Vortex waste tank gasket

ronbeatty

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Nov 16, 2006
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Altoona,PA
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Ron Beatty
Is anyone else, with the 230 gallon waste tanks, having trouble keeping the gasket on the lid? I have two 07 Vortex trucks; both of the gaskets keep falling off.
 

Jim Martin

Supportive Member
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Oct 7, 2006
Messages
10,878
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Arizona
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Jim Martin
the best advice I can give you is to call AT and see if they have replacement lids with the poured gasket and replace them and get it over with........

you will fight this forever...been there done that....
 

steve g

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Oct 8, 2006
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herriman, UT
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steve garrett
just duct tape it, :lol:
with the round bottom you really shouldn't have to ever open that thing, I like the way those tanks drain.
 
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
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18,838
Location
Benton KY USA
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Lee Stockwell
If waste tanks were designed properly they would not need removable lids at all.

I have a 160 gallon ss waste tank mounted under a 160 solution tank. No cleanout lid needed since 1985. Even Bane knows the advantage of a 3" dump valve and hoses.
 

Duane Oxley

Moon Unit
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Oct 18, 2006
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Smyrna, GA.
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Duane Oxley
Ron:

Here's a direct answer to your question:

If the tank has a horizontal flange around it that the gasket rests on or is attached to (either way...), then you can put a virtually permanent seal on it. Here's how:

Clean the area of the lid that the gasket comes into contact with, and the flange where contact is made, thoroughly. (Strip the glue with suitable solvent.) I've found that the best "prep" is to take a wire brush that fits a drill and "sand it out" with the brush, using the drill to do the work.

On the flange, squirt a bead of silicone about 3/8" to 1/2" wide, all the way around and let it skim over. (In cold weather, it could take several hours. In hot weather, it takes about 2.)

Apply a good car wax (I used Turtle Wax.) to the underside of the lid (where you used the wire brush), and along the vertical part as well, being sure to cover an area that's wider than the width of the tank flange. Let it dry and buff. Repeat 3 times.

When the silicone has skimmed over and is beginning to feel firm to the touch, put the lid on and weigh it down in order to compress the silicone. (I used a concrete block... about 15 lbs. or so)

Let it set over night or longer if you can. (Over a weekend is ideal.)

Remove the block and gently "Pop" the lid off. (It will appear to be sealed. You'll have to pry it slightly and may need to work around the edge, but probably won't.

Once you get the lid off, you're set for years... I've seen seals like this last close to 10 years.

Good luck...

Duane
 

Jimbo

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Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
2,197
That's an interesting gasket, Duane!

I had the poured in ones on my 02 V...they were cut completely through...I dug them out...wire brushed down to metal...and had my local California rubber products cut me a set of new gaskets...some kind of hard rubber...and glued them into place....good for 8 months now.
 

steve frasier

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Oct 9, 2006
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Location
portland oregon
Name
steve frasier
I just replaced mine, the factory glue job could have been better

I glued the crap out of it, no problems yet but only have a few hours on the reglue job

I think part of the problem is the gasket doesn't want to lay flat in the channel, maybe if you cut a few notches out of it then it would be more natural for it to go around a circle and lay flat

the machine has some serious vacuum, I didn't have a problem until I removed the lid to check inside the waste tank
 

Duane Oxley

Moon Unit
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
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Location
Smyrna, GA.
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Duane Oxley
Mardy...

I've designed more tanks than machines, actually. And I'm about "designed out" on tanks for the time being...

(For the record, the most recent was the Xcel tank. I took the Predator CP tank idea, streamlined it and ported it in and out in 2.5", with the "wand side" being a 2.5" half- coupling, capable of being easily reduced to 2" via a 2.5" to 2" bushed port. That was about a month ago.)

And, "No", there's no need to clean it. It drains that well and keeps the filter clean.
 

Jimbo

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
2,197
My gaskets were cut in a circle...so they lay flat.

They used a gasket cutter with trammel points to cut out the gasket on a large sheet of hard neoprene.

Jim
 

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