Where do you put your fire extinguisher?

[Aussie Jeepster]

I know we all want to protect our vehicles, but I'm struggling to see where to put a fire extinguisher in my D3.
I don't have a cargo barrier which is probably the obvious place, but has anyone discovered any other locations?

[shanegtr]

There was already one mounted in my D3 when I brought it. Passenger side footwell on the trans tunnel

[TuffRR]

On my D4, its under the drivers seat accessed from behind.

[Owl]

If you need it, you need it in a hurry!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/403.jpg

[Tombie]

Good thread...

Keep in mind guys - you'll need a 2.5kg+ to be effective on anything serious!

[cjc_td5]

MY risk assessment has gone along the lines of - the risk of needing a fire extinguisher when strapped in the driver's seat is VERY low. Any crash where you were trapped in the vehicle with a fire, you would likely have several other issues to sort out as well (and probably be dead). (Note this is different to a competition car.) The much higher risk of fire is someone else's vehicle or say a cooking fire when camping. Then the fire extinguisher's position is not important other than to be readily accessible. Mine is fixed to the front of the cargo barrier, accessible from the rear doors. Away from risk of injury to rear seat passengers of course.

C

[Aussie Jeepster]

Thanks Chris - you make good sense, and when I think about it, the only 2 times I've used my on board extinguishers in 30 years have been on other peoples cars!
I'm tending to mounting one or two on top of my rear drawers when I make them.
But I'm still curious to see what come out on this - SWMBO was not in favor of one in the passenger footwell area!!!

[Chops]

As I have a rear wheel carrier, I was debating placing mine on that. Might be different if I had draws, but I like the idea of it being outside.

[cjc_td5]

I went against mounting mine accessable from the rear cargo area as this area is most likely to have an electrical fire due to fridge etc, so I would not like to be reaching to grab an extinguisher amongst a fire. 2nd row seat area was compromise re assessibility vs not isolating it re a fire itself.
C

[Tombie]

C,

Just as long as your bracket is steel, and very secure....

On the front of the Cargo Barrier, in a head on style impact - the back of you skull doesn't need a red visitor!!!!

Deceleration forces are sufficient to easily pull the entire unit through the wire.. so make sure it's a significant mounting plate, and the straps are very strong and very secure...

[cjc_td5]

C,

Just as long as your bracket is steel, and very secure....

On the front of the Cargo Barrier, in a head on style impact - the back of you skull doesn't need a red visitor!!!!

Deceleration forces are sufficient to easily pull the entire unit through the wire.. so make sure it's a significant mounting plate, and the straps are very strong and very secure...
Agree. I use motorsport compliant steel mounts.

[rocket rod]

I know it doesn't look any good but I just put one in the rear passenger pocket of the front seat.

[DiscoJeffster]

I know it doesn't look any good but I just put one in the rear passenger pocket of the front seat.

Is it secured? I'd hate to think what that would be like rolling around the cabin in a rollover. It's things like that that will kill you in an accident more so than the crash itself. Just sayin'

[Bytemrk]

Like Chris mine is in the back.....

But I have it bolted down to the top of my rear shelf between the cargo barrier and the back of my Engel. ( I'd prefer it was the other side of the cargo barrier to me in a crash.)

Might seem like an odd place - but my barrier is a half barrier - so simply tilting the left rear seat forward and its right there to grab.

I'll try and grab a photo when it's light out there!

[DiscoJeffster]

If you need it, you need it in a hurry!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/403.jpg

Hi Owl,
Be aware that cover on the front of the seat it looks like you've bolted the extinguisher to is only clipped on and in a crash might see that extinguisher flying off.

[trout1105]

When I fit my rear drawers I intend to store the fire extinguisher there.
No chance of it becoming a missile and easy to access [thumbsupbig]

[rocket rod]

Is it secured? I'd hate to think what that would be like rolling around the cabin in a rollover. It's things like that that will kill you in an accident more so than the crash itself. Just sayin'

It's jammed in pretty tight and can only be dislodged in a vertical sense so I think it's very safe. There would be plenty of other stuff flying around the cab if I was to roll the car but safety is always worth thinking about.

