Replacing Freshwater fill spout?

[Richard Davis]

I have ordered a new flush-mounted fill spout from Scamp for a 2009 13 footer (see photo). I've asked Scamp to include the rivets necessary for installation, and I have booked an appointment IN AUGUST (!!!!!) to have the old fill

spout replaced. Given the local RV repairer's wait-list, does anyone know how difficult this job might be to either do myself or find a local handyman familiar with rivets and caulking?

[likeair2me]

What condition is the hose between the fill inlet and the tank in? If you are planning on salvaging that, it is a matter of taking a drill to the three rivets and drilling the external heads off. Detach the filling hose inside the camper. Outside, start will a drill bit about 1/8". Lightly drill until you can get the head off. You should probably be able to tap the remainder through the hole. Clean all the old caulk or sealant off from the surface of your camper. Scrub it down with something like Bar Keepers Friend (like Comet, but nicer on finishes). If you have a fiberglass camper and don't have butyl caulk tape, GET SOME. It is the duct tape of FB campers. Put some butyl caulk all around the area and rivet the new filler on to the camper. Re-attach the filler hose to the new fill inlet.

Get a rivet gun and some assorted sized rivets. If you are gonna have a Scamp, you will probably want one around.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

does anyone know how difficult this job might be to either do myself or find a local handyman familiar with rivets and caulking?

It is a simple repair. cheap rivet gun < $20. Use butyl rather than caulking.

Steps:

1. disconnect hose from inside
2. carefully drill out rivets
3. remove spout & clean area
4. butly putty / tape on spout
5. rivet spout to body
6. connect hose

On edit: Looks like likeair2me and I were composing a similar response at the same time.

[likeair2me]

Great minds and all that... And not about to pay $50 an hour for this repair.

[The Minimalist]

Since you have already ordered this is probably too late. When I got the Little Joe, the water fill was fine, but I didn't like the idea of it being available to any passer by, so I got a new one with a lockable door.

[Mr Lynn]

I'm envious. The Casita (our 2013 anyway) has a horizontal opening, which is impossible to fill without spilling.



/Mr Lynn

[Richard Davis]

That sounds easy, although I'm sure I can find ways to make it difficult (but doable!) Thanks for your great instructions, KAY and Roy. And while I hear you, Clif, I'm probably putting my life far more at risk by driving to the campsite. For every dark-souled person who might want to sabotage my water tank (which I rarely use for drinking water anyway), I pass 500 of them on the highway. And then there's the other 25 million I pass who are not dark-souled but easily capable of killing me because they get a text message, or fall asleep, or.....

[likeair2me]

Originally Posted by Mr Lynn

I'm envious. The Casita (our 2013 anyway) has a horizontal opening, which is impossible to fill without spilling.



/Mr Lynn

I thought you were supposed to screw the filling hose to the inlet??? If all else fails...
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-Univ...C7VDA9JESJE4QA

At least your shoes will stay a little dryer.

[John in Michigan]

Originally Posted by likeair2me

Great minds and all that... And not about to pay $50 an hour for this repair.

$50 an hour sounds like a bargain. Where we live the Camping World rate is $129 an hour.

We were just discussing this yesterday: local auto mechanic rate is $80/hr but local RV rate is $129/hr. Well we do it all ourselves... (one exception: I haven't attempted welding.)

[John in Michigan]

On my campers, the fresh water fill has a large diameter fill tube and a small diameter air vent tube.

[stevebaz]

If you can hitch your trailer to your truck successfully you are capable of replacing this part. What do you have to loose. Replacing rivets in these trailers are a very basic function of owning them. Learn how or pay now. If you cant handle rivets get some stainless steel screws and nuts. Wont look like the factory installed it but it does the same job. The only bummer is buying a whole roll of butyl tape for 6 inches worth.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

The only bummer is buying a whole roll of butyl tape for 6 inches worth.

Butyl tape is cheap. Stop by a meet. I can guarantee you some will have some in their tool box.

