Carrying Water in the tank

[wavery]

They wouldn't put water tanks on popups if they weren't meant to be towed with water in them.  I think most people out west who camp in popups do not camp at RV parks with hookups.  If you're "dry camping", you have to tow with water in the tank.  I have had 3 popups, and towed every one of them full of water every time we camped - and have never had any problem.

Although what you say is true, a little common sense will tell an owner that it is better to tow with your trailer lighter than heavier. You will save wear & tear on the TV, get a little better mileage, have a little extra breaking reserve and lower the overall stress on your PU. My PU carries 26G of water, that's 217#....not a small #. Afterall, isn't the reason that most of us buy a PU...... because they are lighter, easier to tow, low profile and offer better mileage???

Most dry camping areas have drinking water available and if they don't you could fill up at your last fuel stop.

Our PUs are built with a roof that raises up too......common sense tells us not to tow with the roof up.

[pojv]

wavery ,
I have a startcraft 3612 which  I hade lifted 4 inches to make sure I can get can into the area's I need to hunt and there is no water , therefore I must fill up at home and take an extra 5 gal grey water with 6 gal of drinking water  with me for our trips.
On our last trip it took 45 minuets to travel 14.7 miles to arrive at our campsite and there was no water. I purchased this trailer to have the amities that my last one did not and if it should fail I will have more than one word for the manufacturer.

[Steve-o-bud]

I almost crashed due to a loaded water tank. I was headed up to Mohave Narrows Regional Park, which is north of me up I-15 in Victorville. As there is no running water where we were going to set up, I decided to fill up at home.

I was leading a carvan of other families who were camping with us. After going over the Cajon pass, we started heading downill, and picked up some speed without realizing it. The trailer started swaying, big time, and I really had my hands full for a momment while I tried to gradually slow down and get the thing under control. I slowed down for the rest of the drive (about 10 miles).
 
My buddies who were following me thought for sure we were going to wreck, as I was swaying across three lanes of the I-15, on a Friday afternoon, with a bunch of traffic beside me and behind me. As everyone behind us slowed way down to avoid my impending wreck, I pretty much stopped the whole freeway. This now makes for some good laughs when I'm with this crowd.
 
I don't think it was the sloshing that was the root of the problem, but the location of the tank, which is aft of the rear axle. It doesn't take much to de-stabilize my pop up. Needless to say, I now find the very closest spot to fill up now, typically at the campground.

[scottykrug]

Full tanks don't slosh (solid mass).  Do you have trailer brakes?

[cokoliso]

Around here, in the national forests and state parks, I don't see many potable water places to fill up tanks.  And in general, the closest gas station is near my house.  My point is that in the 20 years we've been camping in a popup, we have always filled the tank before leaving home, and even the roads in the parks can be long and bumpy.  The water tank in ours is right over the axle and doesn't add much to the tongue weight unless we're going up a steep hill.  Trailer brakes and an anti-sway bar make towing easy.  And I don't see a warning in the owner's manual about driving with a full water tank.  Some vehicles have plastic fuel tanks, and no one is concerned about it sloshing around as they drive.  http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9607/Alvarado-9607.html#ToC5

[flyfisherman]

I don't think it was the sloshing that was the root of the problem, but the location of the tank, which is aft of the rear axle. It doesn't take much to de-stabilize my pop up. Needless to say, I now find the very closest spot to fill up now, typically at the campground.

Steve ~ there were certain models of the Coleman/Fleetwood Grand Tour series, certainly during the '96 to '99 era, that were out of swack from the get-go. I know, I had one ... mine was a '96 "Yukon" model (had the front storage trunk). Towing the PU home (EMPTY!) was a nightmare. I really had some 2nd thoughts about it but was re-assured that when I loaded the camper it would behave itself; and that was true, at least to a point, but the camper's weak point towing was always going down a steep grade! Having an anti-sway bar (and brakes!) for that beast were "musts"!

I seem to think the water tank (under floor) was somewhere in the vicinity of the axle. There were a couple of places that required me to take on water before getting there and I could'nt detect any difference in the towing manners. And like already posted, I forgot one time to empty the water tank and towed it home with whatever water was still in the tank (maybe half?). Same towing as empty as best I can recall.

I should think, too, that the water tank was engineered to carry water enroute. One just has to remember the weight factor when towing with water, for sure!


Fly

[scottykrug]

Just out of curiosity, how large of a capacity for the water tank?

[wavery]

Some vehicles have plastic fuel tanks, and no one is concerned about it sloshing around as they drive.  http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9607/Alvarado-9607.html#ToC5

Plastic fuel tanks are much more substantial than these square, weakly supported water tanks.

Plastic fuel tanks are thicker, rounded, baffled and substantially mounted.

I had these plastic water tanks on my boat. I eventually had to pull all 3 tanks (one at a time) and completely encapsulate them with fiberglass to seal and reinforce them as each one of them cracked.

[cokoliso]

On the other hand, I sold a 1979 Jayco 3 years ago that I always towed full of water, and the tank was still in great shape.  There is no doubt that towing empty and filling at a campground or nearby gas station means pulling less weight, and towing with a partially full tank means a lot of sloshing.  So if filling the tank at the destination is an option, it's a good idea.  But if water isn't available at the site or nearby, you have to take it with you.  I have been over some bumpy dirt roads and had to use 4WD to get in some places, and have never had a problem with having the tank full.

[bassknuckles]

Thanks everyone.

['tiredTeacher]

Thanks everyone.

Isn't amazing how the simplist issues can generate the largest volume of responses?

Teach

[tlhdoc]

You never know what will spark a "discussion" here.

[stewartlittle]

Plastic fuel tanks are much more substantial than these square, weakly supported water tanks.

Plastic fuel tanks are thicker, rounded, baffled and substantially mounted.

Where I work,we made a blow mold for plastic gas tanks.I thought that was stupid.Some guys from the shop went to the place we made them for and watched them drop test them.
They filled them with water,raise them to about 20 feet in the air and let it free fall to the concrete floor.If it busted-did'nt pass.They watch a few of them dropped and none busted.The tanks hold about 12 gallons.
Thats hear say though,thats what they told us,I did'nt accually see it.

[oreo57]

Alway's tow full

[PattieAM]

I personally do not think you will have issues carrying a full water tank the distance you mentioned.  You might also consider bringing a few gallons from home for coffee, cooking, etc.

Disposal of your greywater may be a concern.  Do you have a blue tote and is there some dump facility nearby?

We found that white vinegar did a great job on getting rid of the fish smell and would rinse hands with the vinegar (also supposed to help soften skin).  (You might consider wiping counters, etc., with a bit of vinegar before your family joins you in the camper)