2020 303RLS Travelling with a full water tank

[ShawnErtha]

I have owned two different TT's and have traveled many times with the tanks full. Never had any issues

[Canyonlight]

I think the key point in the OPs question and the the take away is that is OK to do so.......but, with a BIG but. That doesn't sound right but anyway.......by virtue of itself (other things not factored in) it does not damage the RV or tank or frame or structure or anything else. If it does or could, this is news to me and I would like to learn more. Many, many of us have traveled with full fresh tanks for decades with several different RVs and never had an issue.

Certainly GDRVs response is not a surprise given the many marginal CCCs of many industry RVs and many RVrs (maybe most RVrs) not knowing or paying attention to the weight added to the RV. Possibly, the history of damage or potential to have damage to components like spring hangers, springs, axles, and more could be a real factor as well.

If I was part of the GDRV team I would share the same type of response to educate and better protect owners, the business enterprise, and other stakeholders.
The key........."one has to know your limits !'........weight limits that is !

Dan

[Beachcamper]

Bad news, Lippert techs here at their Goshen facility do NOT recommend any water in tanks while traveling. This echoes what GD told me. Tanks have no baffles so water sloshes around and when on bad roads or hitting bumps, will have an effect on hangers and frame.

i asked about 5 gallons enough to use for flushing toilet while underway and they said that was fine.

[TucsonJim]

Bad news, Lippert techs here at their Goshen facility do NOT recommend any water in tanks while traveling. This echoes what GD told me. Tanks have no baffles so water sloshes around and when on bad roads or hitting bumps, will have an effect on hangers and frame.

i asked about 5 gallons enough to use for flushing toilet while underway and they said that was fine.

It won't slosh (much) if it's full.....

Jim

[315RLTSinPA]

Filling the water tank puts me a little over GVWR, but I still do it at times.

[Beachcamper]

It won't slosh (much) if it's full.....

Jim

Lippert begs to differ, I tried that reasoning with techs there yesterday. They were adamant about the risk to frame and suspension if traveling with anything over 5 gallons! I just don’t understand how it is possible that tanks don’t have baffles and proper support to be able to travel with full tanks? Is it that they just figure people will only camp at full hook up sites?

I did ask hypothetical question, what about loading up with water at campground water spigot and then slowly driving to find a campsite within that particular park? They said that short distance and slowly traveling was ok.

vivian

[Cate&Rob]

Lippert begs to differ, I tried that reasoning with techs there yesterday. They were adamant about the risk to frame and suspension if traveling with anything over 5 gallons!

In this situation, I think we might want to go with the perspective of experienced owners and LCI/GDRV engineers. Why would they put a warning on every trailer about considering the weight of a full tank of water rather than a warning not to carry a full tank . . . if that were the case ?

I have read forum discussions about dropped grey and black tanks which are secured differently within the frame than the fresh water tank. I have not read any posts about dropped fresh water tanks. Agreed that the tanks should have baffles, but that would make them more expensive and we know how that story ends.

Rob

[Second Chance]

In this situation, I think we might want to go with the perspective of experienced owners and LCI/GDRV engineers. Why would they put a warning on every trailer about considering the weight of a full tank of water rather than a warning not to carry a full tank . . . if that were the case ?

I have read forum discussions about dropped grey and black tanks which are secured differently within the frame than the fresh water tank. I have not read any posts about dropped fresh water tanks. Agreed that the tanks should have baffles, but that would make them more expensive and we know how that story ends.

Rob

... and I haven't read any reports of dropped waste tanks in quite a while - they must have improved (especially) the black tank mounting and support.

Rob

[howson]

... and I haven't read any reports of dropped waste tanks in quite a while - they must have improved (especially) the black tank mounting and support.

Rob

As a point of reference (since I have mine open )...

The water tank in my '19 315RLTS is held in place by three metal(?) supports and the edges of the frame crossbeams. The tank itself is not secured to anything. Since it's empty I can easily bounce it up and down. It's literally just sitting on top of the supports.

[Second Chance]

As a point of reference (since I have mine open )...

The water tank in my '19 315RLTS is held in place by three metal(?) supports and the edges of the frame crossbeams. The tank itself is not secured to anything. Since it's empty I can easily bounce it up and down. It's literally just sitting on top of the supports.

At 8.34 lbs. per gallon for water, that doesn't look like enough support to me, Howard... but I'm not an engineer - I just drive/sail/fly what the engineers design.

Rob

[gbkims]

I've seen a couple of posts on fresh water straps breaking and bending the angle supports or the screws pulling out & dropping the tank.
That's in the other sandbox, last one was a few days ago, 2nd time for one person the tank dropped.

[Aljewett]

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to reply. I don't think it's a GVWR or cargo capacity problem, but a structural issue. Can a FW like the 303RLS support 60 gallons of potable water while traveling? My old GD TT literature cautioned that carrying water wasn't a good idea because it wasn't designed to carry a few hundred pounds of water WHILE traveling.

[Country Campers]

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to reply. I don't think it's a GVWR or cargo capacity problem, but a structural issue. Can a FW like the 303RLS support 60 gallons of potable water while traveling? My old GD TT literature cautioned that carrying water wasn't a good idea because it wasn't designed to carry a few hundred pounds of water WHILE traveling.

Our 29RS is very similar to the 303. We mainly are weekender or long weekends where we need to carry water. We have not had any issues with carrying a full tank of water , so far. I am not sure about traveling across the country while the tank is full , this might be an issue. I think the decision will be up to the owner.

Brian