Safe to travel with full fresh water tank?

[Offspring22]

So I've heard some people tell me it's a bad idea to travel with a full fresh water tank due to extra stress while moving down the highway/over large bumps etc. Does anyone regularly travel with a full tank? Has anyone had any issue doing so? I have a 15' 26BHS.

Thanks

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Offspring22

So I've heard some people tell me it's a bad idea to travel with a full fresh water tank due to extra stress while moving down the highway/over large bumps etc. Does anyone regularly travel with a full tank? Has anyone had any issue doing so? I have a 15' 26BHS.

Thanks

We never travel with a full tank. No reason to carry the extra weight. Unless you cap the tank overflow tubes you will probably only have a 1/2 tank when you get to your destination.

[Offspring22]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

We never travel with a full tank. No reason to carry the extra weight. Unless you cap the tank overflow tubes you will probably only have a 1/2 tank when you get to your destination.

We don't usually either, but we're heading to a place with hand pumps wells only....

[Northern Jay]

I travel with full FW tank all the time. Never had an issue at all. (Other than a siphoning problem that has been addressed).
I prefer to travel with my own water as you don't always know the water quality where you are headed. TV is capable of the extra weight, and nobody gets to have excellent fuel economy when towing.
Happy Camping

[THE MEEKER]

Personally, I do not travel with a full fresh water tank as I don't need the extra weight and I do not trust the tank strap construction. I have read a couple of posts here that people have had issues traveling with a full fresh water tank.

I never had any problem filling the tank once arriving at my destination.

[xtruckerbob]

We have always traveled with our FW tank full. (Since 1976) We have never had any problem at all, no matter what brand and never any siphoning. You never know how the water taste across the country. Plus we notice no measurable different in truck fuel mileage whether the FW tank is full or empty. We have have plenty of truck so pretty much I don't care about the extra weight.

[wwsmith111]

I travel with mine full and have never had an issue. I did put shutoff valves on the overflow tubes to stop water from sloshing out of the tanks. We like the convenience of having water all the time and we use it when travelling. Washing up, using the toilet, I even take showers when needed. I've never had a problem doing this although I have read where others have. Don't notice the extra weight at all. Just make sure you drain the tanks for the winter and sanitize before filling in the Spring.

[clubhouse]

I travel with full tanks about 50% of the time, basically if we are going somewhere that I am not 100% confident of the water source. Have not had an issue with the tanks, nor can I detect any change in towing characteristics of fuel economy.

The flimsy straps on the bottom of the FW tank were to hold in place while the top brackets were installed. Those brackets are designed to support the full tank in motion. However I still replaced the straps with heavy gauge steel supports, just in case.

[goducks]

You could always run a piece of 2x2" angle iron across the underside of the tank and bolt it to the lower flange on the frame.


JMO but if the fresh water tank can't hold a full load while traveling then what does that tell you about the rest of the trailer?

[CDavid]

I just traveled this past weekend for the first time with full (80gal) FW tanks, and honestly, it never towed better! The extra tongue weight seemed to make it much more stable. I think I am going to keep some water in the tanks from now on.

[mike837go]

We used to run with full tanks. The extra fuel needed was annoying. This year we secured a water source near our campsite. No more hauling water 250 miles for us.

[ttavasc]

Smaller trailers with less cargo capacity have a harder time doing this. My Baja has a 35g fw tank - with the 6g in the water heater that's 41g. If I fill it full that is almost 1/2 of my cargo capacity. Even though we tend to pack on the light side I think I'd be pushing the GVWR of the trailer if I ran with it full. So we currently run with about 10g in the tank so we have a reasonable amount to use while traveling between destinations.

[dewey02]

We frequently travel with a full tank (80 gallons). Water quality at many parks has a bad taste or smell, so we take our home supply with us. I have added shut off valves on the overflow tubes, and have added additional 2 inch steel strapping reinforcements on each of the two water tanks.

As some others have mentioned, my trailer hauls with more stability when it is loaded, and my gas mileage difference is pretty minimal. If you have lots of stop and go, it might affect gas mileage more. But once you get that additional 600+ pounds moving at highway speeds, it doesn't take that much to keep it going.

[annie oakly]

I do not carry a full tank of water, there are just to many hills to go up and down out here. Do not need the extra weight

Camp fire band is coming in on Saturday at noon,
Why wait 3 days do it now.

[scottraycraft]

NEVER
that's 350+ lbs of extra weight...our tank is directly over the axels so im not worried about sway,,,just the added weight

Are the braces that hold the tank to the frame rated for full tank load?? just wondering

Ive been on 2 trips this year...neither had pressurized water
first trip I filled fresh tank at dump station
second trip I used a bucket, a jug, and a small submersible water pump with hose to fill it manually (this was actually quicker than the first)

next two trips we have full hook up (my preferred site)

last trip again we will need the pump and bucket, do it manually...took me 20 minutes last time...not bad

[33 RLDS]

I do when I have to. Not to worried about it. I also do #2 inside, watch TV and cook inside but I may not be right in the head.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by 33 RLDS

I do when I have to. Not to worried about it. I also do #2 inside, watch TV and cook inside but I may not be right in the head.

And just what is improper, anti-social, illegal or just plain wrong with using our RV's to their full potential?

Cook! TV! Use the head! Shower! Wash Dishes!

And Heaven Forbid, hold a conversation over the dinette table?

There must be a whole lot wrong with me! [No comments from the peanut gallery, TWP]

[Subaru297]

I'll fill at home also if I need to and have noticed the extra stability from the extra weight. I'll usually have the tank 1/4 full though just to have water on the road or full if we aren't getting water hookups at our destination.

Certainly a lot easier to do if your TV is up for the extra weight though. I avoided a full tank with the old half ton if at all possible.

[Subaru297]

Originally Posted by 33 RLDS

I do when I have to. Not to worried about it. I also do #2 inside, watch TV and cook inside but I may not be right in the head.

And all of that is possible now with the addition of the Fantastic fan!

[WrenZ71]

Always travel With my fresh water tank full.I only boondock and refuse to fill my fw tank with water from a dump station.Nasty black waster residue all over those water spigots,no thanks!!!!