Long Range Fuel Tanks & Rear Recovery Point???

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Hi all,
As some of you know Im doing the Anne Beadall, Canning Stock & Tanami roads later this year.

The 110 currently has a standard 70L tank with a nice aftermarket tank guard which also has an integrated detachable towing point and recovery point.

Im thinking of replacing the 70L tank with a 140L Long Range Automotive one which would mean that I have to loose the tank guard and rear recovery point.

Question:
What do people use for rear recovery point when they have a long range tank fitted? From what Ive read so far the standard Towbar doesnt fit with either Long Range Automotive or Long Ranger tanks?

Thanks
Jon

[Tombie]

You could go belly tanks from LRA

[geckos]

ARB towmaster towbars and Hayman Reece towbars fit with long range (branded) fuel tanks. I have Longe Ranger 127L and ARB towbar. Put one of these in Recovery Hitch - Bushranger (http://www.bushranger.com.au/recovery_hitch.php) there you go. Expensive but it works, there are other options like recovery points bolted to chassis.

regards gecko

[newhue]

There is a standard tow bar that works with long ranger tanks. I don't know the number of it however.
Mine is model RAA607, and I believe it is compatible, but have not done the homework as yet.
If you replace the tank with a lone ranger than don't be concerned with no bash plate.
In my previous vehicle (rodeo) the Long Ranger tank hung so low it took out just about everything. When I asked the manufacture about all the dints and creased it had, they replied it actually strengthens the tank, stopping the flat sheets of steel vibrating of corrugations and the like.

I like the look of Mulgo's side wing tanks, but can't justify the price unfortunately.

[Drover]

Hey Yorkshire jon

I have a LRA(Long Range Automotive) 140L tank fitted to my PUMA.

The PUMA also has a factory tow bar fitted. The only identifiers I can find on the tow bar are "Defender Wagon Batch NoAR0 4".

In any case the tow bar does not interfere with the new tank.

Cheers

[mools]

Jon,

I have a 'long ranger' fuel tank and a tow bar (don't kmow the manufacrue off the top of my head - it might be ARB but as it hasn't got ARB plastered all over it it might not be) - it has two recovery points on it (fairly small but quite beefy) and so will take 2 x 3.75t bow shackles to use with a bridle.

I don't have a tank gaurd - last time I took the tank off it was heavy as hell - very well made.

If you need any photos let me know - else I'll be at the orienteering event next weekend if your going to that.

Ian.

[KarlB]

I have just had twin Front Runner 'belly tanks' fitted to my D90. Added an extra 85 litres to the miserly original 60 litres. Not cheap though: all up $2750 including fitting. Just ask if you want more details, etc.

Cheers
KarlB
:)

[Tombie]

$ FOR $ belly tanks win...

You pay your money for a LR tank and get an extra 57 litres...

For about the same you'll get 55 litres, centrally based between the axles ;)

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Really appreciated.

I will defo be at the orienteering next weekend so hopefully will get to have a look at some of the options.

I need to be able to carry 205L minimum, so that I can pump all the 205L drum thats dropped out in the Canning for us (1 drum per car).

The LRA belly tanks are VERY expensive when you add in labour to fit them. Unfortunately I havent got anywhere over here (North Sydney) to do it myself, otherwise I would! I have been quoted $1045 per belly tank and $480 to fit each one. I have spoken to the guys at LRA and they reckon its the best part of a day to install one belly tank and half a day for the replacement 140L tank.

As another option, I have also looked at the BOAB plastic tanks, 2 x 55L tanks would fit in the rear footwell, meaning I would just need a couple of Jerry's in the rear to make up the 205L. Problem with this option, despite saving $$$$$$ and not really sitting right in my mind, is that I would need to have breather pipes fitted to the tanks, not a real problem, but protecting the exposed breather connection point is, especially when there will be ruck-sacks, camera gear and all sorts of other stuff in the back, just waiting to fall on them at the most inopportune moment! I did think about maybe building a shelf arrangement over them to carry the 60L fridge, but then the loss of headroom means the fridge door wouldnt open all the way.

My head is telling me to go with the 140L replacement and the 60L right hand side belly tank from LRA and then get a new towbar to use as a recovery point. My wallet however is somewhat resistant!!

