Replacing Black Tank Valve

[JacknBetsy]

We have a 2009 3400 and I noticed when emptying the black tank, the valve won't pull out the whole way and it drains very slowly. Is this an easy fix? Can it be fixed from the top or do I have to go underneath? Any advice?

[1retired06]

Depends on the rig. On our 2015 it was impossible, at least for me, to replace without cutting the PVC drain pipe and reconnecting with a rubber coupling, neither of which was hard, but you have to drop the underbelly to get to it. The valve replacement itself is easy, just held in place with four nuts and bolts. Just make sure the gaskets are positioned correctly and not pinched. If you have cable assemblies and can replace with threaded rod pulls, I would recommend you do that as well.

[jcurtis934]

If you have the cable system on your black and shower grey tanks...and...have never lubed them, it could be the issue as rust can form at the low point in the cable sheath and get impossible to pull or push. If cable system, I would remove handle, take nut off convenience center wall, take down plastic wall in passthru by center, remove cable from center wall, elevate and squirt lots of silicon fluid down the cable. Let sit, put handle on and try to pull/push to see if it is easier than before. John

[bigskyjimmy]

I just did it to my 2015,it just got too hard to pull and was leaking because old tissue was stuck in the valve ,This is what I replaced it with http://tweetys.com/valterra-cable-ac...w-3-valve.aspx ... Your 3400rl I think was similar to my old 3402RL which I did a valve as well,remove the white plastic divider in the storage compartment for access to the cables,then just lower part of the back half of the underbelly which is 1 cross brace and the side trim on each side and the screws going across underneath and lower it and fold it back and there it is, and make sure you flush and empty the tank good before taking the valve out or you are in for a big stinking mess No big deal it just takes some time

[Ragtacker]

In my previous SOB and I mean that in more ways than one the black tank cable broke at the gate with a full tank. Seeing my pain yet? I had to get a honey wagon to come and pump out the tank from above and once he was done I drilled a small hole right where I thought the gate would be looking at it from the side. Once the hole was drilled I took a coat hanger cut it about 8 inches long flattened out one end like a flat blade screw driver and pushed it in the drilled hole until i hit the gate then pushed it open. Now that the gate was open I put a lrge screw in the hole to plug it and I installed a manual gate at the outlet where you hook the hose up normally then the hose to that because we were on holidays and there was no way i was cutting short holidays to get a gate fixed on that pos. It was under waranty and the dealer was refusing to work on it because it was the black tank and it may be unsanitary. A few phone calls from people with university degrees and black robes got the repairs under way finally once we were home and I swore that day that trailer was going down the road with out me as soon as possible.

[JacknBetsy]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll let you know how it goes.