gray tank fell off!

[DocBrown]

One possible thing to do is to file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They won't be able to help directly but if it is truly an issue and enough complaints are lodged they could force a recall.

The trouble is that few people file complaints. Look at all the issues with the 15" Tow Max tires that people complained about online. Yet there were never enough complaints for the NHTSA to look into it deeper.

[John H]

Not to hijack this thread but I’m wondering if anyone has inspected their tank mounting brackets and if so what did you find. I wonder what would be the best way on an enclosed underbelly, would cutting a small hole in the coroplast and using an inspection camera let you see anything or maybe a larger area and reseal it temporarily somehow so you could inspect it maybe annually. Any thoughts?

[GScott]

Our black tank fell off when our unit was 5 months old so it was covered by warranty. When the local dealer was installing a new tank he noted that the design was inadequate. It relied on the plastic rib sitting on a metal flange. They fortified the setup with wood bracing. While it is so far out of warranty you may not succeed in getting them to cover it you may convince either Jayco or the dealer to "help". Good luck

[Crabman]

On a related note, On another forum the manufacturer response about towing with a full fresh water tank was do not do it, get your water when you get there the tanks are not made to haul filled. Members did not buy it, if you can't travel with full tanks how could anyone boondock? Its just a CYA policy for insufficient tank support IMO. These tanks should be made to hold the weight if you have to tow them when full, let alone when stationary.

[Atlee]

Agree 100% on this. It's a travel trailer with fresh water tanks for gosh sakes. It is supposed to be able to travel with full tanks. If it can't travel with full fresh water tanks, then the manufacturer has designed and constructed a poor trailer.

And if the manufacturer indeed does recommend you not carry full water tanks, they should put a permanent sticker next to the gravity fill warning the owner to not put water in the tank until they get to where they are going, and to dump any unused water before they drive home.

If course if they did put that warning on the trailer, a lot of people would not buy it. So without government coercion, they will never put that kind of warning on the trailer.

Edit: I just looked at the Jayco Towables Owner's Manual. There is a WARNING in it to never travel with full fresh/gray/black water tanks. Didn't say why, just had the warning.

Down at the gray/black tank section, the warning was repeated, but they gave a reason. The reason being, depending on where the gray/black tanks were located, it could have an ill effect on the TV handling characteristics. It also said if travel with full gray/black tanks had to be done, to reduce speeds until the tanks could be dumped.

Originally Posted by Crabman

On a related note, On another forum the manufacturer response about towing with a full fresh water tank was do not do it, get your water when you get there the tanks are not made to haul filled. Members did not buy it, if you can't travel with full tanks how could anyone boondock? Its just a CYA policy for insufficient tank support IMO. These tanks should be made to hold the weight if you have to tow them when full, let alone when stationary.

[FeatherFam]

Originally Posted by DanNJanice

Sorry I ain't buying it. There is the concept of "fitness of purpose", that is the product is designed so that it can reasonably be expected to function. A tank falling off(which could easily injured or killed someone, if it happens while driving) is not acceptable.
Regarding catching this during inspections, what do people do with enclosed underbellies, pull it all off a couple times a year "just in case". It don't think so. I don't expect the gas tank of my car to fall out, I also don't expect the water tank of a trailer to fall off.
If this were to ever happen to me, especially while driving, I would be calling the NHTSA and my lawyer, real quick.

Totally agree. Inexcusable.

[vcbice]

FWIW, reporting to NHTSA will do no good. You were violating the manufacturer's warnings of traveling with full tanks. When you do so you are on your own.

I do not disagree with this being a stupid design feature of RV trailers. And, I have frequently traveled with full fresh tank without any issues. But, some of the roads I have been on I was glad I did not have the tanks full.

These days I do not travel with full tanks just because of the extra weight involved. Hauling an extra 1000lb of black, grey and fresh water is just not going to happen for me. I dump before I leave (or as soon as possible) and only carry about half tank of fresh water while on the road (toilet and kitchen duty).

[mikefos]

Hmmm, it's not clear to me if the TT was actually being driven, and to where if so (for example; maybe the camp's dump station). Perhaps the OP can clarify. Not that it matters to me - I expect my tanks to stay attached, although I wouldn't if at all possible take off down the highway w/ full tanks. We drive w/ partial tanks all the time.

[DocBrown]

From the OP: So despite being 4 years old, use-wise, it's still pretty much brand new. This past weekend we were using the water and thus the tanks...the gray tank was full but before we could empty it, it fell off onto the ground...nothing at all was connected to the camper anymore. Just flat out, boom...on the ground.

Originally Posted by vcbice

FWIW, reporting to NHTSA will do no good. You were violating the manufacturer's warnings of traveling with full tanks. When you do so you are on your own.

It seems to me the trailer was being used as it was supposed to be. Still seems like something worth reporting. If no one reports these things, no one will do anything about it. Not to mention the strap could break and the tank fall off going down the road after it's empty. So it's still a potential safety issue.

Originally Posted by mikefos

Hmmm, it's not clear to me if the TT was actually being driven, and to where if so (for example; maybe the camp's dump station). Perhaps the OP can clarify.

See above.

[DanNJanice]

Originally Posted by Atlee

If course if they did put that warning on the trailer, a lot of people would not buy it. So without government coercion, they will never put that kind of warning on the trailer.

Edit: I just looked at the Jayco Towables Owner's Manual. There is a WARNING in it to never travel with full fresh/gray/black water tanks. Didn't say why, just had the warning.

Down at the gray/black tank section, the warning was repeated, but they gave a reason. The reason being, depending on where the gray/black tanks were located, it could have an ill effect on the TV handling characteristics. It also said if travel with full gray/black tanks had to be done, to reduce speeds until the tanks could be dumped.

