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Old 07-06-2014, 09:49 PM   #1
Mountain Cougar
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Thumbs up Fixing or replacing fresh water tank

I am in need of some tips on how to take down a fresh water tank in a 2009 Cougar 244. We just finished a 4000 mile trip and I had a constant leak from under the FW tank coming out from the coroplast liner. I opened a section from the liner to see the tank and checked all the fittings. All seemed OK. The leak is coming from the tank itself but I can not get to the source with out taking the tank down. Has anybody done this procedure or knows the best way to accomplish this. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
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Old 07-07-2014, 05:34 AM   #2
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Our FW tank rests between the frame rails on a couple of galvanized steal straps. I believe the tank is installed before the floor is put down. The straps are anchored to the rails with self drilling/tapping screws that were put in from the top. When I had the coro-plast down I did not check to see, but, perhaps you can get to the hex heads of the screws with a small wrench. If not, you might be able to cut them off and/or CAREFULLY drill them out. Haven't tried it, but there HAS to be a way to get the tank down out of the frame. Please post how it goes - for future reference. Good luck with it.
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Old 07-07-2014, 05:38 AM   #3
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Fixing or replacing fresh water tank

The tanks are held in place by brackets screwed into the frame. Fresh tank is the easiest as there isn't any drain pipes glued in.

Just drain it, disconnect the hoses and then remove one of the bars going across holding it up. There are tank repair kits that come with fiberglass mesh, two part epoxy and sandpaper for prep. I've used it on customers tanks successfully plenty of times.

On edit: the galvanized straps are usually attached to the brackets. They are there to support the tank when full. Not all tanks have them.
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Old 07-07-2014, 07:31 PM   #4
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Thank chuckster and jsmith for the reply.
The screws holding in the straps,may have to be cut off and ground down.
The C-channel is the same height as the tank, so no way to back out the screws. I hope to be able to cut the screws on one side and move that C-channel over a bit and hopefully the tank can be lowered that way. What I can not figure out yet , is how to get the tank back in and how to attach the straps
to the C-channel again. Also till I get to look at the tank I don't know if it is cracked or has a whole in it. The leaking was still active even with less then a quarter full. I probable will start the project next weekend and will keep you posted on what I find out.

Thanks
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Old 07-07-2014, 08:08 PM   #5
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Putting it back in isn't that difficult IMO. With it empty, balance it on a floor jack while lifting it into place. There should be a ledge on the ends of the tank that slide over the top of the c channel.

If you look close at the straps, they are usually attached to the channel with self tapping screws. The c channel is also attached to the frame with self tappers. Use a 1/4 drive ratchet to take them out, don't grind them off and try to drill them out. A floor jack and a 12X12 piece of plywood are your friends.
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Old 07-08-2014, 04:57 PM   #6
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Maybe this will clarify the situation. The tank is sandwiched between the C-channels. The screws hold the straps , which are laying in the channel as well.
The screws need to come out in order to get the tank down. That is my first problem, now remounting the tank is an other task. How to mount the straps with out being able to screw them from the top down. there is no play between the channel and the tank in order to get a screw from the top down.





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Old 07-08-2014, 05:29 PM   #7
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Isn't the channel holding the tank screwed into the frame at both ends?
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Old 07-08-2014, 06:30 PM   #8
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Yes, but both ends are screwed into and sit on the lip of the I-beam of the trailer frame. If I loosen both channels from the I beam, I could not angel it enough to drop the whole thing. Right now I will have to wait for a couple of days off to take all the coroplast down and survey the situation. It may give me a better understanding
what needs to be done. I will report back.
Thanks

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Old 07-08-2014, 07:45 PM   #9
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Fixing or replacing fresh water tank

Removing the screws from the frame on one of the channels should allow you room to rotate it enough to get to the strap screws. It is a PITA, BTDT a few times.


Now that I've had more time to think. You could cut the straps at one channel. Then just get some plumbers strap, looks like ribbon steel with holes in it. Then secure to the channel that you leave in place. Unroll plenty and then place the second channel in place. Thread the strap under the tank, over the channel and back down. Once the channel is screwed back on place, you can secure the straps anywhere you can drive a self tapper.

