Fuel Tanks

Too big.
A standard tank is about 320 diameter x 1100 long.

OK maybe one of these, but still to wide maybe.

457mm Round Fuel Tank

210 of Diesel and 200 of water seems enough for us

Thanks OB Jack, for the link to the Hilton tanks. Looks very professional outfit; and prices cheaper than I got locally, ie around $800 vs $1250, but without baffles or sender, and not sure what the material (aluminium) thickness is. Transport/delivery would be an additional cost for me as well.
I sent them an email anyway.
hank

Interesting to see what some claim to be their fluid capacities. Mine are 300 Litres of Diesel and 300 Litres of water (200 litres reserved for long hot showers), plus a fair bit of cupboard space to carry casks of wine and port for those areas of Australia where you can't buy such things (but strangely, CAN buy litre bottles of spirits) I don't carry jerry cans either (although I did pick up a 10 litre one in the Simpson that I did carry for the rest of the trip)

I've seen some travellers with the boot full of 20 litre drums of fuel and the living quarters stacked with beer, so I guess those quantities need to be added to the fixed capacities claimed.

also 30 litre grey tank for when we are camping posh, and 20 litres potable water in the calorifier. Toilet cassette that will last three days, but which is normally emptied well before that.

When I caught up with the owner of #021 at Christmas I noted that the fuel tanks were non-standard. They turned out to be (originally) stainless steel hot water tanks, with fillers made from wine vat inlets with screw caps. They've been on for a long time, and serve the purpose fine. Capacity of two, from memory, was about 320 litres.

Hank Onthewater wrote: Paul mentioned that the real issue for going bush and staying there for a while is not the qty of fuel, but the amount of water that can be carried. I agree.
How much should one carry? How much could one carry?

We have around the same as most people seem to have, 250l water (plus 40 in the HWS), 250l fuel, 35l grey water capacity (which is not enough).

More than 1/2 a tonne of fuel and water is a lot of weight to carry, but over 120k km we've never come seriously close to running out of either.

The biggest challenges were the the Anne Beadell (only 1 reliable fuel/water stop in 1500km), GCRoad to 80 Mile Beach (2000km, adequate water but only 1 fuel stop at Kunawaritji) and Alice to PA via the Old Andado and Oodnadatta Tracks (1500km, fuel and water at Mt Dare, then Oodnadatta etc).

The most difficult areas for water are not the WA desert tracks but the north and west of South Australia which is very dry. Coober Pedy has a 20ç/20l water pump, we've been denied water at Oodnadatta, William Creek and even Blinman, and creek water (eg Algebuckina) is very salty.

Time on a track is more relevant than distance. Your fuel can easily last a couple of weeks on a slow track but not your water, so my philosophy is that fuel is more important than water. If you've got fuel you can go and find water, the opposite isn't true.

Hilton has not replied to my enquiry. I know it was over Christmas, but just wonder why companies do even bother putting up websites sites with enquiry forms.....
Or are they that good, that they are able to qualify a genuine prospective client....? And considered my enquiry as not?

Indeed, I might shelve the idea of replacing the fueltanks for the moment. No one seems interested in buying my current tanks. Mick who also wanted a set of tanks, is now selling his #236, and I am thinking of buying a nautical toy. And most importantly I am not considering long distance trips over the next 12 months.

But the issue of tankage remains valid: how much is enough and how much is too much. And just now David put another slant on it:

If you've got fuel you can go and find water, the opposite isn't true.

How much to you carry David?
hank

Hank, 250l water spread over 3 independent tanks. Same with fuel.

We check the levels regularly, especially before setting out on a long track, to ensure the gauges aren't lying to us.

Hi all, just wondering whether people when upgrading to bigger tanks upgraded the mounts to the chassis? ie did they weld brackets on the chassis or add an extra support etc around the chassis member itself or did they just bolt the newly made tank support brackets to the old bolt holes on the chassis?

Cheers,
Alister

Anyone with experience above?

