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    • #2496
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      This might be a straightforward question, or maybe I’m just overthinking it, but for those of you who maintain your coach and handle fluid changes (like oil, coolant, and transmission fluids), what do you use to collect the fluids?

      Back in my day, about 35 years ago, when I worked at a local gas station, we used a gas tank cut in half to catch fluids when the car wasn’t on the hoist. We’d usually drain radiators without using the hoist.

      Given the volume of fluids involved, I’m wondering what’s commercially available for this purpose, other than large buckets or pails.

      I’d appreciate any suggestions or insights you might have.

      #2498
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      Allen, whatever you have on hand that can hold the fluids will work just fine. I use two restaurant bus tubs that I picked up at Sam’s Club. They’re pretty common, and having a couple lets me swap them out as one fills up. For oil filters, I drop them into a five-gallon bucket lined with newspaper to minimize splashing. While there are more specialized tools available for fluid collection, these bus tubs have served me well for years.

      And remember, Allen, focus on the bus first and then deal with the other details. Enjoy the process of looking around!

      #2499
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      Allen,

      I made a pan out of a 55-gallon drum. I cut off about 18 inches of the drum with a torch, and it works great for handling large volumes of fluid. You’ll never have to worry about capacity with this setup.

      #2500
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      I looked up oil drain pans for trucks and found a black plastic one with wheels that has a 58-quart capacity. It’s very handy for draining the oil from the coach and transporting it to the local waste facility, where there’s a tank for used oil. The wheels on the pan make it much easier to move when it’s full.

      A quick Google search for truck oil drain pans will give you plenty of options to choose from. This setup has worked well for me.

      Hector

      #2501
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      Your supposed to collect the fluids? I thought just pulling up on my neighbors lawn would suffice.

      #2502
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      Northern tool has several large drain pans of varying sizes, one in particular is 25 gallons, but rather pricey at $499.00.

      JIM

      #2503
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      I bought one of those 14-gallon rectangular oil drain pans with wheels, but it turned out to be quite cumbersome, so it’s still brand new in the box. Instead, I use two (or three for coolant) of the 15-quart round black oil pans you can get at auto parts stores like Advance Auto. I swap out the nearly full pan with a fresh one, sliding them out and in while keeping them on a board to avoid spills.

      For oil changes, I then funnel the used oil into empty gallon jugs and take them to a local recycling center. For antifreeze changes, a local truck mechanic handles it for me, as local auto parts stores and recycling centers around here don’t accept antifreeze. Bigger cities like Knoxville usually do accept it.

      Eric Faires
      Huntsville, TN

      #2504
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      Your supposed to collect the fluids? I thought just pulling up on my neighbors lawn would suffice.

      So thats why your area has so many grass fires !!!!!

      Gary S.

      #2505
      MyPrevost
      Keymaster

      A black rectangular plastic tub used by masons for mixing mortar works great for catching fluids. They come in two sizes, and the larger one is particularly useful. You can find them at Ace Hardware, Home Depot, or Lowe’s.

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