[floyd]

Its a 2or 3 on the DIY scale.
When you remove the old filler, pull the fill tube through the opening and tie a string on it. You can then retrieve it easily when you want to attach the new filler.
Due to the location, I used three extra rivets on the new filler flange to get it to conform to the surface. It was a great mod and it fits the tapered spout on the green plastic "Jerry Can" sold by WalMart perfectly, making it practically spill proof.

[Richard Davis]

Never installed rivets before, but I'll head off to purchase a rivet gun and some butyl tape as soon as the part arrives from Scamp. I see on-line that butyl tape comes in lots of widths. What would folks recommend? I still have the bench top off, so attaching the new flexible hose will be easy. Thanks again for all the great information. No doubt, I'll be back when I start the job, as everyone seems convinced it is entirely doable, so I doubt I'll wait a month for the RV repair guy. Guess summer is when these guys make hay!!!

[John in Michigan]

3/4" wide x 1/8" thick butyl tape

[Mr Lynn]

Originally Posted by likeair2me

I thought you were supposed to screw the filling hose to the inlet??? If all else fails...
https://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-Univ...C7VDA9JESJE4QA

At least your shoes will stay a little dryer.

The City Water inlet is threaded for a garden hose. The Fresh Water inlet (for the FW tank) is larger and threaded for its cap and nothing else.

That funnel might be helpful. We rigged up a flexible tube with a spout that fits in the inlet, but it's still great for splashing on shoes.

/Mr Lynn

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Never installed rivets before, but I'll head off to purchase a rivet gun and some butyl tape as soon as the part arrives from Scamp. I see on-line that butyl tape comes in lots of widths. What would folks recommend? I still have the bench top off, so attaching the new flexible hose will be easy. Thanks again for all the great information. No doubt, I'll be back when I start the job, as everyone seems convinced it is entirely doable, so I doubt I'll wait a month for the RV repair guy. Guess summer is when these guys make hay!!!

An unbelievable number of people come to this forum and are very worried about putting in rivets and messing up their trailer because they have never done riveting before. Why they don't realize they can practice this skill of riveting before they begin to work on their trailer is a mystery to me. It is no different of a concept than that of practicing hammering in nails on a scrap of wood.

Buy some extra rivets and practice installing them in some type of 1/8" thick or so scrap material you might have on hand. An old aluminum cooking pot, an old switch plate cover, etc. Most of us tend to have some junk stuff in a box out in the garage that we won't mind sacrificing for a practice session. So what if you mess up a few rivets in the learning process? That is great because they you will get some additional practice in drilling out rivets.

For those of you who are regulars here...do try to remember to tell the newbies that they can practice their riveting/drilling skills before they begin to work on their trailers. Practice makes perfect but more importantly it reduces the anxiety that comes with the fear of failure. That kind of anxiety can lead to errors and injuries so we are doing them a favor by saying they should practice first.

[Borrego Dave]

Good post KC. Drilling rivets out can be more of a hang up for folks being worried of drilling to deep or ending up with a wider hole than factory. Practice makes perfect and whatever you're riveting doesn't care if the rivet is a bit wider .

[Vtec]

I have to laugh a little too on this thread. I have drilled out lots of rivets, in the hundreds, easy and routine, until we busted our right rear running light on our Casita. Before drilling I checked to see what was behind it just in case the drill would catch as they do sometimes. I saw the one water line and I didn't think it was in danger of being drilled by accident. I carefully drilled the first rivet out and got to the second. Not sure but as it came through the rivet the drill caught and went deep. I pulled it out and a perfect stream of water spewed out! Only one thing to hit and I drilled it dead center perfect.

Sometimes there is no one dumber than me on earth for a few seconds.

[Roy in TO]

Great suggestions on practicing KC and Dave. I might want to add they could also practice putting a washer on the backside of those practice rivets with a second person. It might come in handy with the location of the spout on a curve. Steve L recently posted excellent instructions on riveting.

When it comes to drilling out. I found it safest to use a bit larger than the rivet body. Then only drill deep enough to remove the head. Pulling the rivet out from the backside.