Cheers, Alister

Hi Alister,
Sorry, as my plans for making these tanks have been delayed, I can't offer you detailed drawings or photos.
I was not planning to use the existing brackets, although the plan was to use the holes at the rear of each tank for the new brackets, and add another attachment point (by welding) as the new tank are twice the weight (when filled). As my tanks would be longer, I could not re-use the holes of the front of each tank, and therefore new attachments needs to be welded to the frame.
But if you or others have brilliant ideas, I am happy to copy them!.
hank

After a long delay, my first tank (the driver's side) is being built and I hope to install it this side of Christmas; size is 1500x400x450; material is 4 mm aluminium.
With some rounding, some 'indentations' I expect it can hold around 250 lt.
The other side is to follow after the first one is in place. That tank will be the same size initially, but steps etc will reduce the content to approx 200 lt.
The tanks will be supported by 3 brackets each, and have 2 baffles each.
The batteries have to be relocated.
Both tanks will be well inside the busbody, so I can mount/hang some sand tracks/ladders both sides, and they won't stick out.

Fuel tanks should always be supported by using straps, brackets welded to tanks will always eventually break and or crack leading to leaks.
After travelling all over Oz in the last 35 odd years, over all the iconic outback routes plus a few that are not usually attempted, mostly in Troopies with two 90L tanks I wonder why people see the need to carry such huge amounts of fuel. A fuel capacity of 250 litres in an Oka sized vehicle is more than adequate for everything except say a Madigan crossing of the northern Simpson where there is a set distance to cover over remote country in soft sandy conditions where fuel usage will be extra high and no refuelling is possible enroute. On these rare occasions carrying an additional jerrycan or fuel bladder is far easier and cheaper than the cost of making and fitting extra tanks.
The argument for carrying huge amounts from cheaper sources into remote areas is negated by the increased wear and tear on the vehicle, tyres and possibly increased consumption due to road conditions etc. Never mind the cost of so called long range tanks and the suspension work needed to carry the additional load.
Most 4wd's set up for long distance work would be over GVM and given that the same amount of gear is carried regardless of vehicle an Oka sized vehicle should be able to travel at a weight less than or close to GVM. Although looking around there are plenty that are well over GVM ))

You're right Peter, the brackets are (hmmm, will be) 3 braced "L" shape, and each tank is kept in place by 3 straps.The only thing that might be welded to the tanks are some (?4) pins on which the sandmats are 'threaded'. These pins will be on the ends, where the tank is strongest.

Installation this side of Christmas? No, can't blame anyone else but myself, now rescheduled to install early January. These are the parts, not welded yet. The SS handrails belong to another (boating) job, nothing to do with OKA.
A bit blurry photo, sorry.

Gee they will look a treat installed.

Hank
Make sure you baffle them well, I'd reckon at least two in that length, just make them full size and cut the corners off about 30mm triangles. Otherwise they might fatigue due to the fuel washing up and down inside and ally doesn't flex well long term.

Water in the fuel is often an issue, particular when cars/boats are not frequently used. Water in the diesel promotes tank corrosion, and possibly algae growth, and when that happens, wash out and decontamination is a major job. And hopefully you will discover the problem before the fuelpump or injectors become victims.

Of course there are additives for sale that prevent algae growth, removes water or separates the water from the fuel. And I know of at least one home made concoction: with every tank fill, add some naphthalene shavings. Not sure if it works though.

Better still is to prevent water coming in. One way this water can enter the system is when tanks are not full: the daily contraction/expansion of air introduces air into the tank when it cools; and when it cools further, condensation is formed. There are filters that one can buy to be fitted into the air-vent hose.

Here is a test of some of those filters. Although the article is aimed at yacht owners, it applies to any kind of (diesel) fueltanks. This link will only be valid for a few months before the article is archived. Then you have to subscribe to Practical Sailor to gain access to this.

Does anyone know where the vents of each fueltank terminate? Are the vents of each fueltank interconnected?