Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 10, 2025 ...

Here is what happened to me - don't let it happen to you.  At some point, I turned on a manifold valve the was not connected to a water line but instead had a cap on the connection.  I then closed the valve.  When I winterized, I forgot I had let a very small amount of water get between the valve and the cap - maybe a tablespoon full.  When the water froze, the manifold body cracked.

I now do not have any caps on the unused lines on the manifold!  This could also be a problem if you are plumbed for a W/D and don't have one.  Don't let water get into those lines.  I have mine disconnected from the manifold.

I bought a new manifold from the same manufacturer.  It was just a little bit different in size (vertically larger by an inch or two), being 20 years newer, so some reworking of the pex lines was required to line up with the manifold connections.  Not hard, just took some time.  I was also able to make the the parts to bypass the water heater when winterizing.

They make a special wrench for making the connections on the lines on the side of the manifold.  Worth the price.

As I said above, be very careful when installing the top and bottom lines.  Hand tighten to make sure you are not cross threaded with the metal on the line and the plastic threads on the manifold.  If they do get damaged, I suspect you are looking at a new manifold.

Rich