Intruders-Alert

The first (actually the 3rd) of the month we go down to rent a backhoe to dig a hole for a septic tank at a friends house. While we have it we will dig me a little hole for a 55 gal plastic barrel for the motor home septic tanks to dump into. Anyway, the guy we are renting the backhoe from said we need a 2 5/8 ths inch ball, but as far as we can tell no one makes such a thing. So would a 2 5/15 ball work instead as that is the largest ball we have found? [space]

He probably meant to say 2-5/16"
No such thing as 2-5/8"
What vehicle are you towing his trailer with...it probably requires electric brakes.

His has a Dodge 3/4 ton pickup with the hemi engine. The renter said that size of truck would be fine. Since asking this question I have searched the internet and found out that there is such a thing as a 2 5/8 in. ball, but they were used mostly on old mobile home trailers. I guess we are going to have to ask the rental company just to make sure the 2 5/16th ball will work.

BlacktopTravelr wrote:His has a Dodge 3/4 ton pickup with the hemi engine. The renter said that size of truck would be fine. Since asking this question I have searched the internet and found out that there is such a thing as a 2 5/8 in. ball, but they were used mostly on old mobile home trailers. I guess we are going to have to ask the rental company just to make sure the 2 5/16th ball will work.

Most large loads will have the 2 5/16 ball & it is a rarity to see anything else anymore.

BlacktopTravelr wrote:The first (actually the 3rd) of the month we go down to rent a backhoe to dig a hole for a septic tank at a friends house. While we have it we will dig me a little hole for a 55 gal plastic barrel for the motor home septic tanks to dump into. Anyway, the guy we are renting the backhoe from said we need a 2 5/8 ths inch ball, but as far as we can tell no one makes such a thing. So would a 2 5/15 ball work instead as that is the largest ball we have found? [space]

What size backhoe are you renting? My Case 580 weighs at around 17000. My trailer weighs another 3200. If you are pulling this size with a 3/4 ton pickup, make sure you have some kind of brakes because they aren't rated for anything near this. A 2 5/16 ball isn't rated for that either. But I've done it. . As far as dumping your black water tank into a 55 gal barrel used as a septic tank and drainfield, I see no end of problems there. It may be ok for gray water, like kitchen sink and wash basin.

If it's a metal barrel it won't last long....but even if plastic it's not going to have enough detention time to properly condition the sludge, and the sludge will build up lickety split anyway and have to be ummm....sucked out. Four barrels end to end might be big enough....I say might, and they'd have to be put together watertight.

The barrel will only be used once or twice for a septic tank. When the motor home gets fixed up and running it will be taken to a dump station at a nearby RV park or to the State Park just down the road. I'm in the process of getting a 275 gal plastic tank to use for the building. Lots of people around here use them so I don't see why I can't. [space]

Sorry I got nothing, except to say it sounds like a shitty proposition

If it's only gonna be used once or twice why bother with it? Just do what a bear does.

I thought my 14V nose trailer takes a 2-5/8 in ball I think?

maybe I am wrong... I will have to look

lonerider wrote:If it's only gonna be used once or twice why bother with it? Just do what a bear does.

Because it needs to be dumped in a barrel and not on the ground beside the motor home. I'd hate to see what 25 gals of human waste looks like laying on the ground beside the RV.

I talked to the guy that is going to use his pickup to haul the backhoe and he said the guy at the rental place confirmed that a 2 5/16 ball will work. He also changed the pickup date to Sat so the return date is Monday. 2 days for the price of one. [space] [space]