R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Warranty, Service and Recall Bulletins
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Service tanks plastic?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedService tanks plastic?
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Leo B View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Lyndonville, VT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4508 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Service tanks plastic?
    Posted: 26 May 2015 at 8:10am
Great video!! That is quite a rig!!
Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
Back to Top
furpod View Drop Down
Moderator Group - pHp
Moderator Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 May 2015 at 7:50am
My Airstream has plastic tanks. They ARE in an enclosed underbelly, but that is because it is built as a 4 season camper, and the underbelly is heated.

Agreed that "off road" is subjective.. but if you are going anywhere with the pod that needing skid plates or axle clearance is a real concern, you have the wrong camper. They do make some popups that are designed for that, and at least one company makes an expandable in Australia that is designed for severe duty. It's about 3/4 the size of a pod and costs $70k.

Fun Linky

Not as fun a Linky, but an option.
Back to Top
Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 May 2015 at 3:42am
Originally posted by Appocalexx

why couldnt this thing be an off road TT its single axle and not too top heavy, obviously no give with the axle set up but still should able to do some small trailing?
 

"Off road" means different things to different people.  The trailer isn't constructed to take the bouncing and twisting of much real off-roading, at least as defined by most 4WD folks.  Just the ball hitch would be a problem, and it doesn't take a huge bump to launch the microwave oven from its spot.  Even with the axle risers, it's low.  You are right, you'd pretty much have to lose the stabilizer jacks.  It's too heavy, too top heavy, and it's too tall, too wide and too long to deal with many off road situations.  But, as I say, it all depends on how you define "off-road".  There are some places you could take a pod that aren't paved.

TT
2010 176
FJ Cruiser
Back to Top
Appocalexx View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 01 May 2015
Location: AK
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 77 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 May 2015 at 10:57pm
roger that thanks for the info,
but why couldnt this thing be an off road TT its single axle and not too top heavy, obviously no give with the axle set up but still should able to do some small trailing?
 
the stabilizers is another issue i find to be replaced and prolly sooner than later. When I pulling this off the ferry I was inches away from taking those things off the trailer, if it didnt have the 4" blocks on the axle i would have for sure taken them out the first 10 min of having the trailer on the TV lol. I was looking at replacing them with some that the Jaycos come with
Back to Top
techntrek View Drop Down
Admin Group - pHp
Admin Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 May 2015 at 10:05pm
Yup, normal on all campers - the plastic and the slight bowing of the water tank.  
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
Back to Top
Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 May 2015 at 9:53pm
I don't think flimsy is an issue, but I don't know what the standards are.  What did you expect them to be made of?  As for being able to push up on the bottom of the tank, there is only a few inches of water in a tank when it's full.  The depth of the water is all you're pushing against, not the volume. 

I don't recall anyone reporting problems with strength.  RPods are not off road trailers and at least statistically, your are highly unlikely to need skid plates to protect the tanks.  You're more likely to scrape off the stabilizer jacks before you damage the tanks.

TT
2010 176
FJ Cruiser
Back to Top
Appocalexx View Drop Down
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: 01 May 2015
Location: AK
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 77 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 May 2015 at 9:22pm
So after looking underneath the 179er I was kinda taken back that the 3 tanks for fresh, gray, and black water are all plastic. New to the TT world, it seems that these are kinda flimsy and weak, is this a norm for TT or is it bc these TTs are on the low end side of manufacturing.
 
To add to this, I noticed that from the dealer my tank is about 3/4 full and when I inspected underneath I am able to push up on the water tank just to see if could and it moved quite a bit. maybe just me but I would think that these tanks would need to be a lil more heavy duty and especially covered with the kind of enviroments that these TTs see around the nation.
 
I was thinking of adding some metal bracing or even a skid plate type madofication to the underbelly of the RPod eventually. Has anyone else had these thoughts or is it just me?
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz