|
01-03-2015, 07:04 AM
|
#1
|
Montana Fan
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 179
M.O.C. #722
|
Black and Gray tank valve hard to pull
I have a new to us, 2012 3100RL 5th wheel we bought end of Sept. When emptying the tanks the black and gray valves inside the convenience center are very hard to pull out when emptying the tanks. It takes both hands to get the valves started and once started the valves will pull out but are very hard to push back in to close. I bought valve lubricant and put in both tanks and it hasn't seemed to help. Any suggestions?
thanks
Steve
__________________
Jill and Steve
2012 3100rl Montana
2014 F350 DRW
|
|
|
01-03-2015, 07:39 AM
|
#2
|
Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
|
Go behind the convenience center and lube the cables going to the valves.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
|
|
|
01-03-2015, 11:10 AM
|
#3
|
Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 210
M.O.C. #14048
|
Ours are very hard to pull as well. Thought they would get easier with some use but no dice so far.
What would you use for lube? Silicone, lithium, WD40?
__________________
Bruce & Lori & Charli our 60# lap dog
2017 F350 Lariat, 6.7L, 6 1/2' box, Reece 18k Elite
2015 Mountaineer 331RLT, Dual pane windows, Dual A/C, Fireplace, 5th Airborne Sidewinder, Sailun tires.
|
|
|
01-03-2015, 11:54 AM
|
#4
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Waterford
Posts: 3,693
M.O.C. #7500
|
Silicone or some type of dry spray lube that won't attract and trap dirt and end up making the problem worse. Stay away from WD40 as it is NOT a lubricant.
|
|
|
01-03-2015, 01:28 PM
|
#5
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Omaha
Posts: 2,076
M.O.C. #2780
|
Our galley tank was nearly impossible to open and shut. the seal was "rolled" and had to be replaced.
__________________
Paul and Jan Kelpe
2014 Big Sky 3150RL
2015 GMC Denali, Duramax/Allison
|
|
|
01-03-2015, 03:38 PM
|
#6
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
|
Our problem was sloppy flush cable installation with unnecessarily long runs and looping of the pull cables.
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
|
|
|
01-03-2015, 03:46 PM
|
#7
|
Montana Fan
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 179
M.O.C. #722
|
I checked behind the convenience center and looks like mine is the same as Mike's. They both take a quick turn from the convenience center towards the tanks. Looks like just a sloppy job with several bends in the cable. not sure how to correct.
__________________
Jill and Steve
2012 3100rl Montana
2014 F350 DRW
|
|
|
01-03-2015, 03:59 PM
|
#8
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Aguanga
Posts: 606
M.O.C. #13601
|
One of mine broke on the SOB that I still own. Along the same lines as above issues issue, can you just detach the cable from the gate valve and replace with the proper length of Valterra cable without taking the gate valve out?
|
|
|
01-04-2015, 01:23 AM
|
#9
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Navarre
Posts: 1,527
M.O.C. #9765
|
To detach the cable, all you need is a common screwdriver and Allen wrench set. IMHO, 95% of problem is gunked up blade housing or seal damage. A piano wire inside a housing shouldn't cause many problems. Just changed black & grey tank valves. Now have 2 spares, cleaning old ones up was easy.
Mike
|
|
|
01-04-2015, 03:14 AM
|
#10
|
Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Brandon
Posts: 3,944
M.O.C. #1034
|
Our 2015 model seems worse than our 2010 was. I will have to get behind the convenience center, lube the cables back there and try to perhaps uncoil some of the twists and turns.
Was that Thetford valve lube that you used in the tanks with little success? We have also heard of dumping a half gallon of cooking oil down there with some water and letting it sit for awhile, we shall see.
__________________
Darwin & Maureen DeBackere
Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada
2011/3500/Silverado/4x4/DRW/Duramax
2017/3721RL/Legacy Pkg./Pressure-Pro
|
|
|
01-07-2015, 04:02 PM
|
#11
|
New Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Livingston
Posts: 8
M.O.C. #15947
|
We just had this one fixed today (haven't operated the valves yet). The tech says the last guy to replace the black tank valve put in the wrong valve, a Valterra. It doesn't fit in our Montana (2012 3150RL). The holes don't line up. He found the seals all bunched up, causing the hard movement at the closed end of the travel. Also, the wrong cable. There is a hexagonal cable that is hard to operate, and is not used any more (except apparently the last place we were at had some left over). The proper cable is round. Another issue is the routing of the cable. There is not a straight shot from the convenience center to the black valve, and if you route it with several 90 degree turns it gets hard to operate. Each 90 degree turn is equivalent to an additional 10 feet of cable, he says. He changed our routing to a more gradual bend.
|
|
|
01-18-2015, 10:20 AM
|
#12
|
Montana Fan
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 179
M.O.C. #722
|
Darmar,
sorry for the slow response. Our camper is in storage and I finally made it by yesterday to check. Yes, we used the Thetford valve lubricant and really didn't do anything. I got behind the convenience center and it looks like it's a long cable that snakes to the tanks. I haven't been able to pull it home to work on it, but based on these posts, I plan on pulling the underbelly and working the cables to a straighter/better feed to the tanks. Hopefully that will do the trick.
Steve
__________________
Jill and Steve
2012 3100rl Montana
2014 F350 DRW
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|