I am going to install the tank drains with pull cables on my front air tanks. (My rear tanks have auto drains.)
How are folks protecting the pull cables? My tanks are forward of the front wheels. I suppose a really bad tire failure could hit the pull cables, but tire failure that bad would probably destroy the wheel well first. A bigger issue could be road debris, but my bus sits way higher than most highway coaches.
I just replaced the drain valve on the front tank on my 4104, it had
been there for who knows how long. Never had a problem until last
week, it just gave up the ghost and wouldn't close. I don't think you
will have a problem. BTW, I replaced the so-called automatic drain on
my wet tank three years ago, we pulled it and emptied at least a 1/2
gallon of oil, water and grunge from the tank. I for some reason don't
trust automatic valves. Answer to question I don't protect mine.
Not knowing how your bus is laid out makes this hard to respond to. My 4104 front tank is also forward of the front axle and the cable goes through the front part of the front wheel well. I had never thought about a blowout before but that won't make me move it since the chances are pretty remote.
My rear drain is a problem because it is behind the rear wheel and is vulnerable to all kinds of things kicked up by the rear tire in spite of the mudflap. The rear of the bus is also very low. I have the cable running up through the tank compartment to the outside but there is a lot of friction which makes it hard to pull so I'm going to move it. It definitely won't go into the rear of the rear wheelwell.
I also had an automatic drain on the rear wet tank like DS but it didn't work so I tossed it and installed the simple manual. Since I installed the manual drain on the rear tank I have very little water in the forward tank, which is the way it is supposed to be.
Belfert,
I don't have "pulls" for my air tanks. But if I did I would make sure they have a casing on them that protects them form the environment. Route them so there are no sharp bends in the cable. Fasten them snugly to prevent rattling and movement.
My 4104 does not have any automatic drains on it.
The rear wet tank is easy access to to bottom drain with the tool I made based on the one shown in the manual.
The front tank is more difficult to get to so I installed a flexible line to the compartment under the drivers seat with a manual valve.
The slave tank in the compartment under the drivers seat is easy to get to.
I drain them weekly. The only tank I have any problem with is the front tank. The water will sometimes freeze in the winter preventing it from draining. But usually the days here in Memphis get above freezing and I will eventually be able to drain it.
.
Back in June, one of the air tanks on my 4104. It was the rear one, back by the rear axle. My 4104 was going in for state inspection, so it was just easier to have the local truck garage do the tank installation work.
As part of the tank replacement, I bought a lanyard style drain valve from NAPA. It came with a 16" pull cord attached to the valve. I installed the valve in the tank before handing it over to the garage. However, I cut off the cord before giving it to them. I decided I would mount the cord where I wanted to when I returned home. The installation went fine, and I took a look at things when I got home. I decided it was easy enough to reach the valve, that I didn't need a full blown lanyard cord. I simply took a one inch diameter metal ring (like a simple key ring) and attached it to the valve. It gives me something easy to grab, without worrying about an exposed cord draping down. I'm happy with the result.
My tanks are in the very center of the bus so I would need a pole with a hook on it to pull the drains without crawling underneath if I don't use the cables. I think I'll just attach the cables as I planned and not worry about them.
WEC,
I did that for a while but got tired of water blowing on my hand!