Traveling with full tanks

[tyewalkerfm1]

Hello all,
I'm sure this question has already been asked and answered before. But I noticed in our owners manual for our 174 bunkhouse Baja that it states to "never travel with full water tanks." Why do they give us a 30 gallon water tank if we cannot travel with it full? We were told that the Baja edition was geared for more off the grid camping experience. Are we going to cause damage if we travel with full water tanks?

[TimHolt]

Well, here are my thoughts:

A gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds. If you fill up your fw tank, you are adding 240 pounds of weight to your rig. Most folks don't need water while in transit (I typically put about 1/3 full) because you can stop at rest stops and truck stops to do your business...240 extra pounds can lower your fuel efficiency, especially if you are going uphill.

You fill up your tanks the closer you get to your destination of you are dry camping. Of course, if you are at an RV park, you don't need water in your tanks at all..

With all that being said, a lot of folks fill their tanks if they know they will be traveling through windy weather as the tanks act to keep them weighed down. But they dump the water once they are through the weather.

[Isaacs]

Originally Posted by tyewalkerfm1

Hello all,
I'm sure this question has already been asked and answered before. But I noticed in our owners manual for our 174 bunkhouse Baja that it states to "never travel with full water tanks." Why do they give us a 30 gallon water tank if we cannot travel with it full? We were told that the Baja edition was geared for more off the grid camping experience. Are we going to cause damage if we travel with full water tanks?

My manual says the same thing. I think it's a weight thing--they don't want you to overload your trailer.

I must admit that I've traveled home without incident with a partial tank of poop several times because it's easier for me to dump at home. (I do, however, have this vision of the tank becoming dislodged on the interstate and breaking open all over the road)--yucch!

[Atlee]

If I can dump sewer tanks where I am, I'll do so. However, every once in awhile, I have to go home. In that case, I drop by the camp ground near me to dump. Since I get all of my propane there, they don't charge me to dump.

Now to the OP's question. Whether my water tank is full or not, depends on whether or not I have water where I'm going, such as a FHU campground. In that case, I usually only have about 1/3 full. If I'm going to be boondocking all weekend, the tank will be full.

Originally Posted by Isaacs

My manual says the same thing. I think it's a weight thing--they don't want you to overload your trailer.

I must admit that I've traveled home without incident with a partial tank of poop several times because it's easier for me to dump at home. (I do, however, have this vision of the tank becoming dislodged on the interstate and breaking open all over the road)--yucch!

[DocBrown]

If your underbelly is not enclosed take a look at what's holding your tanks up. Then tell me how comfortable you are bouncing down the road with 240# for those cheesy little straps to hold up. I'm not.

Of course I've never traveled with water, even with trailers that had a tank inside the box.

[tyewalkerfm1]

Seems like they shouldn't give us tanks if we can't travel full.... I don't plan on camping where there is hook ups very often:-/

[NVGun40]

I have seen this question asked before and seen the debate it spurred. Everything from the many stories "I have a friend who's brother saw a neighbors cousins RV tank fall off on the freeway..." (Yet, no one can provide pictures or the news story of the 20 car pileup it caused), to the "it ruins my gas mileage from 10 MPG while towing to 6 MPG while towing."; even to a claim that it will "void a warranty".
I sent an email directly to Jayco to ask their advice.
"We recommend against travelling with full tanks; it can create instability shifting the weight on turns and lane changes causing imbalance of weight distribution of the RV over the axles which can create an unsafe sway condition."
"No it does not void any part of the warranty."
These are cut and pasted from the email reply I received.

[WyEm]

Originally Posted by NVGun40

I have seen this question asked before and seen the debate it spurred. Everything from the many stories "I have a friend who's brother saw a neighbors cousins RV tank fall off on the freeway..." (Yet, no one can provide pictures or the news story of the 20 car pileup it caused), to the "it ruins my gas mileage from 10 MPG while towing to 6 MPG while towing."; even to a claim that it will "void a warranty".
I sent an email directly to Jayco to ask their advice.
"We recommend against travelling with full tanks; it can create instability shifting the weight on turns and lane changes causing imbalance of weight distribution of the RV over the axles which can create an unsafe sway condition."
"No it does not void any part of the warranty."
These are cut and pasted from the email reply I received.

Boom. Mic drop.

[schrederman]

DocBrown said it best... Even if those straps are carefully installed... which we all know they're not... I wouldn't want to do this. I always start a trip with 4 gallons of water in the black tank with a scoop of Happy Campers in it. The sloshing on the trip getting there keeps it cleaner than a flush system could ever do. I put about 4 gallons in the fresh tank in case we need an emergency pit stop... for flushing. I won't travel with more than that except to the closest dump station.

[KennyG]

Travelling with an empty or a few gallons of water is fine if your destination @ the end of the day is a campground with a water service & dump station. If you are "boondocking" off the beaten path or even choose to overnight in a Wal-mart parking lot where water & dump stations aren't available, having a good supply of water is a "MUST"! That said I've always had a supply of water in the tank along with various levels of Grey & Black in the tanks until I find a dump station in my travels and since I do like to boondock a lot, I have never had a problem. That's what Grey, Black & Fresh water tanks are for on RV's! This is one of those discussions that whatever anyone's opinion is and whatever they are comfortable with depending on their individual style of camping, there really is no right or wrong. Whatever works best!

[tyewalkerfm1]

Thanks everyone

[Murff]

Originally Posted by tyewalkerfm1

Thanks everyone

You bet!

Murff

[Northern Jay]

I have never left home without full FWT. Even when I stayed at a full hookup joint. I think they had a boil water notice at the time. Many miles with 80 gal of water in the tanks and no issues. If the tank is full there is no shift in the weight from side to side when cornering.
Happy Camping

[crtc_01]

For our local State park campgrounds I haul with full water, usually around 30mi. For our longer trips they have been full hook ups and I only add a few gallons of fresh water so we can flush the toilet or use the sink while on the road. No issues so far.