Sewer Hose storage solution

Spruce1

Looks nice.

Ramrod

Very smart. Tell us about your spare tire installation.

Lil_Lucy

Ramrod said:

Very smart. Tell us about your spare tire installation.

I had the spare tire mounted to the side frame rail but had to move it so the hose carrier would fit. I used the existing spare tire brackets (replacing the long straight bolts with U-Bolts or muffler bracket bolts). I did have to drill a couple of new holes in the cross member brackets so the bolts would line up. The tire (and cover) sit right on the top of the trailer frame so there is plenty of support.

Tommy

My wife and I got very excited about this mod and the concept of keeping our drain hose well-separated from both the cabin and the LP/battery compartment - at the same time we didn't want anything further mounted on the bottom of the trailer/frame because we go off road and need to keep things from breaking off. Thank you for developing it @Pop-T@B and congratulations on the official store launch. How nice it is that the company recognized and rewarded your ingenuity. 

That being said - we own an Outback with the front step and thus the kit from the store doesn't work for us - and we try to be frugal so we decided to build our own. It took us the better part of a full day including the trip to the hardware store - total cost came in under $100 which is good. We decided we wanted it black to blend in with the frame - there's enough damn chrome diamond plate on the front of our rig already haha. My lid plate extends underneath the jack plate/receiver plates to the very front of the frame for height continuity with the hatch lid. 

Not bad for a couple of hacks on a Saturday afternoon yes? It fits flat and tight and we couldn't be happier.



Haven't quite figured out the permanent solution to the sharp screw problem - I might go back and replace them all with short machine screws with washers and nuts.

Pop-T@B

Very Nice. Looks like your dog saying:

" I thought this was for my Dog food and toys, what's this thing? "

Ratkity

LOL @Pop-T@B and doggie comment! Great mod Tommy! There are rubber caps you can buy to cover those screw ends. I can get them at the RV parts store, but can't guarantee you can find them at a big box store. In the meantime, you can put some gorilla or electrical tape on them. You can also brave the mess that occurs when you use it, but there's liquid electrical tape you can use that would cover those nicely. Again, nice variation for your Outback on @Pop-T@B's invention!!

Small hijack: GORGEOUS pup.. absolutely expressive and beautiful!!

Photomom

@Tommy what is the thing bolted to the passenger side of the tongue? (Nice dog BTW!)

Tommy

Thanks for the comments everyone - I figured Charley would steal the show and distract everyone away from all my mistakes haha. @Pop-T@B I think he might have been "Oh, this thing smells good..." haha

@Photomom that is for an anti-sway bar that the dealer installed. They convinced us that such a light weight trailer at the height it is, would be blowing all over the place. I'm still not convinced it was worth the money but we pulled it over the Sierras and out into the windy Nevada desert on Memorial Day weekend - the sway bar was installed on the way out and everything felt very stable, and I took it off on the way back and it did get a little sketchy at times. 

Tommy

@Ratkity thanks for the kind words and advice about rubber cabs - we looked for something like that at the box store and as you said didn't find them. We currently have them covered with plastic drywall anchors that we tapped on with a mallet.

Ratkity

Drywall anchors work too! Any port in a storm (sorry, couldn't resist )

jkjenn

I think this is one of my favorite mods, ever because it makes use of a space people have never really thought about. As much as I love it, though, I just can't bring myself to spend over $300 for it so I might try a DIY crack at with some twists. I am not saying Shawn's innovation and craftsmanship aren't worth the price tag - just that I have other priorities.

But, I am thinking I might be able to use materials that are easier to cut and use either adhesive or an industrial strength Velcro for this. Thoughts about this? I have considered interlocking plastic patio tiles and poultry flooring for the floor of the storage and plexiglass, Masonite, or other.

Thought, ideas?

Verna

@jkjenn, look to see if Michigan Mike posted photos of his version of the tongue sewer hose storage. He did his differently, which required little or no welding... if I recall correctly. 

