FWC Spigot Help

[BrianG]

Decided to install new spigot today and have problems. FWC assured me there would be plenty of extra hose to pull out to install the new spigot, wrong! Looks like you’d have to remove the entire interior to get any extra hose.

Any suggestions from those that have accomplished this mod? Not sure how hard you can pull on that hose?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Can you get to the elbow on the tank from the outside of the camper?
Or where is the valve located?
When I had my camper moved onto the Tundra the valve had to be moved to the rear of the camper.
The valve is mounted just under the bottom "foot step"
on the left side.
ATC just removed the valve /ran longer tubing and reattached the valve to the longer tubing.
Frank

 

[Vic Harder]

Decided to install new spigot today and have problems. FWC assured me there would be plenty of extra hose to pull out to install the new spigot, wrong! Looks like you’d have to remove the entire interior to get any extra hose.

Any suggestions from those that have accomplished this mod? Not sure how hard you can pull on that hose?

Thanks,
Brian

That's a cool looking spigot... where did you find it?

I know I could not simply do this from the outside on my shell build. There is a hose clamp right behind the wall that would necessitate making a bigger hole than I would like. Can you get at the hose connection from the inside?

 

[kmcintyre]

My drain line runs along the side of the camper. I'd love to relocate it to prevent freezing. Anyone done that? I guess I could insulate it too. I wish I would have thought of it when I had the counters, etc. off .

I suspect though, since my drain is at the bottom of the tank and runs down to the outside, there's not much chance of relocating it through the camper.

 

[Wallowa]

My drain line runs along the side of the camper. I'd love to relocate it to prevent freezing. Anyone done that? I guess I could insulate it too. I wish I would have thought of it when I had the counters, etc. off .

I suspect though, since my drain is at the bottom of the tank and runs down to the outside, there's not much chance of relocating it through the camper.

"..runs along the side of the camper"...outside the camper bottom or is it inside the structure? What model and year is your FWC?

Thanks...

 

[BrianG]

I've attached a picture of the spigot I'm referring to, it is used to drain the water system at the back of my 2015 Hawk. This topic has been discussed in the past, that's how I learned about the parts in the first image. I believe a number of folks have done this mod. The current plastic spigots are eventually going to give everyone a problem I'm guessing. It looks to me like the inside floor or the bottom of the camper must be removed to replace because the water line runs between them, there are large cutouts in the aluminum floor frame to accommodate the line, so i'm looking for someone that has done this mod and the issues they had.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

 

[kmcintyre]

"..runs along the side of the camper"...outside the camper bottom or is it inside the structure? What model and year is your FWC?

Thanks...

It's on the outside of the camper exposed to the elements. 2001 Eagle.

 

[BrianG]

Flange can be found at:

http://www.ebay.com/...CDNPYHw&vxp=mtr

The valve I found online, type in 'spigot' in search and you'll find the other thread on replacing your spigots.

The problem I'm seeing is I'll have to cut off the hose to get the old plastic spigot off, leaves me very little hose to work with.

Any recommendations on how to get the spigot off without cutting the hose????

 

[billharr]

Not sure with the front dinette, but my Hawk shell has the propane tanks on that side of the door. There is a panel that can be unscrewed just inside the door. Allows access to a small area out outside of the propane box. Look and see if you have screws inside.

 

[Old Crow]

<snip>

The problem I'm seeing is I'll have to cut off the hose to get the old plastic spigot off, leaves me very little hose to work with.

Any recommendations on how to get the spigot off without cutting the hose????

I'd think it would help to get that hose warmed up and more pliable (I'm thinking heat gun). But I don't have that setup so can't tell if there's any way to do that.

 

[Conestoga]

Hello Bryan,

We didn't have much hose either & certainly not enough to cut off & start again. By heating the hose with a hair dryer set on high we got it soft enough to remove the old plastic valve & insert the new one. It will take a little time to get the hose warm enough so don't hurry the job. Could have been easier if Four Wheel had left a little more hose.

Good luck,
Cris & Rod

 

[veryactivelife]

On my flatbed the hose was secured to the floor several inches from where it exits the camper. Between there and the tank there was some extra hose length so it made a curve rather than a straight line to the tank. The clamp securing the hose to the floor had a square drive screw for which I did not have a bit handy. I was able to wiggle the whole thing enough to free enough hose to get to the hose clamp. Then some twisting on the old valve worked it loose. Hope this makes sense.

Dean

 

[BrianG]

Thanks for all the suggestions, so this is what ended up happening. Besides this forum I emailed FWC for suggestions, they said, pull hose out as far as you can, hold it with pliers, warm up the hose and pull off the spigot, pretty much what everyone was saying here. This is how I did it:

Pulled the hose out as far as was comfortable, used a vice grip to hold it in place, unscrewed hose clamp and moved it back against the vise grip and tightened it down. This gave me two insurance policies that the hose wouldn't snap back into the camper. I used a heat gun to warm the hose, twisted the spigot and it popped right off. I quickly stuck the new one on, re-clamped and it was done.

Worried that something might leak, I filled the tank and let it sit overnight, no leaks.

I do have one issue with the spigot I bought (in the photo) it turns very easily to the down position, this could be a problem on a rough road, like loosing all your water going into DV. Good news if it's a problem I just unscrew it and put a different type on.

I do wish FWC had added a little extra hose.

That's all I can think of for now, any questions let me know.

 

[rando]

If you are concerned about loosing water, you could add a cap to the outlet:
https://www.amazon.com/Anderson-Metals-54040-Brass-Fitting/dp/B005LD27S4/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1513801289&sr=1-2&keywords=1%2F4+compression+cap

 

[n2Jeepin]

Thanks for all the suggestions, so this is what ended up happening. Besides this forum I emailed FWC for suggestions, they said, pull hose out as far as you can, hold it with pliers, warm up the hose and pull off the spigot, pretty much what everyone was saying here. This is how I did it:

Pulled the hose out as far as was comfortable, used a vice grip to hold it in place, unscrewed hose clamp and moved it back against the vise grip and tightened it down. This gave me two insurance policies that the hose wouldn't snap back into the camper. I used a heat gun to warm the hose, twisted the spigot and it popped right off. I quickly stuck the new one on, re-clamped and it was done.

Worried that something might leak, I filled the tank and let it sit overnight, no leaks.

I do have one issue with the spigot I bought (in the photo) it turns very easily to the down position, this could be a problem on a rough road, like loosing all your water going into DV. Good news if it's a problem I just unscrew it and put a different type on.

I do wish FWC had added a little extra hose.

That's all I can think of for now, any questions let me know.

I did this exact same Mod, lucky for me I did it when it was 104 degrees out. It was a cinch. I have the same spigot and mine is very stiff. You could return that one and get the same one in hopes its stiffer. I carry a Brass Plug incase something happens to the Spigot. its my $0.23 insurance policy.

 

[BrianG]

N2Jeepin/Rando,

Great idea, I have a brass plug in stock!

 

[Wallowa]

It's on the outside of the camper exposed to the elements. 2001 Eagle.

Wow...no idea that on older FWCs the line was outside of the camper structure and exposed...bummer.

Phil

 

[veryactivelife]

I did this mod and put on over 10,000 miles this year, many on very rough roads, without any problems.