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Old 04-04-2019, 11:29 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Lewis View Post
.... Perhaps something heavy stored under the bed banged into it. I've been concerned about that. ....
My fear of a heavy storage box under the bed sliding and banging into our black tank and/or it's drain pipe prompted me to install a little low-profile wooden barrier under the bed. There are several metal anchors to the floor on the backside of the boards that can't be seen. So far, so good....
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Old 04-04-2019, 11:31 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
From Reace’s repair video (link in post #5) you can see that it is Sikaflex 221.

https://www.amazon.com/Sikaflex-221-...79841334&psc=1
That's a polyurethane - once it sets up, good luck getting it back off. It's listed as a sealant/adhesive. The manufacturers info states "for making permanent, high adhesive strength elastic seals". It gets so hard, it is sandable.

Definitely would not be my first choice. I'm not into non-repairable.
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Old 04-05-2019, 12:01 AM   #23
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About the Sika 221...
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
That's a polyurethane - once it sets up, good luck getting it back off. It's listed as a sealant/adhesive. The manufacturers info states "for making permanent, high adhesive strength elastic seals". It gets so hard, it is sandable.

Definitely would not be my first choice. I'm not into non-repairable.
I suspect that one reason that this joint is such a problem to seal when the pipe moves is also the reason that even a serious adhesive might come off... the fitting on the tank is likely polyethylene, to which nothing likes to stick. The ABS fitting that screws into it would be replaced if that joint is ever unscrewed, and I wouldn't bet on even polyurethane adhesive keeping it from being unscrewed.
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Old 04-05-2019, 08:51 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
From Reace’s repair video (link in post #5) you can see that it is Sikaflex 221.

https://www.amazon.com/Sikaflex-221-...79841334&psc=1
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Old 04-05-2019, 08:56 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
About the Sika 221...

I suspect that one reason that this joint is such a problem to seal when the pipe moves is also the reason that even a serious adhesive might come off... the fitting on the tank is likely polyethylene, to which nothing likes to stick. The ABS fitting that screws into it would be replaced if that joint is ever unscrewed, and I wouldn't bet on even polyurethane adhesive keeping it from being unscrewed.
Good point on nothing sticks to polyethylene - if you ever had to repair the plumbing, it might take some effort but the abs fitting could unscrew.

I would still recommend using a flex connector to join the piping at the tank and teflon paste sealant for the threads. The flex connector to remove the stress from pipe movement and teflon paste is a great sealant for threaded fittings.
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Old 04-05-2019, 10:39 AM   #26
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Who has confirmed this issue?

How prevalent is this black tank leak issue on the '17 21ft TTs ?
It seems to me this is the type of problem (if it's happened already to a few folks) that needs to be proactively fixed/changed instead of waiting for it to actually leak.
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Old 04-05-2019, 10:51 AM   #27
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How prevalent is this black tank leak issue on the '17 21ft TTs ?
It seems to me this is the type of problem (if it's happened already to a few folks) that needs to be proactively fixed/changed instead of waiting for it to actually leak.
My trailer is not leaking. My guess is that if it not leaking after a couple of years, it's not going to.
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Old 04-05-2019, 11:04 AM   #28
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Originally Posted by Mike Lewis View Post
I get a smell as well when I open the underbed storage. To me it smells like that chemical outgassing smell you get in a new trailer. But my trailer is several years old now and my sense of smell is poor, having been shorted out on the farm during childhood. So it might be the tank/pipe after all. Eeww. Perhaps something heavy stored under the bed banged into it. I've been concerned about that.

In French Camp, MS
Our smell only started last year, after 1 year of ownership and after hitting some hotter temperatures.. I had no idea black tank was piped inside the trailer and could possibly leak inside the trailer... thought black tank opening should always be outside...
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Old 04-05-2019, 03:26 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by LJY View Post
I had no idea black tank was piped inside the trailer and could possibly leak inside the trailer... thought black tank opening should always be outside...
In all Escapes models, like other low-floor trailer designs, the black tank is inside, on top of the floor, with the toilet mounted directly to the top of the tank. This works well for various reasons, including that there is enough vertical height to make the black waste flow out properly. Taller RVs can mount the black tank under the floor and it is still high enough.

The unusual feature of the 21' is that the piping run from the black tank to the dump valve is longer than other models, due to the location of the bathroom, which means the toilet, which determines the tank location (as it would even if the tank were under the floor). Unfortunately, a substantial part of that piping is inside (above the floor), rather than outside (under the floor). It is not practical to put the tank outlet on the bottom of the tank so the piping goes outside immediately, because the pipe needs to get past the left-side frame rail - going under the rail would probably be too low. All other models have the bathroom on the left side of the trailer (the street or driver's side), which avoids this problem; however, the front bath needs to be on the right side (the curb or passenger side) to work with the bed and doorway.
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Old 09-23-2020, 03:40 PM   #30
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I think I will wrap this joint and the grey tank joint with F4 tape when our 21C arrives in Dec. Will check for any stress point loading in the joint area due to improper support Or load transfer. Separation or crack problems usually occur to stress loading.
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Old 09-23-2020, 03:46 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by War Eagle View Post
My fear of a heavy storage box under the bed sliding and banging into our black tank and/or it's drain pipe prompted me to install a little low-profile wooden barrier under the bed. There are several metal anchors to the floor on the backside of the boards that can't be seen. So far, so good....

Excellent idea and one I shall employ.
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Old 08-11-2021, 06:34 PM   #32
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Leak

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Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
My trailer is not leaking. My guess is that if it not leaking after a couple of years, it's not going to.
After 4 years ours has developed the leak
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Old 08-12-2021, 11:04 PM   #33
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I want to secure some aluminum angle rails on the floor under the bed to act as sliders for the triple milk-crate I stick in the end door and use for miscellaneous storage (cleaning supplies, liquor, and such). thinking of just sticking these angle rails to the floor with VHB.
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Old 08-13-2021, 06:55 AM   #34
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I put down a piece of rug wool padding, built a box to fit with a handle, added slide pads to bottom back edge and at bottom of main door opening. Attached small wood rails to floor to act as a guide. Grab handle lift and pull out. You are not governed by length. Made it to fit all the way to black tank. Also added black tank reinforcing with 2x2’s and it also acts as a stop for the box.
Make it look professional, not some attached egg crate afterthought.
Make it simple to remove, not permanently attached for the next owner.

I know most of you have that ability.
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Old 08-13-2021, 03:54 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Since Reace went to the trouble of working out a solution and making the video, it seems unlikely that there have been only two failures. The 21' is a popular model, so even if only a few percent of them built over a few months have a problem, that's more than a couple of trailers.

This is essentially what the automotive industry would call a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB), in video form. A TSB is part of a normal response by a competent and responsible manufacturer to the identification of a repeated problem found in vehicles after they have reached customers.


Since it was just an improperly sealed joint, I'm sure it has been resolved. On the other hand, at least one of the flexible couplings used in the repair would likely be a good component to use from the beginning, to relieve bending stress on that joint due to relative motion as everything bumps and twists down the road.


Thus Reace's comments about removing as much length of the original pipe as possible, to provide working room.

An alternative might be to make one cut in the ABS piping near the tank but the second cut further away from the tank, on the other side of the elbow, providing much more working room. The end result would have one rubber coupling near the tank and the second rubber coupling between the elbows, rather than both couplings jammed against each other by the tank. This could be done with the same parts provided by ETI in the repair kit.
I have used these many of times on household drain repairs, great for future access and clean outs. Once these are installed you’ll no longer need to cut into pipes.

It would really be nice given the trailer is in movement these flexible connectors were used in the build of the trailer.
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