Ratkity

In HD and Lowes both, there are decorative radiator grates you can buy that are sturdy, but thin aluminum. Good for the floor. Made in squares that are about 2x2' and longer (don't quote me on size, but they start at that at least). I always find them on the end of the wood aisle for some reason. Easy to cut - also easy to bend. They are sturdiest when kept straight. I don't think they'd rust. 

As far as plexiglass, I've worked a lot with it whether cutting tiny pieces for DIY lab equipment or trying to make a surround for a small window AC unit. It cracks easily if you don't tape it before drilling. Use the correct drill bit. It heats up when you drill it or cut it and it expands and contracts. I found it's best to take it easy cutting because it'll start to melt (this is 1/4-1/2 inch I've worked with). Speaking of expanding and contracting, it might do that in weather extremes if you are using and moving it up and down a lot. Stationary, it does ok. As flooring, I think it could shatter if hit by too much debris.

There's nothing preventing you from just using wood that is either waterproofed painted or coated with sturdy hinges for both top and bottom. They make marine paint and also that spray on stuff for truck beds (what was the stuff that silly commercial used that that made a waterproof screen door?).

jkjenn

Verna said:

@jkjenn, look to see if Michigan Mike posted photos of his version of the tongue sewer hose storage. He did his differently, which required little or no welding... if I recall correctly. 

Thanks, @Verna I will see if I can find it.

Ratkity said:

In HD and Lowes both, there are decorative radiator grates you can buy that are sturdy, but thin aluminum. Good for the floor. Made in squares that are about 2x2' and longer (don't quote me on size, but they start at that at least). I always find them on the end of the wood aisle for some reason. Easy to cut - also easy to bend. They are sturdiest when kept straight. I don't think they'd rust. 

As far as plexiglass, I've worked a lot with it whether cutting tiny pieces for DIY lab equipment or trying to make a surround for a small window AC unit. It cracks easily if you don't tape it before drilling. Use the correct drill bit. It heats up when you drill it or cut it and it expands and contracts. I found it's best to take it easy cutting because it'll start to melt (this is 1/4-1/2 inch I've worked with). Speaking of expanding and contracting, it might do that in weather extremes if you are using and moving it up and down a lot. Stationary, it does ok. As flooring, I think it could shatter if hit by too much debris.

There's nothing preventing you from just using wood that is either waterproofed painted or coated with sturdy hinges for both top and bottom. They make marine paint and also that spray on stuff for truck beds (what was the stuff that silly commercial used that that made a waterproof screen door?).

Thanks - I was eyeing one of those grates, actually and thought I could spray with bedliner and the same with wood or Masonite. Don't get me wrong, the diamond plate looks awesome, I just think getting the sweet rounded cut that Shawn has wouldn't be easy. 

Ratkity

I've cut thin diamond plate and you are right! It's a pain in the fingers, hard to cut even a straight line (I don't have Verna's saw collection) and very hard to get those edges polished so they aren't razor sharp.

Verna

Put 120 grit sand paper on a sanding block and sand downward one way only all around the edges. Do it from the bottom, too. It should take the sharpness out of the edge. I made a camp stove windscreen from sheet metal pieces in AZ with only hand tools and that's how I dulled the sharp edges. 

Ratkity

Cool V! I bet you could make a solar oven with only hand tools in the desert if you wanted to - including a quick heat up of the oven using the hood of your TV!!! 

jkjenn

Thanks for the tip, @Verna. It occurred to me my mother's husband might have the tools, he was a machinist for Mack Truck.

jkjenn

Has anyone tried a Rhinoflex inside of one of these yet?

Fergie

For fittings that won't fit in the tube, I posted the following in February.

• Fergie  Posts: 26Member

  February 20

  After I installed a sewer hose storage tube on the tongue frame as described in one of the links TabberJohn mentioned above, I still had to figure out what to do with the end fittings that wouldn't fit in the tube. After shopping around at my local home improvement store, I found an offset adapter for a plastic drain tile system that just fit in the open end of the tube installed in the storage compartment of the T@B. The small end of the adapter fits into the existing tube (with a little coaxing around the rivet) and the larger end of the adapter allows the sewer fittings to set inside. The offset prevents interference with the wall of the storage housing and the added height almost touches the storage unit cover when it is closed so the fittings don't bounce out. The pictures below show how this all works. Key to making this work is how you nest your particular fittings in this new small storage space.
  
