Our BIG problem in the Yukon - Montana Owners Club

jrgwdenner · 07-18-2005, 11:23 AM

Well, folks, hold on to your hat...you're not going to believe what happened. I'll try to make this short and to the point. Our fresh water tank fell off the fifth wheel!

During a stop at a gas station (fortunately it wasn't totally in never, never land) a man pointed out that our tank was hanging down. It was hanging down and had been for some time. One corner was completely worn off. The underbelly tarpaper+ cover was also dragging on the ground. It had been completely torn from side to side. The three braces that support the tank had no screws in them and were completely unconnected. The brace where, apparently, the braces are supposed to be connected is bent and flimsy. Glen's not sure that they were ever connected. It reminded us of the 56 water connections that were loose a few months after we bought this rig.

jrgwdenner · 07-18-2005, 11:27 AM

So after over an hour under the trailer, Glen managed to remove the damaged tank and secure the other things that were hanging down with a 2x4 that he happened to bring along and some extra screws. I'm glad we weren't along the road but relatively safe in the parking lot. We have already contacted the Montana Dealer in Anchorage who told us it was going to be expensive to ship the water tank since the cost is figured by bulk rather than weight. Right now we can camp as long as we are hooked up to water but our boondocking days are over unfortunately until we get a new tank.

The roads up here are bumpy but not so bad that this should have happened. Seems that there's a construction flaw involved somewhere.

Our access to the forum is limited. Any thoughts or ideas can be shared with us at bamatravelers@earthlink.net Thanks so letting me vent. We're having a nice time otherwise.

Wordsmith · 07-19-2005, 12:13 PM

Judy, I really hate to hear about your troubles, especially with the shipping that will be incurred for the new tank. I can only guess that both of your hearts sank when you saw the damage. I hope everything goes well with the repairs!

Back in the summer of 1972, my mother—and my father to a lesser degree—fell in love with a new Holiday Rambler that the dealer with whom they were friends had specially ordered to take on his three month trip to Alaska, and made a deal to purchase it when he returned. Well, during his travels there, the Alakan roads did a number on the underside of the unit, but he was upfront about it and did an excellent fix on it and, consequently, the camper stayed in the family until this spring when I sold it when my mother’s estate cleared. May you have equal success!

jrgwdenner · 07-19-2005, 02:25 PM

Thanks, wordsmith, for your kind thoughts. Our heart did sink, but we had a lot for which we were thankful. We were not in a remote area where bears may have been curious in the late afternoon. The tank didn't fall off and cause an accident from someone behind us hitting it. We seem to have a line on getting it fixed in Anchorage. We're still able to continue our trip and camp comfortably when we're connected to a water line. We haven't driven over a cliff such as we have heard about two units doing. That's scary! We are very thankful. Pictures have been added to our blog http://bamatravelers.blogspot.com

patodonn · 07-19-2005, 04:14 PM

I would, absolutely, call Keystone and get all this on record there, if you haven't already done so. Sure seems to me like a warranty issue, big time.

Sorry to hear of the problem, glad it happened where/when it did relative to what could have been. Looks like a fix is in sight in Anchorage.

Very Best,

jrgwdenner · 07-19-2005, 04:18 PM

Thanks, PJ & Nan, for your support. It doesn't seem like something that should happen....EVER! Even though the roads are bumpy they are not so bad that the bottom should drop out, literally. And the bad bumps are marked so we're able to slow down. We are beginning the process of notifying Keystone. Hope they live up to their reputation.

Montana_2957 · 07-19-2005, 06:53 PM

Jrgwdenner, thanks for the post and especially the pictures. I have been watching a sagging tank for two years which appears to be only held in place by the underbelly cover. I have now decided to fix it rather than wait for a more serious event. I don't see how those brackets in the pictures could possibly have held up the tank. My fix will be to add angle iron support brackets underneath the tank running front to back from the two horizontal support beams. It appears it can be accomplished without entering the tank compartment or removing the underbelly cover. If it works, will post with pictures.

Enjoyed your travel pictures and glad you are safe.

vickir · 07-19-2005, 07:06 PM

Oh Judy! How awful for you both. As awful as it was, it could have been so much worse ... and we're so thankful that no one was hurt! How is Greta dealing with all of this?

I'm so glad you've been able to stay "connected" ... I'm LOVING your travelogue!

Stay safe ...

jrgwdenner · 07-19-2005, 07:06 PM

Glad to hear that our experience may have helped you. The product that makes up our underbelly cover is so flimsy that it couldn't possibly support the weight of the tank with any water in it. The material seems to be similar to several layers of tarpaper with a small amount of insulation that reminds me of the honeycomb plastic inside truck window reflector screens. That's probably about as clear as mud. But I certainly understand why people have had trouble with their pipes freezing because it offers little or no insulation. And we have the winter package.

DCP · 07-20-2005, 03:03 AM

I'm taking all this in as we are going to make this trip next year. I appreciate you telling of your experience, and have been watching this forum closely. I think I am going to take the bottom covers off underneath and check all the brackets now. On our previous TT, I added angle iron supports to our fresh water tank. These tanks weigh a lot when filled (about 7 lbs. per gallon), and I have seen some questionable brackets.

jrgwdenner · 07-20-2005, 05:11 AM

Adding braces sounds like a good idea, Dave, especially in light of our experience. The water is heavy and the tank should be braced to hold the tank when you're traveling. But we know things aren't always what they should be.

Vicki, thanks for the compliment about our log. It's fun to share and I hope it will be helpful to anyone who is planning this trip. Planning is all part of the fun.

Greta has proven to be an excellent traveler and very entertaining. She knows our routine so well that she's ready to get in the truck early on the mornings that we talk about moving on down the road. Her favorite spot has been Johnston Canyon in Banff as it was loaded with chipmunks who were not intimidated by her and drove her buggy! She almost yanked Glen off the trail trying to get to one. There are also enough other dogs with the travelers which keep her entertained. Due to her great protection, we haven't been bothered by a single bear or buffalo!

I have had great email connections in all the Visitors Center but have been able to post to the forum only through my own laptop which means someone has to let me connect my laptop at one of the centers or I need to hijack someone's wireless if there isn't an internet cafe. Whitehorse has 2 or 3 cafes but I happened to find a wireless connection here at the camp. I don't know if it's another RVers or at the office. We even met a couple who had wireless and left it open so others could use it. We loved them!

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