My Fresh Water Tank Fell

Amazonica · 08-04-2021, 04:50 PM

I love my Micro Minnie (2019 2108DS). It has served me well and has had very few problems. Was driving very slowly (3-4 mph) down a bumpy dirt forest road and heard a loud "twack"! Felt like I might've run over a large log, but nope, road was clear. Got to my campspot and did a safety inspection to see what might have happened or if anything was damaged. Everything fine EXCEPT the underbelly bulging and touching both axles. Wasn't that way when I set out. (I visually inspect before every trip or stop).

I've looked at the layout/floorplan and apparently my Fresh Water tank has come loose. Water pump still works, and I'm safe where I am, but am wondering if anyone else has had this happen?

This is a "new-to-me" trailer I purchased in December 2019 so I don't know what kind of life it's had before me. I do drive with full Water Tank because I boondock 99% of the time and there is no water available where I camp.

So my questions for the helpful owners on here are:

How long/expensive/difficult to fix?

And if I have to replace it and reinforce, I'd like a slightly larger Water Tank. Has anyone done this?

**creativepart** · 08-04-2021, 05:11 PM

You may need to ask Winnebago about this one. I think the tanks are "hung" between frame members. But I admit that's just an opinion and not based on any information.

backtrack15 · 08-04-2021, 08:12 PM

If your trailer is like mine, the tank hangs on angle-iron on the front and rear. Here is a photo of one corner of mine (looking at street-side front top corner of the tank from the side). After seeing the design, I elected to travel with it only 1/2 full. I'm planning to add a second horizontal support under the tank (maybe using C-channel) before I drive with it completely full.

I'm guessing you hit just the right combination of bumps and the top of the tank folded a bit and allowed it to drop off the hangers. You could slip an endoscope over the frame rail (under the floor fabric) to see what you're working with from above. That's how I got my photos.

Amazonica · 08-05-2021, 12:56 PM

Thank you creativepart and backtrack15. Every ounce of information helps and I am grateful.

I hope this is not a common problem for MMs. Come to think of it, and it may be completely unrelated, but my fresh water gauge had started going haywire about 2 weeks ago. Black and gray have always been unreliable, but fresh had been as accurate as those types tend to be.

thataway4 · 08-11-2021, 04:19 PM

I owned one of, if not the, first diesel pusher "Adventurer", Going down I 20 between Dallas and Fort Worth at 10 PM on a Thursday night in January 1993, the 100 gallon water tank fell out, and started dragging on the pavement @ 60 mph. My first reaction was that might be the propane tank; grab fire extinguishers and exit as soon as possible.

The wrecker was able to get the tank out and put it on top of our toad. We drove to a campground. I had to be back in Calif. in 4 days. The camp ground owner was instrumental in instructing me what to say as the call was bucked up the chain at Winnebago the next day. (We had multiple major issues with that coach)

Long story, involving Winnebago air freighting a new water tank--and the old one was held by straps to the angle iron frame with tac welds to the end of the straps--no overlap or overlap welding! A service center stayed open all weekend working thru Saturday night to remedy this and get us on the road. We also found that the Diesel tank was also secured in a similar manor! That had to be fixed before we were allowed to leave.

Call Winnebago-send them the photos. Ask what they want to do about it.

Amazonica · 08-12-2021, 08:04 AM

Wow, that's unnerving thataway4. Good that Winnebago took care of you. Mine is way out of warranty and I'm not the first owner.

I did call Winnebago Towables Customer Care and got a friendly and helpful person. Things are still in the works on this issue from them but I am 'fixing' it as best I can since I'm on public Land and need to move.

Here are some photos thst *might* help someone else. I am no pro and just sharing my experience, not offering advice. Hopefully this is a RARE occurence.

The first photo is looking up at the tank lip resting on the welded angle iron. My tank has two 'lips' at the top. The front lip rests on a welded angle iron and the rear lip rests on an angle iron that is screwed into the side frame rails. The rear angle iron was spaced far enough rearward that the tank lip was able to completely come off, and allowed the tank to fall onto the axles.

There is another screwed on angle iron that spports the tank and runs underneath it. Not pictured here, but the bowed one earlier in this post.

On both sides of my tank there is at least three inches of "space" necessary on the door side for the connections but unsecured and allows the tank to scoot laterally. (Second photo) My plan is to secure the tank side to side, and add two more angle irons as support underneath.

Third photo is the thickness of the existing angle iron.

pobstlmo · 08-20-2021, 07:17 AM

I installed a water tank on my Jeep trailer to hose off with after being in the mud. Supported the tank by the edges only, filled tank, middle of tank bulged out and broke. new tank, added support all along the entire bottom of the tank, no problems.

You have to figure the added weight of the water to the overall weight of towing, what the trailer is rated for.

Amazonica · 08-20-2021, 02:02 PM

Thank you pobstlmo. Luckily my tank didn't break, so I'm using the same original water tank that my trailer came with. Approx. 250 pounds when completely full, 30 gallons). My MM's GVWR is 7000lbs, and I have 3100lbs of "cargo capacity".

Most trailer manufacturerer's offical position is "don't drive with full tanks" but how many boondockers can avoid doing so? I added an additional "L' bracket brace for support. I also wrapped the tank in reflectix for just a bit of extra insulation. Took it up Buffalo Pass mear Steamboat Colorado (notoriously bumpy road) and so far so good.