Shwthomas1975
MA
Full Member
Joined: 04/15/2013
View Profile
 Offline
|
Well I pulled the rod out of the hot water heater the end of last season to drain the hot water tank. Seems I should have put back in after it was empty. I just tried to scare it back in and it is so corroded I can’t get the threads to start. I write brushed both so they look ok, but I can’t get it to start. Anyone have any suggestions???
Thanks in advance.
|
2oldman
NM
Senior Member
Joined: 04/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
Get a new one?
|
Terry 25
Hagerstown, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 12/30/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Tricky to get started. Had to kind of press down on the nut while turning to get rod parallel to bottom of tank. Easier to do than to explain. Good luck. You'll get it.
2016 F-250 Gas
2015 Rockwood 2608WS
|
MitchF150
Puyallup, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/13/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
I empty my HW tank between uses using the low point drains.. I open both and then open the pressure relief valve on the HW tank and it drains out the bottom of the tank thru the cold water line. I get pretty much 6 gallons of water out (I put a bucket under the drain). This is the first trailer I have had that has the "rod" in it.. Guess I won't know if it does any good for a few more years, but that's what I'm doing for now.. I have removed it once already, but that was before I started doing it from the low point drains..
Good luck! Mitch
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/XG8H0uzm.jpg?1)
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.
|
fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2003
View Profile
|
Probably have to bite the bullet and get a 3/4" NPT tap and clean up the threads. That's what I did. I tried the "cut slots in a pipe" and a couple other things, but the tap is about the only thing you can depend on to do the trick.
Howard and Peggy
"Don't Panic"
|
|
|
p220sigman
Tallahassee, FL, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 09/16/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
fj12ryder wrote:Probably have to bite the bullet and get a 3/4" NPT tap and clean up the threads. That's what I did. I tried the "cut slots in a pipe" and a couple other things, but the tap is about the only thing you can depend on to do the trick.
Same. Tap worked great. I tried the slots in a pipe, using a rotary wire brush, etc. None of it worked. Two minutes with the tap and all was great.
|
dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
https://www.amazon.com/Drill-America-Qua........locphy=9027230&hvtargid=pla-439296128812
|
fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2003
View Profile
|
That's a good price for that size tap too. Since you're just chasing threads, that one should work just fine.
|
BobsYourUncle
Calgary Alberta Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 12/12/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
They can be tricky to get started sometimes. The weight of the rod tends to make it want to tip down.
Mine has been pretty corroded at times, but I have always managed to get it in.
Doesn't help with the various components in the way either.
I always start mine by hand, looking at it to make sure it is straight in and not cross threaded. You can tell by looking at it whether it is in straight or not. If you cross thread it and try cranking it in, you will mess up the threads. Then the above mentioned tap to chase the threads will become essential.
I have always used a stiff wire brush on the rod threads, and a small toothbrush sized wire brush on the tank threads.
Never had a problem that required a tap. If it comes out, it will go back in.
2007 GMC 3500 dually ext. cab 4X4 LBZ
Dmax/Allison
2007 Pacific Coachworks Tango 306RLSS - 32'
RV Rebuild Website
.
|
profdant139
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 11/14/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
This may help in getting it started -- instead of holding it in your hand, hold it in a socket of the right size -- I think 1" and 1/16?? That enables you to keep the rod perfectly horizontal, which is not easy by hand alone.
And if the nut is too loose in the socket, put some masking tape on the nut so that the socket fits more tightly. As soon as the nut begins to thread into the hole, take the tape off the nut.
Hope this helps!!
2012 Fun Finder X-139 "Boondock Style" (axle-flipped and extra insulation)
2013 Toyota Tacoma Off-Road (semi-beefy tires and components)
Our trips -- pix and text
About our trailer
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single list."
|
|
|