  Minnesota Fergie
  
  
  

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• Fergie  Posts: 26Member

  February 20

  I probably should have included this in my previous post. Below is a source and more details about the drain tile adapter I used. I'm sure any local well stocked home improvement store would have something similar.
  
  

  https://www.menards.com/main/maintenance-repair-operations/plumbing-supplies/pipe-tubing-hoses-fittings-accessories/fittings/corrugated-pipe-fittings/prinsco-6-to-4-corrugated-drain-tile-reducer/p-1444451526922-c-9568.htm?tid=-7862328727679482100

  
  Minnesota Fergie 

Vikings

Tommy, re sharp screws...I used pop rivets on lid hinge which worked well. 
I had converted from plastic box to a flat front aluminum box (from Etrailer) and riveted back half of hinge to the flat vertical face of box so did not have to anchor to frame as you did.  Aluminum box was of course bolted to frame. 
Material for sewer hose compartment lid was aluminum diamond plate, bottom was perforated aluminum.  Both can be cut to shape on a table saw with carbide tipped blade, a distinct advantage.  Be careful, can bind more easily than wood, and aluminum shavings probably more dangerous than wood dust!!! 
Aluminum sheets and aluminum hinge can be purchased at metal specialty suppliers, rivets at pretty much any hardware store. 
Kim

jkjenn

I had just decided to buy this off of the shelf and read this, "Panels will not fit models with the Outback diamond plate propane/battery box platform." 
I guess if I want to do this, it will be DIY. @Pop-T@B - do you want me to stop by and be the model so you can make them for the Outback platform and tub, too?

jkjenn

Here is another thought: this is a prime example of a great opportunity to implement a 3-D printing solution. It would drop the cost and installation, dramatically. You could design it with 2 models - one for Outback tub, one without and the bottom could be a drop in tray that has a lip that makes it nest inside of the frame. The top could either be mounted with self-tapping screws of another means like snaps, super strong magnets, or the locking Velcro like is used on EZ Passes. You can even print hinges, too. You could make the color black so it blends or pick an accent color that matches the trim on the T@b. I don't think it has to be a locking area. After all, who wants to steal a used sewer hose? It really is just about keeping it secure during transit.

DouayHA

@Tommy

What tools did you need for this Tommy? Did you cut the metal sheets yourself, or have them cut to your specifications?

Tommy

DouayHA said:

@Tommy

What tools did you need for this Tommy? Did you cut the metal sheets yourself, or have them cut to your specifications?

Hi, yes I cut everything myself with a jigsaw. In hind sight might have liked to have had a hand held die grinder to take down the excess screws and some sharp edges but my creation hasn't maimed anyone yet so I guess it's OK

Tommy

BTW, it became obvious very fast that the tongue storage bin I created was entirely inadequate for storage of the dump hose. The maximum length I could fit in it was 10' and we soon upgraded to a 15' hose and it no longer fit. Even when we were using the 10' it was difficult dealing with getting it stuffed in that little box.

jkjenn

Tommy said:

BTW, it became obvious very fast that the tongue storage bin I created was entirely inadequate for storage of the dump hose. The maximum length I could fit in it was 10' and we soon upgraded to a 15' hose and it no longer fit. Even when we were using the 10' it was difficult dealing with getting it stuffed in that little box.

Thank you for stating this! It might be a good spot for chocks and the landing pads for stabilizers.

texasaubiefan

The teardrop shop says this will not work with the outback bin.  Are there any plans for this in the future?  

Pop-T@B

Texasaubiefan,   The current bin kit goes back under the propane box about halfway, this is what gives you the room to store your sewer hoses. I have looked at making one for use with the outback platform, but the bin would be so small there would be very little room in it. the open space you see in front of your platform is all you would have. The diamond plate propane box is not the problem, its the outback platform. If you are handy, the current kit could be cut down to fit the outback model.

texasaubiefan

Thanks for the update.