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Topic: Freshwater tank removal, help!!! (Read 1597 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Freshwater tank removal, help!!!

Reply #25
Isn't petroleum jelly better for this application... ;D
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Freshwater tank removal, help!!!

Reply #26
Quote
Now, I wish you all the luck in getting it back in. A karma to you for all you hard and well earned work.

Don, I am sure you have already thought of this, but I'll offer it anyway: When you are ready to put the tank back in, it might make it easier if you sprayed the entire side walls and bottom of the compartment and of the tank itself with such a lubricant as silicone or some other slippery substance. Corrosion X would do well on the top of the box beams/metal floor, but I don't know about putting it on the plastic tank. FWIW.
Don Hay
'92 Grandvilla, U-280
The Hayfever Express
Build #4055
'97 GEO Tracker
Life is like licking honey off a thorn.

Re: Freshwater tank removal, help!!!

Reply #27
Don, just a thought: now that the tank is out is there a way you can experiment with some heat to to see if it would increase the flexibility of the tank?? Would it flex if hot?
Enough to get past any obstructions? The reason I mention this is I didn't see any mention of heat in any of the preceding posts.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Freshwater tank removal, help!!!

Reply #28
Thanks Neal,

Especially thanks for the Por-15 info! That is very encouraging. I will keep the forum abreast of my progress, it may one day be of help to someone in a similar situation. The main reason I am attacking my bulkhead problem from above, as well as below, is to get a handle on the rust problem on the subframe. I saw evidence under and around the little sewer flap of a repair that wasn't very well done. It was a piece of painted sheet aluminum over an area that had been apparently cut out. I decided to investigate and found that the piece of longitudinal angle iron that the compartment bottom trim is attached to was covered in rust. I don't know how much the previous owner new about what was wrong down there, but I actually talked to him before buying it from the dealership and he didn't warn me about it, so I conclude that he was ignorant of the incompetent repairs that had been carried out on his coach. There was no record of any such work...

In any case, I have started down this road and I plan to take full advantage of the access from above to insure that the bulkhead connection is as strong as new and protected from rust and water intrusion. By putting backing plates the across the full width of the frame members that I put through bolts in and welding gussets where appropriate, I believe I can do that. Also, it will enable me (I hope) to remove the broken roloks and use the same holes in many cases. We will see...

Long way to go at this point...

Don

I've used and I am a big fan of POR-15.

It's a fussy 3 step (or 4, if you final coat with a color or clear coat of your choice) process and one needs to follow ALL of the directions exactly, but the results are beyond equal in my experience. 
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Freshwater tank removal, help!!!

Reply #29
Dave et al, regarding the KY etc. I dread the idea of forcing it back in, so at this point, my plan is to remove the vertical angle iron that is tack welded on the right side of the compartment and replace it with some aluminum that I can bolt on. It would make any future FW tank removal more like a 30 minute operation. I should have done it in the first place...
Don

P.S. Thanks everyone for all the karma, but especially for the encouragement! At least I don't feel alone in this:)
Don
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Freshwater tank removal, help!!!

Reply #30
I would build an angled frame to squarely press it back into position.
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT