This is a follow up on the sagging under belly of the Rockwood 8285WS 2011 where the galley gray tank is located.
This is my findings: First I attempted to pull down the whole coroplast
(plastic under belly), but after removing many screws an both side of the camper from the trim strips, disconnecting the propane gas line, removing the strip from just behind the rear axle. I determined this was a job for the pro's at the RV warranty shop! Put all the screws back, reconnected the gas line. I had removed the small white vent located in the center of the underbelly and could see what I thought was the gray tank setting on the underbelly, which became a loose piece of the underbelly (coroplast) just laying on the top of the vent.
Then I received a private email from "ROCKINGWOOD" (name on this forum) out in California saying he has the same Rockwood RV and had read my post. After a phone conversation with him, he stated that after reading my post, he used a fiber optic camera to take a look through the white vent opening.
Here is what he found: There is a special piece of metal in the center of the tank frame that is 1" angle iron that runs from the front to the rear of the gray tank in the center of the tank. It has a "HOOK" on the each end
that reaches from the bottom of the tank to the top of the tank frame.
Another words the special bracket just runs from the front to the rear and hooks to the cross member of the tank frame. The tank just lays on this special support, no screws, no welding, zilch-nothing is holding the bracket but the weight of the tank in the center. The bulging of the underbelly is just the weight of the plastic and sags to make room for the furnace heater duct hose that passes under the door side of the gray tank, pushing the coroplast down slightly on the door side. "ROCKINGWOOD" said to cut 6" behind the white vent 10"-12" apart,
two cuts through the coroplast, running fore and aft, do not cut cross at the 6" mark behind the white vent. Your cut will look like a square "U" with side about 14" long with the bottom of the "U" being about 10" wide. The bottom of the "U" will be just 6" behind the white vent, acting as a "hinge"
for your opening. After the cut is made, pull down on the coroplast near the cross metal strip with screws that hold the coroplast up. This will give you visual access to the "SPECIAL" support for inspection. "Rockinghams"
special brace had come loose, fallen down from the rear of the gray tank. He put it back in place, used a "ZIP" tye to secure it in place. Upon closeing the opening you have cut, I used a black RV 2" wide tape that will hold up the world once stuck, Will keep your DW's mouth closed for ever, will hold the younguns in their chair, no problem.
I taped the opening closed with this Special sticky RV tape, then used a "SNIPE" sign from the local street corner (you know the ones that says
make you rich over night that clutters up all the street corners) By the way it is the same stuff as the coroplast (underbelly) , just white or yellow, red with lots of phone numbers. I cut it 2" larger than the opening
that I had cut, used piercing screws from "LOWES" to attach the "SNIPE" sign material in place 6" apart around the edge. I then taped over the edge of "SNIPE" sign material covering all of the screw heads with the 2" wide black tape.
My job is completed, I feel much better now knowing that "MY SPECIAL BRACE" was still in place and had not become dislodged. I now have a inspection access for my gray tank. You can use the white vent grill to look inside the under belly with a flash light to see if your bracket has come loose.
The credit goes to "ROCKINGWOOD" for finding a easy fix! And I have to also give credit to DAVE & MONICA for telling me to start with it was just the coroplast hanging down, you were right Dave!
If this is as clear as mud, PM me and I will talk to you on the phone!
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