Long range fuel tank?

[army2a]

Does anyone know if someone makes a long range fuel tank for 2A 109? mines a military model so already has twin tanks. Im planning a cape York trip and want to make sure I take enough fuel! I have a modified 2.25 with a Stromberg which im swapping out for a zenith to hopefully get better fuel economy and better offroad performance.

[Landy Smurf]

how big are the 2 tanks you have already all together?
where did you want the other fuel tank?
I know the 109 station wagons had a fuel tank at the back.

[army2a]

each of my tanks are 45 litres. I was hoping there is one that would fit undernearh, as my chassis is cut down though, im not sure that one would fit

[Landy Smurf]

how many litres would you want in the extra tank?
can you put 2 20L jerrys on the back and/or front?

[army2a]

yea im thinking of taking 3x20L on the back, but have no idea how much fuel I will need:rolleyes:

[Landy Smurf]

Is swapping one of the 45L tanks for a 72L tank an option or do you think by the time you do that you might as well look at another option?
I would imagine though that your set up now with 3x20L jerrys would be enough

[isuzurover]

The factory options were 10 gal (45L - which you have) and 16 gal (72L). To fit the 16 gal tanks you need to chop the front tank outriggers off the chassis and weld them about flush with the firewall outrigger.

The 16 gal tanks sit about 3" lower across the whole length of the tank.

The 16 gal tanks seem to be available (this is just an example - I have no connection to the seller)
Land Rover Series 2 3 NEW Military 16 GAL Fuel Tank | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Land-Rover-Series-2-3-New-Military-16-Gal-Fuel-Tank-/251276600758)

[gromit]

4-Wheel Drives list them as well, they get them made locally.

Land Rover Parts and Accessories (http://www.landrovers.com.au/)



Colin

[shorty943]

Check the bottoms of the tanks, if they aren't "hardened" look elsewhere.
Mine are heavy duty checkerplate bottoms, nothing short of a nuke device can rupture them. So tough they are almost rock sliders all by themselves.

[army2a]

Thanks for all your help guys, I might look at the larger tanks option. Cheers

[isuzurover]

4-Wheel Drives list them as well, they get them made locally.

Land Rover Parts and Accessories (http://www.landrovers.com.au/)

Colin

I used to know the guy who made these for the 4x4 shops. Could get them for $110 each, [I think that is what he sells them to the 4x4 shops for] but have lost touch.



Check the bottoms of the tanks, if they aren't "hardened" look elsewhere.
Mine are heavy duty checkerplate bottoms, nothing short of a nuke device can rupture them. So tough they are almost rock sliders all by themselves.

Not sure what you mean by "hardened". The aftermarket tanks are made from a single sheet of 1.6 mm steel which is more than adequate. I dragged my 16 gallon tank over rocks for years before I swapped to custom made "chamfered" tanks, to minimise them dragging on rocks.

A single piece of 1.6 mm is much better than the two plate rust magnet design that LR used.

[Landy Smurf]

wow $110 is cheap, I am thinking about getting another aluminium 1 or 2 made up

[isuzurover]

wow $110 is cheap, I am thinking about getting another aluminium 1 or 2 made up

Personlly I would never use an aluminium tank. I have seen plenty of aluminium bits bolted to landies that corrode the steel chassis. Plus the tank design collects dirt at the back of the tank which accelerates this. Add to that the poor fatigue properties of Al compared to steel.

My dad's IIA (now owned by Killer) has a stainless 10-gal tank which I think is a better material option if you are making a custom tank.

[Landy Smurf]

We have had one for years without any problems hence the reason I was going to use it again.
What do you think the cost difference would be between a stainless steel and aluminium tank?

[isuzurover]

We have had one for years without any problems hence the reason I was going to use it again.
What do you think the cost difference would be between a stainless steel and aluminium tank?

Stainless is more expensive but you would be stepping down to 1.6 instead of 4++ mm material. So I imagine material costs would be similar.

[gromit]

Re: Aluminium tanks. Could be more difficult/expensive to get welded if you get a crack develop. Also, as mentioned, there is also the potential problem of electrolytic corrosion.

Re: Aftermarket tanks. There was a discussion elsewhere about the aftermarket tanks having the drain plug in the rear edge rather than the bottom which is better than original.

Any sheetmetal company could make the tanks, the cost would be in producing the initial CAD drawings for the laser cutting.
I have a 16gal aftermarket tank sitting beside my driveway, half full of diesel & water (I must get round to emptying it). The bottom has taken a big impact but still holds fuel OK.

Were the originals resistance welded ? What I mean is are the side panels recessed in and there is a serrated line top & bottom of the seam where they have been resistance welded between 2 rollers.
The aftermarket ones are fully welded and made from 6 separate panels, that's a fair bit of work for $110.....



Colin

[isuzurover]

...

Were the originals resistance welded ? What I mean is are the side panels recessed in and there is a serrated line top & bottom of the seam where they have been resistance welded between 2 rollers.
The aftermarket ones are fully welded and made from 6 separate panels, that's a fair bit of work for $110.....



Colin

I think the originals may have been spot welded then soldered/tinned internally??? (could be wrong).

The 16 gal tank I have/had has a number of folds, so is made from only 1 or 2 sheets of steel, not 6.

[gromit]

I think the originals may have been spot welded then soldered/tinned internally??? (could be wrong).

The 16 gal tank I have/had has a number of folds, so is made from only 1 or 2 sheets of steel, not 6.

The one I have on the driveway and the one in the little Isuzu powered SIII look like 6 separate panels welded up. So maybe a different supplier down in Melbourne ??

OK just checked the picture below and maybe the outside is one folded sheet making 3 panels.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/08/1362.jpg (http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/cradley/media/Stuff/DSCN2145_zps97b531c3.jpg.html)



Colin

[chazza]

Colin, your one looks to be an after-market one, the original had at least a 1/2" radius on the lower rear corner.

Ben, my original 16 gallon tank has been soldered all around the edges, but I think a spot-welded lap joint would be asking for trouble. On the S1 they were folded using a double-fold and then soldered. The S1's and probably later cars were made of a lead-coated material called tern-plate (spelling?) in Oz, but my S3 one looks to be galvanised inside,

Cheers Charlie

[clubagreenie]

We used to make 16gal out of a folded sheet for the top/bottom/ends and two sides. Mig welded 1.6mm. You can make another two tanks to go inside the rear wheel arch, in front of the wheels (LWB) and have the filler neck modded to run a tube back through the bulkhead.

Christ ditching my parents was lousy as he's got all the templates for these things, Fuel tanks, water tanks, overhead consuls and roof cupboards, roof linings plus suspension lift plates (from military version drawings), shackle plates etc. I can do it all but just having templates for tanks is a big help.

[shorty943]

Not sure what you mean by "hardened". .

Mine are 3mm checkerplate, heavy but tough as nails, might be from when she lived with the Victorian CFA or, an afterthought as the old S3 had quite a few desert miles already on her when I bought her.