Rhino Flex storage
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5377
Printed Date: 06 May 2024 at 10:23pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Rhino Flex storage
Posted By: thegrandpoohbah
Subject: Rhino Flex storage
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 8:52pm
| So my new Rhino Flex arrived today and I now realize that it will not fit in the little sewer hose storage compartment. Any thoughts? Where do you guys store yours? |
Replies:
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 8:59pm
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Buy a 43/80" adjustable Sani-Tube and install it crossways under the trailer frame. http://www.dwincorp.com/products/125/NEW-SUPER-SLIDER-Adjustable-SUPER-TUBE - http://www.dwincorp.com/products/125/NEW-SUPER-SLIDER-Adjustable-SUPER-TUBE ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 9:23pm
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You can search for the fence post sewer hose mod here. You just bolt up an 8' square fence post from the garden section of a home store and cap it, hold stuff great. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: JStrube
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 9:30pm
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I mounted the slider tube. So easy. ------------- 2012 181G |
Posted By: thegrandpoohbah
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 10:54pm
Let's assume I don't have much in the way of tools besides the basics. How hard is this to install? ------------- 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab V6 TRD Sport 2009 R-Pod 171 |
Posted By: JStrube
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 11:22pm
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You need some 1/4" self tapping screws, and a drill driver. A tape measure and helper will help you get it squared up. Like a 10 minute job. ------------- 2012 181G |
Posted By: thegrandpoohbah
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 11:49pm
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I just checked one out and they want $54 for shipping via UPS to Canada plus brokerage and duty when it arrives. I'm going to have to come up with something else. ------------- 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab V6 TRD Sport 2009 R-Pod 171 |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 6:49am
Question: I've never really used self tapping screws. Are you guys sinking these into the frame? or the Floor? If it's the frame do these self tappers really just drill right through...no problem? Also, with fixing at one side and then the other, are you getting some sag in the middle of the tube? If so, what are you doing about it? Thank you for taking time to share your experience.  |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 7:37am
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When I mounted mine I drilled pilot holes into the frame first. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 8:15am
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The hoses are easy to cut. Pack as much in the storage tube as you can an cut off the rest. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: JStrube
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 12:37pm
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Self tappers sink perfectly into the frame. No pilot hole needed with the 1/4", use medium speed on the drill, until you break through, then slow it down. Thinner ones, like #10 or #8 are more fragile, so may need pilots in thicker material like the frame, but the 1/4" is fine. Yes, you need to push hard when drilling. The tube doesn't seem to sag much, they design it to go wide, the frame rails on my pod are 63 or 64 inches apart I believe. I needed the middle sized one, it was $57 shipped. ------------- 2012 181G |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 12:50pm
Tech, you have the same slider tube? Did you have to support it in the middle? ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 12:56pm
True, but is that going to leave you with enough hose? I think the factory storage in like 27". Compacted from 27" what is the result on an expand hose? Is it enough? I dunno, I have zero stick time at the dump station. But, I am thinking the stations differ from place to place and having a short hose without reach could be a real bummer. Thoughts? What is the longest hose needed to ensure you can make the trip? 10' 15' 20' ? I want to be prepared, I don't want to have to ask to "Borrow" a hose...ewww.  ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 1:40pm
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I don't think that model was available when I bought mine. I believe I ordered one 61" long. No sag that I could see. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 8:05pm
I don't know how long my hose was before I cut it or how long it is now. It all fits in the original tube. I might have cut off 4 feet, if that much. I suspect that means I have 21 feet left. Whatever it is, I have never yet had to expand it all the way to reach a dump station. I only have about 2 years of experience with a camper with waste tanks, so I'm sure I could run across a dump station that was out of reach. Some people have strange ideas and do odd things (there a post recently about a truck stop dump station that was installed by someone who was looking at the plans upside down and backwards and was just about unusable without 40 feet of hose), but dump stations have always been within about 4 feet of where I could pull up. With black and grey dump gates, one may be 4 feet from the dump and the other might be 10 feet. If you can't reach you can usually move or go to another dump station. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 8:17pm
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OK well, I am referencing the stock storage tube on my 178, it's 27" long. I have a 15' hose and just measured what would fit in the 27" factory tube. It turns out that if I cut it to fit into my current storage, I end up with a 10' hose. I wonder what kind of distance is typical for on site hookups? Are they typically right next to the pad? ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 8:51pm
A few points from my experience:
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Markie
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 9:49pm
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I did the square post sewer hose mod just the other day. You have to be careful not to get the 4X4 fence post covers, they aren't big enough. You have to get the larger post covers in lawn and garden section of Lowes. (I think they are 5"X5"X 8' for around $27). The 1/4"x1" self tapping screws have a 3/8 hex head and cut a hole through the frame with no problem. I previously measured the pod frame center to center so I new how far to space holes to ensure I was going to hit the frame on both sides. I drilled four holes large enough to allow a socket with an extension to pass through on the bottom side of the post. I wedged the post up against the frame with some 2X4's to get things straight and stable before drilling. I then placed a screw on the socket, place the socket through the hole, used a 1" flat fender washer and drove the screw home into the frame. For one of the end caps (curb side) I used small sheet metal screws to hold it on permanently. The other end (road side) I drilled two holes on either side of the post, slipped a piece of 1/4" bungy cord through and knotted the ends on the inside. I drilled and mounted a drawer pull to the center of the cap for a handle. To secure the cap I simply pull the bungy over the cap and twist it around the knob. Works great. I painted the post and caps black (strictly optional) before mounting and it took longer for the paint to dry than it did to cut and mount the assembly to the pod. If you have any questions PM me and I can email some pics. There are some detail pictures already online if you look around. The original designer of this modification had another great idea. There is another part to the modification that is a nice touch. Lowes sells plastic spouting that slides into the post rather well. Simply cut to length and attached a wooden dowel or PVC pipe across the ends of the spouting as a handle and voila a drawer. The Rhino hose, clear elbow, and other accessories fit nicely. I can't take credit for any of this engineering, someone else came up with the idea and it's a good one. I thought about mounting another post to allow storage for other stuff like fishing rods, tent poles, outside string lights etc. Good luck with your project. ------------- Mark & Vicki R-POD 178 & 2015 Silverado 5.3L Weimeraner "Zeke" |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 10:16pm
