dump valve

[jjoseph67]

Is it just me or is every ones dump valve cable hard to push in? I have a 2010 3400RL and the black tank cable is easy to open but hard to push in.

[Ozz]

It isn't easy squishing them tootsie-rolls...
I think you are right, but there is always 'stuff' left in the tube, versus when you open them, the slide channel is clear and dry.

[pappy65]

I have a 2011 3400RL and yes, it scares me everytime I push it in. When it was new, it did not seat fully and had some seepage. Not pretty. Dealer worked on it, didn't find anything really wrong, but never had any more seepage.

[Slufoot733]

It wouldn't hurt to spray the cable with some WD-40 once in a while, if you can get to it.

[brenkco]

I just replaced mine for both the gray & back tanks. Even new, they were stiff and hard to pull. New valves pull effortlessly. What motivated me to have this done was a guy at a dump station pulled his black and broke it right off. My mobile Rv repair guy recommends replacing them every 4-5 years. Btw, my valves were built into the tanks so he couldn't replace them, he used a valterra kit and replaced the parts.

Mine is a 2010 just starting our 5th year...we got it 3/09.


Ken

[Rondo]

IMHO using WD-40 on those cable and mechanisms would be a mistake. WD-40 will attract dust and dirt and make the cables and mechanisms stick even faster. To much dirt and dust get into that underbelly anyway and no sense collecting it on your cables. I'd be using something like the dry lube or silicone spray on them instead. Sorry Ken if I offended you on your comment but WD-40 is an oil base and it would attract and hold the dirt instead.

[1retired06]

It is important to exercise those things often, pushing back and forth to clear the tubes. I just replaced mine this winter (cable kits) and the vendor told me biggest problem is non-use. There was no real way to re-lubricate the ones I installed.

[DQDick]

Mike, I agree and it's also one of the reasons we put the extra shut off valve on the outlet connection. In an emergency we still have a way to shut things off until we can get it fixed.

[brenkco]

In my case it seemed like the cables were the problem when in fact it was the valves. Once the valves were disconnected the cables moved with no resistance at all. Once the kits were installed, the cables still moved with no resistance.

[bigskyjimmy]

My black valve is always a crap shoot on whether it closes all the way or not sometimes it will close all the way for a month or so then it will NOT close all the way for months at a time, I think undisolved tissue get stuck in the valve when you close it and jams in there until it finally works it's way out of there over time and breaks loose but like Dick said I am going to put another shut off valve just in case

[bethandkevin]

"It isn't easy squishing them tootsie-rolls... "

"I don't care who ya are, that there's funny." LOL.
My black valve does the same, sometimes lacks that last 1/4" or so to push the cable all the way in. Seems maybe bits of paper might be getting in the valve. I work in back and forth 2 or 3 times and it seats.

[Ozz]

Or..... you could be uptown like Mike and Kat and install the remote control electric ones, who-hooo.
(Wish I would have thought of it)
I would probably have a few too many Pops and show someone my neat electric valves and dump right on the ground. ahh, the tanks that is :0

[jjoseph67]

Thanks for all the responses. I think when it gets too bad, I will install an electric valve.