I recently purchased a 2004 Cherokee Tomahawk 3H slant with a Sierra LQ. When I bought it the gray water tank was already busted and needed to be replaced. I got the tank from my local Cherokee dealer and had an RV place install it. Good to go, right!? Got one camping trip out of it and was backing out of my vet's office the other day when I hit little ditch I didn't know was there. Now the sewage tank is busted and the gray water tank is leaking from the top. The gray tank might be fixable but the sewer tank will need to be replaced. My question is, with the clearance on these tanks only about 6", are there ANY other options??? Or should I just buy these dang tanks in bulk and learn to change them myself?!?!

Thanks in advance for any input.

I feel for you. My project list includeds replacing the pipes coming out of my tanks.  My tanks are OK, but I tore off the outlets and valves.

My trailer had a light skid plat, But it also riped right off.  So my project will include the design and welding on of a more substaintial skid plat.

Skid plates and blocking the axles are about the only options. I was able to relocate the dump valve on one of my tanks, saving a couple of inches.

Some of the older tank designs sit lower than the new ones. Sometimes switching to a smaller tank will reduce its size and exposure.

Being very aware of the clearance issue when you're driving is critical. I often have my wife check things when I'm parking the rig in an unknown area. This has saved our butts on several occasions.

BOL  Gard

What really frosts me is that if it had been the left axle instead of the right, I would have been fine.  The tanks are shallower on that side since the drains are on the right.  *sigh*

It's the tanks ... the trailer rides normally.  I did adjust the hitch to bring the front end up a little since when I first hooked it up it wasn't level.  Now it's nice and level but there just isn't much clearance under the tanks.  I'm going to see if I can get smaller holding tanks that will give me more clearance.  Too bad you can't put the poop on the roof!  Gravity and all ... LOL

That's the reason we're having ours blocked up by our dealer.Our roads around here are terrible,county doesn't have the foggiest how to bank a road ect.

It will cost $350 to block it they've said.

My skid plate works as it is supposed to.  I guess if you really drug it deep it could do quite a bit of damage.  But I've skimmed mine through gravel and over curbs and its fine.  Logan puts a skid plate on at the factory, FYI.

Bump...Air suspension seems like a real good solution...if you can swallow the conversion costs...

Exiss didn't,so,I'm having mine lifted.

If it came from the factory,that's one thing,but to have something like that retrofitted,it would take an aluminum welder and a good one to weld on a skid plate or angle iron support.I'd rather just pay to have it lifted,probably costs about the same time it's all said and done.

Aren't you sort of afraid of getting that hung up on something and be stuck there???I think I'd be.

Listen,baby doll,I wasn't judging anybody here,before you get your cage rattled and your feathers ruffled.If you'll go back and read what I said,you will see that I said it would take an aluminum welder and a good one to do it right,and I was speaking about MY trailer and MY locale,not yours.I don't have the foggiest what kind of welder your husband is,and don't give a rip because,he wouldn't be the one doing the welding job on my trailer.Now,would he???????

Nobody said anything about your husband or his welding job,"classygirl."

I'd say you're the one jumping to conclusions and judging people,and as for facts,the fact it: I'm already having my trailer fixed,and what happens to work for yours isn't going to work for mine.What's it to you if I have mine lifted and not welded???So what,who cares,in the giant scheme of things,will it make a difference 50 yrs from now when we're both pushing daisies and our trailers are on the scrap heap? I don't believe that it will.

PS and if you'll go back and read it,once again,I was talking to another poster anyway.Have no idea where your idea came from  that  I was criticizing your husband's welding job or anybody else's.It wasn't  even an issue here to begin with.

And couldn't help but notice in my thread about blocking the axles,you are the one that said you'd just upgraded to a bigger trailer,and it has been lifted.

Gee,that's good.Now we'll both have a lifted trailer.I could use a few lifts myself,if you live long enough,so will you.

 Felix, raise that sucker up!  If my horse wouldn't step up or down 6 or 8 inches, then I guess I didn't do a very good training job at trailer loading 101. 

