Mod Description:

Most folks don’t think twice about storing their sewer hose in their RVs square tube rear bumper. That’s what it’s for, right? But over time, rust can build up inside the RV bumper, eventually causing it weaken and possibly crack. The sewer hose can also become worn through after repeated insertion and removal from the bumper. The last thing you need is a to spring a big leak when you are draining your black water tank, especially in front of the ten people in line behind you at the dump station.

Mod Difficulty:

Standard sewer hose bumper

Valterra sewer hose storage tube with custom brackets

Valterra sewer hose storage tube mounted on rear bumper

Side view of Valterra sewer hose storage tube mounted on rear bumper

Top view of Valterra sewer hose storage tube mounted on rear bumper

Alternative storage tube mounted on underside of trailer

Alternative storage tube mounted on underside of trailer with cap open

Alternative storage tube mounted on underside of trailer with vent on opposite side

Another custom storage tube painted and mounted on bumper

Another view of custom storage tube painted and mounted on bumper

Square fence post storage tube mounted to frame of trailer

Square fence post storage tube mounted to frame of trailer with hinged end cap

Another good reason to add a sewer hose storage tube is if your RV was fitted from the factory with the impossibly short “through-wall” storage tube. Most of these are only two to three feet long and are barely adequate enough to fit a six foot sewer hose. Sometimes you’re farther away from the dump station inlet than six feet so you need a longer hose, preferably at least ten feet long.

There are many ways to add a storage tube to your RV. Valterra (see links below) makes a nice kit that easily mounts, using four screws, to most anywhere you have room on your RV. Many folks mount the tube on the underside of their RV near the holding tank dump valves. This makes it very convenient to get to when at the dump station. Tube sizes range from 18″ all the way to 94″ and the kit comes with a screw cap and tether as well to ensure your sewer hose and cap stays put.

Another way to add a storage tube is to go custom. You can build one of these tubes fairly easily by using 4″ diameter PVC tubing (go 5″ or even 6″ if you want to keep your hose ends on) and two residential sewer clean-out screw caps, found at any home improvement center. Cut to your desired length and mount using plastic u-brackets to avoid rusting. Add screw cap adapters to each end of the tubing, attach a tether to the end of each cap and secure tether to the RV. Attaching the tether to the RV, like to the flooring or frame, instead of the tubing prevents the sewer hose from catching on the screw when inserting or removing the hose. Using a rivet instead of a screw for securing the tether to the tube will work if you can get your riveting tool to fit inside the tubing when using the compressing the rivet.

An alternative to the round tube is the “fence post” or square tube hose carrier. This really just a vinyl fence post and generally only comes in 4″ or 6″ sizes, so be sure if you go with the 6″ size, you have enough space to mount it. The end caps are a little different though in that they don’t screw on like the round tube carrier. You will have to use some sort of hinge to attach the caps to the ends of the tube, so that you can simply pull on one side of the cap and it will swing out of the way. Optionally, you can attach a tether to the end cap, but the hinges should keep the cap from wandering off.

In order for your sewer hose to be able to dry out, it is necessary to provide some ventilation to the tubing. This can be done by either using an end cap that is slotted or by drilling several 3/8″ holes along the bottom of the tube. As you travel down the road, the air flow around the tube will help suck the moisture out.

ModMyRV recommends these parts for this mod:
Valterra 46 Inch Sewer Hose EZ Carrier

12 Comments For This Mod

1. Bob Vaughn (February 14th, 2009 at 10:04 am)

   I did this but I mounted mine underneath the rv next to the dump valves so it is readily available..
2. jmt (March 3rd, 2009 at 12:21 pm)

   Besides wear and tear on the hose I’m not seeing a ton of value here. I have a server hose that has it’s own hard plastic tube that fits right inside the 4″ bumper. The rust and wear and tear is on the tube and not my hose.
3. Bob Vaughn (March 4th, 2009 at 2:58 pm)

   It is more for convenience than any thing else…..My TT had a sewer hose compartment that was hard to get the hose in and out. I was afraid that the end would come off the hose and it would drop down inside and I would not be able to reach it to get it out….
4. Bob Vaughn (March 9th, 2009 at 10:35 am)