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I appreciate you'all taking time to comment. It's now crystal clear to me that I need to do something. A 27" tube is worthless for sewer hose storage, except for maybe a small extension for the rare situation that calls for it. I, like everyone else, refuse to store the sewer hose inside the POD storage bay. ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 02 Oct 2014 at 5:01am
grats on the mod, it's a good one! ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: GingerPod
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2014 at 9:18pm
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Here is a pic of when I installed the slider tube on our Pod. Should help. http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5100&PN=3&title=sewer-hose-storage - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5100&PN=3&title=sewer-hose-storage ------------- FOUND OUR NEW-RETRO TEARDROP!!! |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2014 at 10:13am
thegrandpoohbah , I don't know if you have figured out another way of carrying your RhinoFlex yet, but $54 plus for the DW carrier is a very good purchase for this. Well worth every dollar. It works, it fits, it's relatively easy to install (pre drill the holes into the frame then install self tapping bolts, it's easier that way). I purchased the D&W Super-Slider Adjustable super tube, 43-80" version, extendable version, no worries about which length and it fits perfect, does not sag at all, and fits the RhinoFlex giant end connector no problems. It cost me $57 shipped here in US. I would have paid more, it solved a dilemma. I got to have my nice Rhino Flex, store it underneath the Pod and not inside a container in the storage area taking up space (no smells either). |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2014 at 2:10pm
| Yep, I purchased a 64" tube at Camping World and just returned it because it's about 1.5" long. It looks like the slider is the ticket for me as well. |
Posted By: thegrandpoohbah
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2014 at 1:15am
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Yeah, I'm going to have to do this next spring. I've spent far too much money lately and I can only push the wife so far... ------------- 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab V6 TRD Sport 2009 R-Pod 171 |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2014 at 10:57pm
Thanks for pointing out the source for this product. I received and installed one yesterday and was very happy with the quality of the product. I was concerned, because it's adjustable, that it would be sloppy and maybe sag but thats not the case at all. A very good and solid product and I'm a happy camper.
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Posted By: WillThrill
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2014 at 2:23pm
Is it too long? I too purchased one of these and used multiple cable ties to attach it to the frame, side to side. It's not going anywhere now, and it works perfectly. ------------- "Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien 2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2014 at 1:26pm
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"Is it too long? I too purchased one of these and used multiple cable ties to attach it to the frame, side to side. It's not going anywhere now, and it works perfectly." I don't recall if it was long or short, but the fastener area would not line up on the frame where I wanted to permanently mount it. So, for me, the Super Slide was the answer. Thanks! ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: thegrandpoohbah
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 1:02am
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Ok, I just ordered one of those Super Slider tubes from DW Inc. It arrived with one of the caps broken so they are sending me a replacement part. What kind of screws or other hardware do you recommend for installing it? And where would be the best spot on a 171? ------------- 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab V6 TRD Sport 2009 R-Pod 171 |
Posted By: Luv2Q
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 3:35am
I don't know that I picked the "best" place for the SS tube on our 171, but I installed it just behind the sewer connection. Drilled pilot holes in the frame & used hex-head metal screws. Don't recall size. Be careful when you tighten those screws; it's real easy to distort/break the eye the screw goes through. ------------- John & Teri Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
Posted By: rickcosby
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2015 at 12:29pm
| I did not drill any pilot holes and had no trouble sinking them into the frame. You have to push a bit but I was using a decent cordless drill. The nice thing about the slider model is that you can adjust it so that screws on both sides go into the frame. |
Posted By: thegrandpoohbah
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 12:15am
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So just some self tapping metal screws should do the trick? I might use washers too in order to avoid too much pressure on the plastic mounting bracket.
Any pics? ------------- 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab V6 TRD Sport 2009 R-Pod 171 |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 6:48am
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I recommend #14 Stainless Steel Hex Head sheet metal screws and flat washers. Pre-drill pilot holes and be careful twisting them in to avoid breaking the screws. Stainless is brittle and hard.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 10:44am
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Galvanized or zinc plated 1/4" Steel Hex Head self tapping lag bolts and stainless washers. Mark the hole locations with a pen, use hammer and punch to pre-spot the hole, drill small (1/8" ) hole first , then 80% the diameter of the lag screw. The lag screw will then be easier to drive, no danger of breaking or "walking" away from the location you spotted. My sewer carrier is just in front of my step near the door. Each end has a hatch, I only use the drain side door. It easily holds the entire RhinoFlex hose system.    ------------- 2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
Posted By: thegrandpoohbah
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2016 at 12:19am
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So just an update. My Super Slider had originally shown up with one end broken due to shipping damage. DWI was awesome to deal with and they shipped me replacement parts right away. Fast forward to today as I was getting ready for this weekends camping trip. The passenger side door is gone and my Rhino Flex is missing. I believe it broke off somewhere on my last drive home and the hose just slid right out as I made a left turn. I am really questioning the quality of materials they use to make these things. Now I have to order another Rhino Flex and I am back to square one as far as storage. I am leaning towards a Rubbermaid tote bin in the bed of the truck. Anyone know what size tote would be good for the 15' kit? ------------- 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Double Cab V6 TRD Sport 2009 R-Pod 171 |