[Tombie]

When I fit my rear drawers I intend to store the fire extinguisher there.
No chance of it becoming a missile and easy to access [thumbsupbig]

50% pass[emoji6]. Safe from causing hazards [emoji41]

But........ if you are the vehicle on fire, and the power is cut, you can't open the back to get it [emoji48][emoji56]

[trout1105]

If the truck was on fire and I lost 12v power I would be more concerned about getting out than putting the fire out [bigwhistle]
IF it gets that dangerous to hell with the car, That's why we have insurance.
Trucks can be replaced, People can't.

[Tombie]

In that case - what's the point of carrying one?

Most fires are engine bay.... first thing to go - wiring.

So a small fire can quickly take out your power (often what happens). You coast quickly to the side of the road and everyone gets out to safety.

Seeing them safe you head for the FE to put out the small fire only to find the tailgate locked [emoji48]

May as well save the cost and hassle, and just get out and walk off [emoji6]

[jon3950]

May as well save the cost and hassle, and just get out and walk off [emoji6]

Which is all you'll be able to do after emptying your 1 or 2kg extinguisher into an engine bay fire anyway.

Totally agree with you, Mike. There's not much point in carrying one for an engine bay fire. As an example, a 4kg fire bomb couldn't put this fire out. All that started it was a little hot oil on the turbo. The bomb put it out but once it was spent the heat of the turbo just re-ignited it. Several other hand-held extinguishers were used on it but the same thing kept happening. This is common in engine bay fires:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/444.jpg

I've started carrying a fire blanket instead. I figure it will be more useful in putting out the type of fires I am likely to experience camping. I think it would also have at least as good a chance of putting out many vehicle fires as it does a better job of removing the oxygen than 1 or 2kg of dry powder. It's also much easier to keep at hand as it won't turn into a deadly projectile in an accident. Thankfully I haven't put my theory to the test yet.

Cheers,
Jon

[Redback]

Like Chris mine is in the back.....

But I have it bolted down to the top of my rear shelf between the cargo barrier and the back of my Engel. ( I'd prefer it was the other side of the cargo barrier to me in a crash.)

Might seem like an odd place - but my barrier is a half barrier - so simply tilting the left rear seat forward and its right there to grab.

I'll try and grab a photo when it's light out there!

Mine is behind the barrier but between the fridge and barrier on top of my drawers, I can access mine by folding the seat forward and get at it through a gap under the barrier, I have the half barrier.

I emptied a 2kg extinguiser into this, it was just a small fire at first and this is what it looked like in the time it took me to get back to the car to take this pick;

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/441.jpg

AND

by the time a full size extinguiser was emptied that had came from a truck, it was like this;

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/442.jpg

[Tombie]

Exactly..... [bigwhistle]

You either have a decent size unit handy and give it a go, or just don't have one and walk off....

Its a shame we cant locally source the 2,3,6l AFFF extinguishers. As a secondary device they do a good job at cooling the fire zone in an engine bay.

[PeterJ]

If you need it, you need it in a hurry!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/403.jpg

Hi Owl, the thing is the ADR states a 20g longitudinal forward pull. Let's keep the numbers simple and say the unit is 3kg, the load is 60 kg or 3 jerries full of fuel hanging off that plastic panel if you turn the whole thing 90 degrees clockwise in your mind. I agree with you it is an excellent position, even better in the same spot on the passengers side but how do you think the plastic panel will go?

Food for thought.

Peter

[ATH]

I saw the horrid aftermath of a little Morris 1100 which hit a lamp post and burst into flames 50 years ago. It happened not 200 metres from a fire station but by the time they got there it was all over.
Passenger had been trapped by his feet/legs when the engine was forced back in the crash. The fireman rolled the body out onto a canvas after the police medical examiner certified death. Fire was so fierce it's arms and legs were burnt off and head like a halloween (sp?) mask.
I drove home quite slow that night and didn't know until the local paper printed a pic that he was an old school mate.
Not nice to see and I'm thinking of where to put a decent extinguisher but in a fire like that as others have said the only thing to do is walk away.
AlanH.