LOL, that would be a hoot! Put a sticker on the side of the trailer telling everyone they couldn't drive with full tanks! It would be even better if they put on a sticker that said, "These tanks may fall off and cause injury/death if driven with a full load of water". They would never sell another trailer!
We could call it the "single use travel trailer" Take it to a campground use it until the tanks are full. Then just leave it, after all, you can't drive with the tanks full...right?

[norty1]

Originally Posted by DanNJanice

LOL, that would be a hoot! Put a sticker on the side of the trailer telling everyone they couldn't drive with full tanks! It would be even better if they put on a sticker that said, "These tanks may fall off and cause injury/death if driven with a full load of water". They would never sell another trailer!
We could call it the "single use travel trailer" Take it to a campground use it until the tanks are full. Then just leave it, after all, you can't drive with the tanks full...right?

Unless you knew to read the owners manual and reduce speeds.

[che57vy]

When i am under my RV I am always looking for something amiss like tank straps, with the black and gray full that is a tremendous amount of weight, now i know what causes those stains on the interstate.

[Dustdevil]

The idea that they would design and build a TT that couldn't be driven with full holding tanks is preposterous. They may do it, but it is entirely ridiculous to do such a thing, regardless of weight. Of course the TT, 5er, or motorhome MUST be able to be driven with full tanks, or users would be required to camp only in places where they could dump everything before travel. That simply isn't reasonable by any measure anywhere. I have done it many times with two travel trailers and two motorhomes. None of them had a tank mounting system so weak it couldn't handle the weight of the full tanks while on the highway. If indeed they are now building RVs like this, I would think long and hard before buying such an RV.

[squareneck]

We have the same trailer as the original poster (2013 Jayflight Swift 267BHS). This EXACT issue happened to us over last weekend. We were boondocking for several days so our indoor water use was very limited. On the next to last day of our trip, the grey tank just collapsed under it's own weight, causing it to slip through the stainless L brackets that hold it up. I don't even want to think about what could have happened at highway speeds if this happened then.

I called my dealer and they directed me to call Jayco. I told the Jayco rep that a catastrophic accident could have occured. Her response..."but it didn't so this was just a freak accident." Unacceptable response IMO. This is our third Jayco but this sort of customer support will have me re-thinking our next TT purchase.

[ALJO]

Here we talking about an overrated statement and underrated statement. It shouldn't happen and it did, so you have to deal with the problem and make it better than they did. Everyone knows by doing research how RV's are build but as long we keep buying them, this will be the results.

[squareneck]

Originally Posted by ALJO

Here we talking about an overrated statement and underrated statement. It shouldn't happen and it did, so you have to deal with the problem and make it better than they did. Everyone knows by doing research how RV's are build but as long we keep buying them, this will be the results.

Oh I get that, and there is a certain amount of wrenching that comes to RVing.
But, as consumers, we have to be the engineering AND QC departments for these companies? And I'm not talking about a lightbulb or vent fan here--the ability to carry water is an integral part of a trailer. It is NOT reasonable to assume that a tank will FALL OFF after 4 years.

[squareneck]

Originally Posted by camper queen

Hi all, my husband and I are pretty new to the camping world. We have a 2013 267BHS Flightswift. We bought it brand new, but we've only gotten out in it maybe a dozen times, and at least half of those we didn't use the water.

So despite being 4 years old, use-wise, it's still pretty much brand new. This past weekend we were using the water and thus the tanks...the gray tank was full but before we could empty it, it fell off onto the ground...nothing at all was connected to the camper anymore. Just flat out, boom...on the ground.

Please tell me this isn't normal and to be expected once the tank is full. I mean, people can and do drive with stuff in the tanks right? There should be almost no possibility of the tank falling off, correct? I'd imagine it would cause a bad accident if it happened while on the road and someone swerved to avoid it. Especially considering its age and the fact that the tanks haven't been used much.

So of course, we're out of warranty. But I think Jayco should have to fix it, because it must be some sort of faulty installation or something. So far I have tried emailing their parts dept on the main website (only other choice was cust service and sales) and I got back a lame scripted email about contacting the nearest dealer for parts. Any info on who and how to contact to get this fixed and the costs covered? I don't even know where to begin. Does anyone know of any info of this being a known issue with this year/model? I did find one other post on here from 2013 of the same thing happening with the same year/model, but more examples would be great. Thanks!

camper queen--did you have ever have any luck with Jayco?

[norty1]

I have 2 friends whose grey tank fell out after their rigs were years old. Neither were Jayco. They had it repaired out of pocket .

[camper queen]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

From the OP: So despite being 4 years old, use-wise, it's still pretty much brand new. This past weekend we were using the water and thus the tanks...the gray tank was full but before we could empty it, it fell off onto the ground...nothing at all was connected to the camper anymore. Just flat out, boom...on the ground.



It seems to me the trailer was being used as it was supposed to be. Still seems like something worth reporting. If no one reports these things, no one will do anything about it. Not to mention the strap could break and the tank fall off going down the road after it's empty. So it's still a potential safety issue.



See above.

Thanks DocBrown for doing the quote work for me Yes, we traveled across state with the tanks empty....so we were set up and stationary when the tank was full and fell off. My thought is, if the tank can fall off through correct and normal use, then what is to stop it from falling off on the road, while partially full, or even empty (if the brackets have been weakened from when it was full).

[DocBrown]

I have one trip left in Oct. I'm going to be checking my brakes this weekend, and I'm looking at the fasteners for the tank straps.