Gav's 101.

Ok, finally getting around to ordering the steel for the fuel tank. A quick calculation shows I can increase the capacity by 50% by sacrificing just under 100mm of clearance to the ground, which really only effects ramp over angles and I don't offroad it anyway, so I'm happy to go with the increased capacity.

Now, following on from Sitecs suggestion of 3mm for the ends and 2mm for the rest, I do have a couple more questions for the brains trust.

Firstly, are any baffles needed in the tank? If so, how many (2 maybe?)

Secondly, as the tank is supported from each end, is welding a piece of decent angle iron to the 3mm plate at each end enough to support it or should I be looking at some sort of bracing either underneath like the original (which causes them to rust out the way they did it) or internally - between the 2 mounts straight through the tank? Fully fuelled up I estimate the weight of the tank could be around 180Kg so I'm thinking I might wat to brace it somehow, but I'm open to suggestions.

I now have a TIG welding setup as well so I might go this way, it's been a few years so I'll need to get some scrap to practice on, but it's like falling off a bike right... :D

Thanks in advance. :)

The Australian army replacement ones fitted to mine, garrycols 101s ect are standard size and self supporting.
They are made from mild steel and are very thick.
They appear to be MIG welded together.
They will never rust out again due to the thickness of the metal plate used.
Ron

Thanks Ron - I plan to make this one out of much heavier gauge than the factory did so I'll probably be ok having it self supporting too.

Does yours have any baffles in it?

It should have baffles as I cannot hear the fuel sloshing about.
Never had to touch the fuel tank so I don't know.
It appears to be folded to a rectangular tube shape and then the ends welded in.

Cool - I'm planning something similar, just got back from the fabricators after discussing what I needed them to do - they seem pretty comfortable with how I plan to make it, so fingers crossed.

I'll post some pics who the steel arrives and I get stuck in. :)

Yep, it has baffles.

I had a complete stainless tank fabricated for my 101, it has internal baffles and a trap around the fuel pump to keep fuel at the pump intake when nose down with a low fuel level, it is supported as the "original" was. the truck didn't come with an original tank but n extremely rusted out steel fabricated tank.

That looks like a good bit of kit. :)

I've no idea when the steel will be ready to pick up" for mine, then engineering place I use is always very busy and tend to squeez in these little jobs between their bigger paying customers. I told them 'no rush' so I have no idea how long until they get around to it. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Homestar

Secondly, as the tank is supported from each end, is welding a piece of decent angle iron to the 3mm plate at each end enough to support it or should I be looking at some sort of bracing either underneath like the original (which causes them to rust out the way they did it) or internally - between the 2 mounts straight through the tank? Fully fuelled up I estimate the weight of the tank could be around 180Kg so I'm thinking I might wat to brace it somehow, but I'm open to suggestions.

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Not been her for a while, and had to go looking to find when I did my tanks.. With 3mm at each end and the sides made out of 2mm, your tank will be very solid. I made both mounts, using angle 1 end and a fabricated mount on the other. My tanks had an air tank (RH) and batteries (LH) on their ends and support was not an issue as the plates went from top to bottom.. With yours, the rear mount will be located somewhere in the middle of the end plate, so I'd suggest welding a couple of triangle plates inside to match the outer mount that tag the end to the base. Re baffles, I made a large chamber that all the pick up points draw from.. It had a small inlet point at the rear, and the pickups were tight to the front of the chamber, so there would always be plenty of fuel there on a steep decent. Here's a link to the section of the thread where I was building tanks! :)

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/101-forwar...-101-a-52.html

Just picked up the steel from my local fab shop, they did exactly what I wanted and it will need minimal finagling to get it to be just how I want it. Got the ends, some angle for the mounts, the bit in the pic, 2 baffles and a few off cuts for inside strengthening for around $200.

Good value for a 140 ish litre tank in my book. Just got to plug the welder in and glue it all together leak free - how hard can that be? ;)

I'll post more pics of it under construction, but I have to drop the old tank out first as a template - at least it's empty... :D

This new one will weigh considerably more, but there's no issues with that I don't think - the outriggers that hold it are well up to the task.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/08/750.jpg