ATF: 37 Ultimate Front gray and black tank

shive787

Member
Just purchased my 37 Ultimate 2 weeks ago. Last weekend camping I noticed the front gray tank valve is not closing all the way. It might be the black as well due to the fact that the water, although looked like gray water. But had a bit of a funky smell like waste. Dealer I purchased from said they might just need adjustment. Are the front tank valves adjustable? If so I would prefer to do this myself than have it at the dealer for 2 months.

Thanks, Wade


2014' ElkRidge 37 Ultimate
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Hi shive787,

I assume you have a slow leak so that when you uncap the sewer outlet, there's a surprise waiting for you.

By chance, if the dump handle is all the way in, and the valve isn't closed, the cable might be loose, probably at the valve in the underbelly. If the cable is loose at the valve, all you'd have to do is push the handle in all the way, loosen the setscrew holding the cable to the valve plunger, push the valve plunger all the way in, and tighten the setscrew. Getting to the valves is the hard part. If you need to let down part of the coroplast underbelly, you'll find an impact wrench to be very helpful.

It's more likely that there's something caught in the valve, preventing the blade from sliding all the way in. With black tanks, it's very easy to get toilet paper trapped by not completing flushing out the tank before closing the valve. If it's paper, repeated flushing and backflushing may eventually get it free.

If it's just a quart or 2 of water coming out when you uncap the sewer outlet, you can defer working on the problem for a while by getting a twist-on external gate valve. That'll let you uncap and hook up the sewer hose before opening the gate valve. Here's a link. While you're at, you might want the type that also has a clear tube so you can see what's going on while dumping the black tank, and backflush if necessary. Here's a link to that one.
 

shive787

Member
I thought it might be something caught around the also. But the trailer is new so I was the first to use it I would think. When I got the trailer home I popped the caps and about 1/2 quart of antifreeze came out of the front tanks. Didn't think to much about it, until I got the nice surprise while camping. Thank you for help. Next weekend I'm going to take a look at it and see how involved its going to be.

Thanks, Wade


2014' ElkRidge 37 Ultimate
 

shive787

Member
Just a quick update to my holding tanks. They DONT leak now! :) maybe since the trailer sat at the dealer for a year. Things just needed move a little to get the deals working again. Thanks again for the help.


-Wade

2014' ElkRidge 37 Ultimate
 
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