canyon ... due to a pipe break they recommended filling up at Jacob Lake 50 miles away. At least that's on the way. Oh, you blew a damn ST trailer tire and are running behind? Guess what: some places have hours of operation and you arrive after hours all like SOL. Commonly water would be at fuel stops and RV parks. Anywhere close to your destination will do. *Now: as some places do not have potable water that did in the past.

Some use the water tanks to keep the weight down. Then fill when they get there or close by.
My 2003 was short 500 LBS for the ability of my AF 27-5L. It's 80 Gal of water is 666.4 LBS of the total 13,000 GVWR. So if I ever pushed the limit of stuff in the trailer running low water was a way to keep it light enough. The less weight the better for tires. Some grades here in AZ will make you feel that 1/4 ton of extra weight.

This said there are some good reasons to fill the fresh water tank. Also have some bottled water on hand.
1) Everyone assumes they are gonna make it to the destination. Roadside assistance is for more than blown ST trailer tires. You may be stuck somewhere like a repair shop for hours or days. Water may be 5' further than your hose reaches if it's available at all.
2) No specific day to be there. May stop somewhere overnight and take Three days instead of one to reach a place.
3) North Rim Grand Canyon is the best example: "Water Availability: Pipeline breaks are common, and Grand Canyon National Park recommends that hikers and runners be prepared to filter or disinfect creek water along corridor trails. Water at 1.5 Mile Resthouse, 3 Mile Resthouse, and Plateau Point has been shut off for the winter. Water is still available at the trailhead and Indian Garden." As I noted it's 100 mile round trip if you get there and the pipe broke, again.
4) My POV is the dessert. Better to have water than "HOPE" they have it anywhere on the way. Well water, if the well hasn't dried up, isn't the best quality water in some places.
5) The RV is a pit stop on the way so I always have some water in the tank for flushing.
6) Skip the long process of filling the tank when arriving after a long day on the road ... and the lines. Sometimes there is a line for the slow fill process. Pumps are slow and so are people on their hoses.

Aside of the RV water system disinfection procedure... I add some chlorine if I fill from well water. If I run out of bottled water I boil water from the freshwater tank for drinking. Giardia is no fun.

Black and grey water is best dumped when you leave the campground, some fuel stations let you dump for free, our local sewer treatment plant has a free RV dump if you have a local bill from them. Some National Parks have a dump fee. The dump by the diesel pump in Flagstaff is my favorite as I can top off fuel while dumping the tanks. National Parks can have trouble and be unable to let you dump sometimes. I have run into this. It sucks when you go from hot weather to a hailstorm and the warm/hot near full tanks "heave" and smell bad...

Smell... Look up Air Admittance Valve and replace your cheap RV unit with a better Studor Redi-Vent Air Admittance Valve Model #20362. (At The Home Depot) Generally need 2 of them: 1 for under kitchen sink and 1 under bathroom sink. Maybe 1 more for optional washer dryer area?

 

[bigceltic]

I empty everything except the hot water tank (6 gal) and fill up as soon as I reach the destination campground (unless, of course, there are full hookups) - but we do a lot of dry camping. On the way out, I dump the grey and black tanks, and drain the freshwater tank. Easier to tow, and better fuel econ.

 

[bcbender]

Empty tanks.. (3 gal + deodorizer in black tanks).. I always keep a few gal in the fresh tank since the one time my son turned the water pump (not water heater on) and it ran w/o water for hours... I only hauls fresh water (100gal) when I go to the race track, swap meet, or another Dry camp as I do not trust finding good clean water on site. May be only for me but my coach is 13' high and 44' long and weighs 13K empty so not gaining any MPG no matter what I do. (unless I get a pusher truck behind me...)

 

[bcbender]

ecommend identifying where you fresh water tank is and calculate where its going to add weight,

Most freshwater tanks are located up front of the axle, at least on the coaches Ive been around.