And classygirl, CHILL OUT!! I went back through all the posts, and never saw where you may have stated your husband welded on your skid plate,( you did say "he put one on", hell for all I know maybe it was bolted on ) until you cracked all over Crowleysridgegirl like she was insulting your husbands profession or something.   I'd hate to get that skid plate hung up on a stump or root or something. 

Well,I just didn't feel like I'd  said anything wrong about anybody or what they do for a living,hobby,ect.

I've had StageII Breast cancer and a year's treatment for it,so,I say that because:

I can ASSURE you that: I haven't forgotten what we're all about. And it ain't 'all about' horseback riding,either.It's what comes after the "pushing up daisies" that matters,you know?

As the guy said to Vern,(forgot his name,)

"Ya know what I mean?" "I think you do!"

Poor old Felix is left sitting back there in the dust,thinking,"What the H---????" HA HA"!

Sorry,Felix.

Had OUR trailer blocked up by the dealer.You might want to check into that,or into angle iron (that's if you have a steel trailer you know) or a skid plate.

Whatever floats whoever's boat.

Who you callin' old? ;)

I run a horse message board so y'all don't scare me :)  I have a couple of things to look into and will do so ASAP.  In the meantime I have a call into the dealer to see if they have smaller-capacity tanks that might offer more clearance.  If not, I'll ask around about some of the suggestions I've gotten here.  It's an aluminum trailer.  Our other trailer is a 20' Featherlite stock, so our horses are used to being able to turn around and walk off.  During the summer months we trailer 6 horses in the stock trailer at least 3x a week so they load and unload on that like pros.  However, they've been a little dodgy about backing off through the narrow door with the rear tack.  They're getting a lot better, though, with practice.   They do seem  to like the dividers once they get in there :)

I know I just need to be careful.  I shouldn't have been running my mouth to my friend when I hit that ditch.  ;)  Guess I learned a lesson there.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Felix

Sorry,how about "Poor Felix,old me left her  sitting back there in the dust bla bla"?

As for ANY OTHER OPTIONS?

Stay at a Holiday Inn Express and give up this mad carefree idea of sleeping with your horses...

Well,whoda thought that???Sorry again,girl!!!

I went back and fixed it.

I am guessing your question was directed at me since I'm the one with the factory installed skid plate.  I should clarify the skid plate is only under the dump valves, not the tanks, but my tanks sit level with my running boards on my trailer, and there is angle iron under the tanks which would somewhat protect them.  The valve skid plate is the lowest point on my trailer.   Its on the drivers side and it is what I keep my eye on when going over any uneven ground, railroad tracks, or a hump/bump in the road.  And when I am in a situation where I feel like I need to keep an eye on it, I go VERY slowly, so not too worried about getting hung up.   I probably overthink things, but I won't take my trailer someplace that might be a challenge to maneuver unless I know I have a way out or a place to turn around.  

For anybody who is interested, here is a picture of my skid plate from the last time we had this discussion thread back in August:

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/forum/get-attachment.asp?attachmentid=353

Actually I was talking about having aluminum welded onto aluminum,and those welders with those skills are about as scarce as hen's teeth around here,but I see what you mean.We don't take our trailer into tight areas that we can't get out of either.Sometimes up in the hills in campgrounds,just driving from one "tier" up to the next will bring the backend down really on the ground.My husband was going down from the top level of a camp to the bottom at Ava,MO ,and he drug the back portion,no damage,but lots of mud and dirt (fortunately it had rained all week.)

It is the configuration,if you will,of our particular county road that we have to come off the highway onto where we live that made us decide to go for the lift kit.Thanks and it's a good idea.(skid plate) also.

I think when I finally do my trailer I am going to build the tanks into the floor.  When the door is open there is about a 5 inch step so I think I will build up the floor and have the tanks inside.  They won't drag that way unless I rip out the whole bottom of the trailer.

It will also make it easier to sweep all the dirt out.