Keep telling me proper tanks are the way to go!!!

Thanks
Jon

[Yorkshire_Jon]

$ FOR $ belly tanks win...

You pay your money for a LR tank and get an extra 57 litres...

For about the same you'll get 55 litres, centrally based between the axles ;)

Are there any noticable issues with having just one belly tank? Does the car lean to one side noticably when full of fuel / water?

Thx
Jon

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Jon,

I have a 'long ranger' fuel tank and a tow bar (don't kmow the manufacrue off the top of my head - it might be ARB but as it hasn't got ARB plastered all over it it might not be) - it has two recovery points on it (fairly small but quite beefy) and so will take 2 x 3.75t bow shackles to use with a bridle.

I don't have a tank gaurd - last time I took the tank off it was heavy as hell - very well made.

If you need any photos let me know - else I'll be at the orienteering event next weekend if your going to that.

Ian.

Hi Ian,
Yep, I'll be there next weekend, 90% certain it will be in my 110, if not it means the garage still have it and so then i'll be in a Land Rover demonstrator of some kind!

R
Jon

[KarlB]

The tanks I had fitted were 40 litres under the driver’s seat-box, and 45 litres under the passenger seat-box. Price was $1095 each plus $60 delivery from Dolium in WA (the importers) to Opposite Lock in Rockdale. Gordon fitted them both for $500. Dropped it in at 8.30 in the morning and drove out at 5.30 in the evening. The left hand one was a special order and took a little while to get. The bottom of both tanks is higher than the bottom of the chassis rails.

If you use a flexible tank (sitting in the rear footwell for example) you should not need a breather, especially with diesel as the tank is not rigid and you have essentially no "air space" for fuel vapour to accumulate. They use such tanks in light aircraft and helicopters to extend their range. There are a range of manufacturers but I understand TurtlePac is one of the best and they are made in Currumbin, Qld (see Turtlepac (http://www.turtlepac.com/)). After you have decanted the fuel out of it you can roll it up out of the way. TurtlePac also make collapsible jerry cans. [Look under Bush Plane]

Cheers
KarlB
:)

[Ivan]

Yorkshire john

I think you need to weigh up how often you will need that amount of fuel. If it's only for the one trip then something like the rear footwell tanks would be better. Why pay thousands of dollars fitting extra fuel tanks for the one trip? I went to Libya a few years ago and the requirement was for us to carry 220ltrs of fuel for the V8 Discovery. All I did was carry 6 Jerry cans in the rear behind the cargo barrier (removed rear seats) and 2 Jerry cans on the roof rack. Most of the time the Jerry cans were empty so no weight problems and I made sure I used the roof rack cans first. I only filled them before we started the Desert crossing. I also did the same when I did the Simpson many years ago. Six 20ltr fuel Jerry cans and two 20ltr water Jerry cans fit very nicely across the back of a Discovery 1.
I carried the fuel inside as I wanted it as low down in the vehicle as I could get.

HTH

Ivan

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Yorkshire john

I think you need to weigh up how often you will need that amount of fuel. If it's only for the one trip then something like the rear footwell tanks would be better. Why pay thousands of dollars fitting extra fuel tanks for the one trip? I went to Libya a few years ago and the requirement was for us to carry 220ltrs of fuel for the V8 Discovery. All I did was carry 6 Jerry cans in the rear behind the cargo barrier (removed rear seats) and 2 Jerry cans on the roof rack. Most of the time the Jerry cans were empty so no weight problems and I made sure I used the roof rack cans first. I only filled them before we started the Desert crossing. I also did the same when I did the Simpson many years ago. Six 20ltr fuel Jerry cans and two 20ltr water Jerry cans fit very nicely across the back of a Discovery 1.
I carried the fuel inside as I wanted it as low down in the vehicle as I could get.

HTH

Ivan

Thanks Ian,
You are of course right. The 110 does need a bigger tank though, last April we went to Alice and we were forever stopping to "splash & dash" with the standard LR tank. Whilst this isnt the first or last trip, it is the first time Ive been forced to consider all options due to the quantities and isolation / reliability factor involved.

Im pretty sure I'll be getting the replacement rear tank (140L), just not 100% sold on the belly tank yet - Im still optioneering on that one!

J