Grey water dump handle

[motoadvrider]

It's been about a month since we took the 27RL out. This time we go to our favorite spot, set up and enjoy 5 days and 4 nights of peaceful camping. When we get ready to pack up I try to dump the grey water.....no handle or rod to pull !!!????? Seems to have come loose and fallen out. The one for tank #2 is there but not tank #1. Anyone ever had this issue? Can I just buy a rod and handle and screw it in or does it have to go to the dealer?
I cannot see thru the hole far enough to tell where it should be.
I hope I can do it myself as every time it has to go to the dealer it means taking a day off from work and then leaving it for 2 or 3 weeks.....not a good time of year for that.

 

[JohnDar]

I would imagine that you can drop part of the underbelly cover and reattach it yourself.

 

[SmokeyBare]

If it is like what was used on our BigHorn, its not a handle attached to a rod. The handle on our dump valves are a flexible steel shaft attached to the dump valve. Much like the cables used on bicycle brakes or a lawn mower throttle control. The end of the steel flex cable (the part that moves back and forth as you open and close the valve) is attached to the dump valve using a set screw to lock it in place. If there is no handle with a steel flexible shaft connected together... you most likely will need to replace the whole cable assembly. That is unless your dealer has a lose handle/shaft in stock.

Marv

 

[Bob&Patty]

Marv, the pull handles will screw off the shaft. I bet thats what happened. The handle came loose and fell off. Then the shaft fell into the underbelly.

Moto, drop the underbelly and see if the shaft/cable is there. Is the nut and bezel still in the frame?? BTW, the only way you get a new cable is with the valve assembly. It's all or nothing......don't ask.

 

[HappyKayakers]

Marv, the pull handles will screw off the shaft. I bet thats what happened. The handle came loose and fell off. Then the shaft fell into the underbelly.

Moto, drop the underbelly and see if the shaft/cable is there. Is the nut and bezel still in the frame?? BTW, the only way you get a new cable is with the valve assembly. It's all or nothing......don't ask.

I agree that the handle probably worked itself off. However, I'm pretty sure I bought just a replacement cable without the valve assembly. This page http://www.rvtoast.com/wastewater-p...ittings-vents-c-28_94_104.html?page=4&sort=2a
shows the kit and just the replacement cable, even though the pic is the same for both. There are also good instructions here: http://www.valterra.com/files/Cable Valve Inst. English OEM.pdf

 

[Bob&Patty]

Joe, thats good to know. When I had a problem all I could get was the WHOLE thing. BTW, you can fix the handle to cable issue when they pull loose. Thats is to say where the handle shaft connects to the coiled spring part of the cable assembly.

 

[2psnapod2]

I believe my cables are not ran as straight as they should be out of the UDC because all of the water lines. Can I unhook them at the UDC and re-route them?

 

[SmokeyBare]

The Handle does in fact screw off the steel shaft. That way you can replace them when they break. Even seen aluminum handles that can replace the plastic type that comes on the RV.

On our 2007 BigHorn, the dump valve handles are mounted through the frame below the basement floor, reachable by opening a small access door. I had a dump valve cable failure a few years back. The outside flexible plastic covered shield came lose from the threaded shaft that bolts through the frame, I was able to do a repair by unscrewing the mounting shaft from the frame of the RV. Only way I was able to remove the mounting shaft was to unscrew the nut holding the shaft solidly to the frame. That NUT was on the back side of the frame. All that said, it wasn't possible on my BigHorn... to have the shaft fall inside the belly of the beast.

Marv

 

[rebootsemi]

I believe my cables are not ran as straight as they should be out of the UDC because all of the water lines. Can I unhook them at the UDC and re-route them?

Well yes you can re-route the cables anywhere you want, while your at it hold them up and spray some lube down inside the housing and then make sure you locktite (blue) the threads together so they will not come loose again.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Lee, thats what I did when I had one come apart. If the coiled wire covered with the black plastic comes loose from the shaft. Take it out of the coach. Cut some of the plastic off...maybe a 1/4". Put the cable back in the shaft and "GENTLY" smash it in a vise on all 4 sides. NOT TOOOOO MUCH or you will bind up the cable inside the coiled wire. Grease it good with lithium grease and reinstall it...your now good to go.

 

[motoadvrider]

I fixed the problem temporarily this weekend. I say temporarily because the Heartland dealer only had a slip on handle kit. Slip it over the shaft and tighten a set screw. I don't like that setup but it works. I put some silicone on the shaft and inside the slip on tube then tightened the set screw. The handle sticks out farther but is ok. I then added a safety wire tied to the handle and the frame so if it works off I might not lose the handle.
I did have to remove 4 screws from the underbelly cover in order to get to the stub of the valve. It works great for now.

 

[Bob&Patty]

If the handle works and doesn't bother you too much. Remove the set screw...drill a small hole thru the shaft and install a cotter pin. Then it will never fall off. Just a thought.