[VAC] Black tank removal steps....'68 Safari

["Nick Novia" <nnovia@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Today, I finally was able to drop the cover pan from around the black water
tank.  I was having lots of trouble before today, mostly because I was tentative
about "ripping" the box out.  I got a little more assertive today in desparation,
and "voila" out it came.

Here's how to get the sewage tank out of a 1968 Safari, and maybe other models
of the same vintage too.

Take off the toilet, but leave the connecting bushing. This will hold the tank
up, when the box drops.

You will have to drill out some belly pans.  I took out the bottom skin farthest
aft, from under my storage locker for the pwer cord,etc.etc.  It was easy. 
See the rivets, drill them out.  Rivets may be 1/8, 5/32, 3/16.  I used a "30"
drill, a "21," and a "13" size.
There were a couple of bolts at each side thru the frame(curb/street) that were
rusted badly.  I took them off by breaking them with the wrench, or they turned
off.

The next forward skin is way bigger, but the same.  Drill out the rivets that
look like they are holding it in.  You then try and wiggle it out.  It will
come out, along with years of who knows what junk! <g>

Now, you have the tank pan, or box, whatever you wanna call it.  It's a galvenized
skinned, angle iron framed box that goes around the black tank.  It's larger
than the tank and is filled with styrofoam insulation pieces.

To drop this box you have to disconnect a few things first.  The '68's had an
insulating foam sprayed underneath the wooden floor for insulation.  It covers
everything in there. It also helps to hold everything up in there.

I had a red rubber hose connecting to the front of the box.  I cut it at the
fitting on the box.  It must be a vent for the box, because it didn't connect
to the tank.  I will have to try and follow where the red hose goes...later.
I might just eliminate it.

There are two 1 inch pieces of angle iron on the forward, and aft bottom corners
of this box, and they both connect with 3/8 bolts to tabs on the frame.  Mine
were rusted terribly and broke off when I put the sockets to 'em.  You might
have different luck. I will replace them with SSteel.

The box should pull off now.  It might take some persuasion, but it'll come!
 It may be a little delicate, getting it out from around that dump valve

The tank itself, will still be connected to the toilet ring, the dump valve
and drain plumbing, and the vent stack, and the sending unit for the tank fluid
levels.  Mine unit doesn't work, so maybe I can fix it/get a new one.
Undo these and you remove the tank. 

I think my tank is polyethylene.  It doesn't say in the manual.  My vent fitting
(1 1/2 inch) ripped right out, because the tank flexed up and down, because
the angle iron holding the box rusted completely out, and everything was moving.

Someone else before me tried to pour something all around the vent fitting to
seal it, but it was only a temporary fix.  It had been leaking for years I believe.
 I also believe the nice lady who sold it to me, well, she had to know..but
that's my fault!

I want to fix this hole in the tank, because getting a new one may be impossible,
or very expensive.  Can't I bond a larger than the hole patch on ther, then
drill out for a new vent fitting?  Like a vent flange, on top of a big round
polyethylene washer?

Nick Novia

'68 Safari....looking better this week!