Gray tank handle. - Montana Owners Club

NCFischers · 01-25-2010, 10:04 AM

The handle that is located between the tires for the kitchen gray tank sticks out so far that it got hit by the tire while we were traveling and got bent. I straightened it but I'm afraid it will get hit again and break off. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, what did you do about it? Yes, it is in the closed position.

TLightning · 01-25-2010, 10:17 AM

My tires come no where near that handle.

richfaa · 01-25-2010, 10:26 AM

Nor do mine.....06 3400

bob n pam · 01-25-2010, 12:43 PM

Jim, that happened on our 2001 2955RL and the tech shortened it. I'm not sure how he did it. Bob thinks he may have taken the belly pan off, removed the handle from the tank, shortened it and reinstalled. Good luck.

scductman · 01-25-2010, 01:22 PM

Jim I took mine off and shortened them up front. they all should be the same. they are a pc of small alum tubing but I did it while my belly was down. if you can get just a little of the belly down they are held on with a small cotter pin. I cut it off and drilled a new hole. JMHO Being a pc of tubing is why they bend so easy
bobby

SlickWillie · 01-25-2010, 02:34 PM

Ha, ours are threaded on to the valve stem. We had a high wind here, and it blew an empty ice chest into the handle and broke it. The handle was thin wall tubing. I took a 1/4-20 bolt and made new threads in the tubing where the handle broke off, removed the broken piece from the valve stem, and threaded the handle back on. (I used the bolt as a tap, as I didn't have any in the RV back then)

Art-n-Marge · 01-25-2010, 08:07 PM

I believe the tank handle screws into the valve and the end that goes into the valve has a screw fitting. There are shorter handles that can be purchased or you can do what SlickWillie did and make your own, however, DON'T run out there and do it immediately.

You really should be able to see where the rod goes back into the valve otherwise you might not be able to get the handle to seat correctly in the valve especially behind the underside coverings. Kinda like slickwillie describes because he was able to get it back on.

NCFischers · 01-25-2010, 11:50 PM

Art,
You are right. I loosened part of the underbelly and could feel the assembly but I need to drop more so I can see it. Hopefully, I can reposition the handle. If not, I'll try to make a shorter shaft out of something more solid.

Bill-N-Donna · 01-26-2010, 01:08 AM

Does anyone leave it open all the time? Ours is located in back of the slide. Since it’s inconvenient I usually leave it open but I have a valve at the sewer connection I use instead. If ours was causing a problem with the tire I would simply leave it open, remove the handle and stem. Just a thought.

racerjoe · 01-26-2010, 02:14 AM

I thought I read somewhere that they make elect. operated dump valves? For that application it might be a good idea. Our handle is in the same place for the kitchen drain,I never thought of what could happen to it until now.

NCFischers · 01-26-2010, 09:46 AM

I removed the handle and tomorrow will replace it with a piece of all-thread and a couple of locking nuts. It will be shorter and stronger.

NCFischers · 01-27-2010, 01:03 PM

A piece of 1/4 X 20 threaded rod and a barrel nut and all is well. The threaded rod weighs more than the aluminum tube that came from the factory so I'll have Vickie remove one of her doodads from the trailer to compensate for the extra weight.

sreigle · 02-02-2010, 03:14 PM

I bent ours to the point it was near breaking. I bought an aftermarket rod/handle from our dealer. It's a solid rod. Much stronger.

As someone noted, you can pull down the belly pan, pull the clip, remove the rod and handle, cut it off, drill a new hole, then put it back together.

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