Autohomes Kamper water tank removal process?

[marcus_asparagus]

Hi All,

Now I know Autohomes where built around the rear under seat water tank, i.e it was fitted first, but can someone explain the steps required to remove it and where all the hidden bleedin screws are?

If anyone knows the simple way to remove it - let me know. Oh and I would like to be able to refit it when sell time comes - so no axes!

Fancy more storage space and don't use the onboard water so may as well get rid - if its not too difficult like.

Many thanks,
Mark.

[1664]

I can tell you. I even have pictures BUT

you're gonna have to wait till tomorrow 'cos I'm off to the boozer now

[marcus_asparagus]

What a teeez you are!

How will I sleep now.........I won't in anticipation, enjoy your beer.

I have next week off to rip it apart,take your time!

Thanks
Mark.

[brander]

I took mine out last weekend but only because I had to take the kitchen and wardrobe units out for welding. Seeing as I taken everything else out, I thought I'd take the tank out while I was at it. The only thing is that I can't remember if the tank goes under the middle unit or not. If you lift the seat, you should be able to tell. If not, you might get away with just lifting the seat. If it does, you'll probably have to take the middle unit out. You can definitely get the middle unit out without taking the main kitchen and wardrobe units out because that's the one I got out first.

From memory and assuming it's the same as mine, there are two retaining straps over the top of the tank (you'll see these if you lift the seat). You'll need to unscrew the black lid and disconnect the water pump hose. Don't know about your wiring but I put some connectors in so I can just unplug and replug the wiring back in. There's a drain/overflow pipe which pulls off too. There's nothing else holding the tank in there so it should just lift out.

[1664]

Someone in the boozer has one of those iPad things but I'm still not doing till tomorrow

[brander]

Actually, thinking about it, you will at least need to take the bottom seat off - you'll see how it's screwed on - pretty easy. Right, I'm off for a beer too

[marcus_asparagus]

You pair of tarts!

Yep I have tried to yank that sucker out the easy way - by not pulling out the cabinets and just removing the seat.

But in their infinite wisdom Autohomes made the tank to fit exactly including dents in it that mould to the rear firewall!!!!!
If it hadn't been for that I could have yanked it out with brute force and ignorance. Hey ho!

I will wait with baited breathe for your pictures...............better be good!

Mark.

[1664]

take your time

Ok matey!!

[1664]

Right, firstly remove the strip of wood running the entire length of the furniture up to the wardrobe. You can leave the hinged lift up lids but I took them off as I thought it would save a struggle. The wooden strip is fixed by half a dozen screws or so along it's length and a bracket in the cupboard next to the wardrobe unit.






Unscrew and lift the tap so you can pull the hose off as this has to be pulled back through the side of the cupboards. The sink waste also has to be pulled off and pulled back through the cupboard. Remove the two screw attaching the draining board to the kitchen top.





The gas pipe has to be split at the elbow joint next to the consumer unit and the 'P clips' securing the waste pipes from the sink and drainer. Twist and pull the waste from the drainer. You will have to gently remove the carpet lining from the 'girlie make-up cupboard' with the mirror next to the drainer to access a couple of screws. Also remove the fresh water filler pipe cover and the jointing jubilee clip.





Take the seat out by removing the ball stops and gently pulling the steel rods from the brackets.





Remove the screws you see in the following pictures (except the one with the dotted yellow circle around)









and hopefully you will be able to do this



and be left with this (except your kitchen unit will still be there)



you should now have pretty much free access to the tank. I didn't actually remove mine but I'd reckon remove the wooden strip that spans the tank and forms the left hand edge of the seat support structure or possibly all of the structure and remove the two straps over the tank. Disconnect the overflow pipe and your just going to have to cut the wiring to the pump and water level probe at a point you find easiest as I think they're all crimped. Hopefully the tank will lift out then, taking the pipe to the tap with it unless you prefer to remove that too but I wouldn't.

I would (if I were you) also remove the cupboard backing and have a squint at the insides of your seams since you're virtually on top of them.

and you do realise of course that in three weeks time someone is going to revisit this thread and inform us that there is a way of getting the tank out without doing all this......

[marcus_asparagus]

Holy cow Batman!

That has to be the most helpful post ever! Thats just what I was after. It looks quite involved, but in for a penny.

Muchos thanks to you Sir, now wheres me screw driver.

Possible wiki inclusion me thinks to.



Regards Mark.

[brander]

and you do realise of course that in three weeks time someone is going to revisit this thread and inform us that there is a way of getting the tank out without doing all this......

Haha! Not quite but I am having a look because I've completely forgotten how to put it all back together again

[1664]

I have pictures of the kitchen deconstruction too if you need to know anything specific regarding that.

[brander]

Cheers. The only things I'm not sure about are:-

1. I've got a triangular piece of wood with a metal bracket down one side. I can't for the life of me remember taking it out though so I'm not sure where it goes. It doesn't appear to have any obvious holes in it. My guess is that it goes down one end of the water tank to reinforce things but not sure which end?

2. The sink and gas hob had some sort of grey putty underneath - a bit like Plumbers Mait. They had silicone sealant on the outside so I assume this was partly a bedding compound and possibly to stop rattles too (my sink's metal as well). Any idea what it is or what I could replace it with?

Thanks again!

[1664]

1. I've got a triangular piece of wood with a metal bracket down one side. I can't for the life of me remember taking it out though so I'm not sure where it goes. It doesn't appear to have any obvious holes in it. My guess is that it goes down one end of the water tank to reinforce things but not sure which end?

I didn't actually remove the water tank, but I'd hazard a guess at the slider side as the filler hose etc is at the other end. This bit at the end behind the piece where the fire extinguisher sits.

2. The sink and gas hob had some sort of grey putty underneath - a bit like Plumbers Mait. They had silicone sealant on the outside so I assume this was partly a bedding compound and possibly to stop rattles too (my sink's metal as well). Any idea what it is or what I could replace it with?

Think I just re-used the sealant that was already there. I didn't have any sealant around the outside of either of them, although I did around the metal plate the tap sits on and the kitchen wooden surface edges to prevent water running into the van interior.

[brander]

Thanks - I can see the bit of wood in the pic at the end of the tank