31 Water Tank Replacement

[Jkraft]

Looking for any insight or knowledge here.

The water tank in my 06 is severely pitted and leaking. I am going to address this over the winter. I have had three people look at it and gotten 3 different opinions.

First guy said no thanks

Second guy said replace it with another aluminum tank (no thanks)

Third guy said to replace it with a stainless tank…. Maybe

My gut feeling says to go plastic and I found a company to make it for a reasonable price. The issue is that Albin used 1” tabbing on the tanks which is fine for metal but a plastic tank requires 3” tabbing which I don’t think I’ll have the room for without further reducing the size of the tank.

What say you? Plastic, stainless, or aluminum? Has anyone tackled this project yet?

[Tree]

I’d go aluminium. It’s lasted this long so a new one will last another 20 years near enough. You’ve got all the dimensions so work with that.

[Nancy]

I'd really try to figure out how to make plastic work. The newer 31TEs have plastic tanks. I wonder how they're installed.

[Jkraft]

I'd really try to figure out how to make plastic work. The newer 31TEs have plastic tanks. I wonder how they're installed.

There is only one that I (we) know of and if it’s foamed in, there is no access to find out

[Nancy]

>> Albin used 1” tabbing on the tanks which is fine for metal but a plastic tank requires 3” tabbing <<

Why would the tabbing size be different?

[Jkraft]

>> Albin used 1” tabbing on the tanks which is fine for metal but a plastic tank requires 3” tabbing <<

Why would the tabbing size be different?

Metal is more robust The company making the plastic tank said metal is more structurally sound. He said it’s not if but when the plastic 1” tab would break. He said he would build it but it’s against his advice

[Nancy]

Ronco, Trionic, Triple M?
How much capacity would you have to give up to make room for the tabbing?
There's got to be a way! Or an alternate way to secure.
I wonder how the tanks are secured in the 28TE.

[Jkraft]

Ronco fell short, I haven’t checked the other two but I’m not willing to give up that much capacity. Going to pressure test my tank in a couple of weeks to verify it is in fact leaking. I think I’ll go with a metal one before I give up too much. Unless I do 1” tabbing on the plastic tank and foam it back in like it was. The foam would help hold it in place

[catalina_mike]

The did to side movement would be the issue the plastic would require larger surface area. Can you possibly foam the sides after install? That may fill the need.