On 179s there are separate drain pipes for the black and gray water. There is a strap screwed into the frame with two self taping screws. The strap is attached to a clamp which wraps around the drain pipe by one screw using a Nylock nut, at least on the gray water drain pipe
. Nothing was attaching the black water drain pipe clamp to the strap on our Pod at his time.
Fortunately the black pipe only dragged on gravel for about 20 feet as we were approaching our campsite at a slow speed. The pipe was still attached to the tank, the pipe just rotated. The termination cap has a little road rash but is fine.
Both the black and gray pipe clamps are now attached to their straps by Stover locking nuts with split ring washers under the screws and nuts.
A few hours and a few hundred miles before the pipe dropped we crossed the International Bridge from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. It is a two lane bridge with no shoulder. If the pipe had dropped and was ripped off the black tank, emptying it's contents onto the bridge or into the Soo Locks
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT.
Go check the connections!