The straps are there to support the tank when it's FULL and not let it "stretch", They don't carry the tank, the channels do.
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Old 07-08-2014, 09:18 PM   #10
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Thanks, that may be a viable solution. For right now I wait till I can get all the coroplast down and survey the whole setup.
Thank you very much for all the input

Roger
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Old 07-18-2014, 07:13 PM   #11
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OK, here is an update on my water tank problem....
Removing the tank was easy. Taking the coroplast off, gives you an easy access to the under belly. Had to grind down the metal screws holding the 3 galvanized straps in place. Took off the water and vent lines and removed 4 screws that held the one C-channel in place. Moving that C-channel lets you drop the tank.
The leaks were, where the tank rests on the 6 metal screw heads. The screw heads just punctured thru the plastic, which is to be expected. Duhhh
I am surprised not many more owners have that problem....
Now I am dealing with the company to see if they will assist with the cost.
Of course it has been over a week and no answer. I will try to plastic weld the spots so I can use the tank again and go camping. Summer is going by fast.
Let you all know how the reinstall goes.
Here are a few pics from the job

Roger
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Old 07-18-2014, 07:21 PM   #12
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There are "kits" made that include fiberglass patch material and an epoxy based glue made for these types of plastics. I've used them and have had excellent results.
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Old 07-18-2014, 08:46 PM   #13
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Thanks,
I just ordered some polyethylene material that you can weld together with some heat to fix the tank. I will give this a try at first. Still hope I will get a replacement tank from Keystone but want to go camping soon again.
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Old 07-19-2014, 07:24 AM   #14
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MountainCougar-
Thanks for posting a follow-up. I had the coro-plast down on our Cougar, but, I didn't check to see if the tank was rubbing/sitting on top of the self tapping hex head screws Now I don't know if I should just hope for the best (read 'head in the sand' or 'ignore the problem and it will go away') or tear into the underbelly and check
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Old 07-19-2014, 05:31 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jsmith948 View Post
MountainCougar-
Thanks for posting a follow-up. I had the coro-plast down on our Cougar, but, I didn't check to see if the tank was rubbing/sitting on top of the self tapping hex head screws Now I don't know if I should just hope for the best (read 'head in the sand' or 'ignore the problem and it will go away') or tear into the underbelly and check
If it ain't broke, don't fix it !!! Go camping instead
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Old 07-20-2014, 04:09 AM   #16
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I think you're right......we're getting ready as we speak!
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Old 07-21-2014, 06:01 AM   #17
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Still waiting for an answer... Supposedly it is still in review for over a week now.
Advise:
If you are back in the under belly one day, put a spacer between the tank and the bottom rail of the C-channel. There is about a 3/8" gap if you push the tank up. This will eliminate pressing the screw heads into the plastic.
I just had a horrible thought.....
What about the grey and black water tank.... I am sure it has the same problem...Yak
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Old 07-21-2014, 05:24 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mountain Cougar View Post
Still waiting for an answer... Supposedly it is still in review for over a week now.
Advise:
If you are back in the under belly one day, put a spacer between the tank and the bottom rail of the C-channel. There is about a 3/8" gap if you push the tank up. This will eliminate pressing the screw heads into the plastic.
I just had a horrible thought.....
What about the grey and black water tank.... I am sure it has the same problem...Yak
I can't say for certain about the 2009 models, but on the 2014 models, the gray and black tanks are sitting on a rail around the upper rim. There are no straps under my tanks. I can't say for sure if it's only the "smaller" tank sizes (mine are 28 gallons each) or if all the tanks are now installed in a "floating" fashion. ?????? I haven't been in the back section of my underbelly to see if the FW tank is installed the same way or not. Essentially, there's a "framework" built into the chassis, the tanks are sitting in the framework and floating above the coroplast. There is a layer of "aluminumized bubble wrap" laying on the coroplast and "supposedly" the entire underbelly is "open" and the warm air (from that 2" duct) heats all that space..... Hmmmmmm

Anyway, your gray and black tanks may be installed differently than your FW tank.
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Old 07-21-2014, 06:20 PM   #19
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I might just drop down a bit more of the coroplast to get a look at the other tanks. Spacing the tank would be a simple prevention from any future puncturing.
In regards to any insulation with our polar package...A big negative. Non existing.
How do they get away with this false advertising?

Roger
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Old 07-21-2014, 06:35 PM   #20
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Don't feel bad. There's next to nothing in the way of insulation in the '08 Cougar which also has the infamous "Polar Package". They've been getting away with misleading ads about these packages for years. How do they do it? They just do.
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