12 gal H2O tank removal in Burro?

[Armymomma]

Ok, here I go...
Recently purchased a 13' Burro & am fixing it up. 2 way H2O pump is shot ( gaskets all dry rotted as is gasket on sink trap) & I have new parts on order. I changed out all the 1/2" tubing as this was NASTY -- black alien life form living & breeding in those! I would love to take the H2O tank out & put in a smaller one but here's the problem: the tank is bigger than the opening in the fiberglass seat hole...hmmm... Any ideas as to how the original owner got this rascal down in there (& thus, how in the world to get it out!)? Should I try cutting a larger hole (not sure if this is even possible without ruining that part of the seating area) or is there a way to cut the tank apart OR... Is there some slick maneuvering I haven't yet thought of to wrestle this out of the original seat hole? Note: it appears from the manual that came w/ the Burro that this was a kit/ home assemlbly job from 1983. Perhaps the H2O tank was already on the floor when the inner & outer shells were joined together so it was never shoved through the seat hole in the assembly process...?
Anyone...?

Thanks!!!

[djtriceflt]

I appreciate your situation on trying to get the tank out. IF it appears you only need several inches of extra clearance I can tell you what worked well for me.

I did just the opposite and installed a 12 gal tank into my 85 UHaul CT-13 (like the Burro) and wanted the extra capacity for an outside hot water shower with a higher capacity water pump. The tank was 12 x 12 x 20 ",
as I recall, but, just would not quite fit through the opening as I had fiberglassed a support framework and it was preventing it from sliding on down into place. Instead of forcing it in I got a small sissor jack and placed it inside the opening and jacked up the fiberglass several inches, which did not hurt a thing, and it easily slid into place.

Just my 2 cents and good luck with your Burro which is the UHauls older cousin for sure.

don '85 CT-13

[Daniel A.]

Sounds like it was put in on the build.
One idea might be to use a heat gun on the plastic to get it to bend and shape.

[Donna D.]

If you're thinking you want to remove what you've got because something icky is growing inside... install a deck plate or two. Frankly, I don't think 12 gallons is all that big. YMMV

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ank-49755.html

[Armymomma]

Thanks for the input!!
My solution: I got out my handy dandy jig saw & cut a 4 in chunk out of the top & was then able to maneuver the box out from under the seating area. Given how NASTY this was inside, I would not have ever felt comfortable using anything that was stored inside of it -- germ phobic & having had dysentery while stationed over seas, I'm a little snake/bug bitten & twice shy of such stuff (there's a country song in that last sentence, I'm sure!).

Love the idea of the inspection plate (thank you Donna) -- I will install one of these on my new tank. I've ordered a 6 gallon with dimensions of 16x12x8 for a couple of reasons:

1) The 12 Gallon was hogging up about 1/2 of the entire back section storage area. The water tank was sitting an an odd angle that was eating up side & back compartment space that I really need (3 of us traveling are girls & while the Army taught me how to travel really light, my 8 & 9 yr old princesses have yet to get the memo on it.).
The new tank will fit nicely between the wheel well & the FG wall, snugged up right next to the sink. Less of a pull on the system too when I have to manually pump as the tubing/line to the sink is now only 24" long vs. about 44".
Now I have almost all the storage under the driver's side bench & all the storage under the back bench area -- yea!

2) Most of our camping will be pretty local & probably at camp grounds. In Austin, full hookups seem to be the norm rather than the exception & thus, no need for a whole lot of on board h2o storage. If I was boon docking, I would probably take an extra water supply or rig up a piggy backed system of 2 x 6 gallon storage tanks in tandem.
A big fat Ozarka bottle that could be poured through the top mounted inspection plate on the new 6 gallon tank would be an alternative to rigging up something more complicated (a bunch cheaper too I suspect..).

I've done some nice cleanup on my little Burro -- New floors (with a twist -- I'll be posting photos), New headliner with marine carpet (not terribly happy about this job but it's clean & (mostly) neat so my OCD stimulated re-do will have to wait until other projects are done. Stripped, sanded, painted & distressed the doors & replaced hardware. Mounted kitchen organizing hardware on back splash area of kitch (love a well planned assault on the local Ikea store!) & am building shelving in the closet area (totally stealing the idea of using PVC pipe & shelves from another poster on this forum). Lots of hard cleaning & liberal use of elbow grease & my efforts are staring to shine -- I love making something my own with a little bit of sweat equity!
Hardly an original idea to be found in my little rig but, hey, copy-catting is really the nicest form of a compliment, right?


Tomorrow, the new faucet hardware should arrive from Amazon so that is next. The new h2o tank gets here over spring break so that is on the list too. Vintage/retro fabric for new curtains came today so, yep, that's on the list too.

All this is driving the husband bat **** crazy, lol. He's a $150K big fat diesel pusher kinda guy -- the kind that wants to go "camping" without really, well, going camping. The idea of a 30 year old 13' egg on wheels that needs work is perfectly baffling to him.

Thanks for all the help & speedy replies to my queries -- you folks are the BEST!!!