   Here is a link to how I mounted my sewer hose holder under my tt…
   http://community.webshots.com/album/570447815ONqqSi
5. tvman44 (April 1st, 2009 at 5:29 am)

   I installed the 5″ square fence post type onder the 5er right next to the dump connection, sure is handy. The ony thing the back bumper is used for now is to store a spare hose. I also took a length of 4″ thin wall sewer pipe and split it so I could fit it into the rear bumper after I painted the inside of the bumper, that was before the storage mod under the 5er. Now I use the back bumper to store a extra sewer hose inside the pvc liner. Have not removed the end caps on the back in a year.
6. Marc C (July 24th, 2009 at 7:18 am)

   These are great - but what if you have to mount storage tube on top of narrow bumber? What kind of secure attachment would you use? Bumpers are curved inwards at the end, 4 inch high and 1/4 inch thick

   Tks
7. Portagie68 (September 11th, 2009 at 7:07 am)

   I did this mod a couple of years ago. I had to take my 45 degree elbow off every time I needed to put the sewer hose in the bumper. Bummer. So I bought the 94 inch one and installed it on top of my bumper. They both came in handy this year while traveling in Oregon. I carry a 20ft house in the bumper and a 10ft, which is what I normally use, in the plastic tube. In order to hook my trailer to the sewer, at one RV Park, I had to use both hoses.
8. Reckless Warrior (September 17th, 2009 at 4:23 pm)

   Hi Im new to ModMyRV which I find to be a very cool site with many good ideas.

   I was wanting to customize my own sewer hose storage. I pull a 23ft Weekend Warrior trailer and wanted to add the hose storage to the underside of my trailer.

   I’ve been looking for suppliers who sell the 6″ ABS pipe, I’ve checked Home Depot and Lowes but niether sell the 6″ pipe in my area they only seem to carry the 4″ pipe. Can someone recommend a good source for parts.
9. blacknugget (September 18th, 2009 at 7:21 am)

   I can speak here in Canada. Box stores (HD, Rona) only care 4″ pipe. Anything bigger you have to go to plumbing supply stores. 5″ pipe and up gets heavy and expensive (its the heavy duty stuff used for sewage). I priced it out and was over $100 for pipe and caps. Too much money just to carry my stinky slinky.

   You could try a 4″ pvc square post cover. This works better for letting the hose fit in. I just took my dremel and shaved the grips off the sewer hose to make it fit into a 4″ pipe. Much less expensive.
10. dwhite1031 (November 25th, 2009 at 9:21 am)

    Once you have made the mod for storing your sewer hose, that leaves the bumper storage available for other uses. I took 2 lengths of PVC pipe, capped one end of each and then put a screw on cap on the other end. I can slide these in the bumper and use one for storing a couple of chains and keep my hose fitted for “air-flushing” my water system, and a couple of washing machine water hoses in the other one. The washing machine hoses come in handy when I need that “just enough” extra length of hose. I keep a male to male coupler on one end of them.
11. mobile42 (August 20th, 2010 at 10:55 am)

    I also installed the 5″ square fence post type under the TT right next to the dump connection, and yes it was very handy. But…if your trailer has an enclosed under belly, better make sure there is no tanks of any kind (Black, Grey, Water) because I mounted my hose storage container right across the frames and not knowing that the black water ABS tank was sitting right dead above it (did not removed the corrugated material ahead of time). Well, with the use of the trailer on some trips, the weight of the waste caused the tank and the storage container to rub and created a crack on that tank leaking mostly liquid waste as the solids stayed put. MAN! What a BIG mistake on my part. Talking about the smell whoof and the embarrassment. When I got home, I emptied what waste I had and removed the corrugated material and saw a least a 12″ crack. Starting checking on the internet for a replacement tank and there pretty expensive but found some mending material that you brush on and actually melts the ABS material. I ordered it and applied it on the tank and gave it a week to cured and fill my black tank MAX with plain water and left in there for approximately 2 weeks, shook the tank and nothing leak. Finally tested the tank with a 4 night boondocking (in August with summer heat here in New Mexico) with washboard dirt roads and no LEAKS! So good luck everybody on your installations.
12. mobile42 (August 20th, 2010 at 10:57 am)

    I forgot to mentioned but my “Hose Storage Container” has been relocated to my TT Tongue. No tanks to deal with there.

Let's hear your comments about this mod!