[paul alan]

What length eyebolts do l need to go through chasis on my transit t280 swb?

Im putting in eyebolts as opposed to bolting frame in.

Also where exactly do l drill through? I have someone knowledgable to do this for me if l can wait but am considering doing it myself.

Form a post from lee gls anwhile back he used m12 at 50mm, but this guy took some measurements and said my chasis is 200mm deep?

Bit confused about it, anyone know anything about this? Cheers

[Spruce]

What length eyebolts do l need to go through chasis on my transit t280 swb?

Im putting in eyebolts as opposed to bolting frame in.

Also where exactly do l drill through? I have someone knowledgable to do this for me if l can wait but am considering doing it myself.

Form a post from lee gls anwhile back he used m12 at 50mm, but this guy took some measurements and said my chasis is 200mm deep?

Bit confused about it, anyone know anything about this? Cheers

From what I gather from Lee's post, he used shorter bolts as he was either just using spreader plates under the floor of the van or on stiffening supports. With 50mm threads he wouldn't be going through the chassis.

If the chassis is 200mm deep then you need longer bolts than that. You have to add the thickness of any plate used inside the van, the thickness of any spreader plates used underneath and allow enough thread for the nut and washer.
My gut will tell me to start looking for bolts that are around 250mm long. If they have a shoulder then that can't be any longer than 200mm. You want enough thread to be able to tighten your eyebolts down.  The place where Lee got his eyebolts from only goes to 200mm, so you will have to find another supplier.

Drilling through the chassis isn't a problem. The problem is drilling in the right place. So you need to position your tank in the van and then identify where the points inside that will go through the center of the chassis rail. The way that's done is to count the ridges from  the chassis to the sides and reverse that on the inside adding half the width of the chassis. Its a lot easier said than done. Floor panels have differing length of stiffening ridges.

If you look at Lees photo you will see one of the ridges has a bulbous shape to it. You will see that on the underside and they make good reference and measuring points.

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=207884.0;all

You will need to buy a long series drill bit which will need to be around 250mm long and cost between £60 and £70.  You could also drill your first hole in the chassis from underneath using a standard drill bit and then use a long rod with a sharp point to pass through the hole and knock a dent in the floor so you know where to drill the hole so they line up.

I haven't seen Lee's completed job but I would guess that he also needed eyebolts at each end of the tank to prevent movement. In that case those bolts won't go through the chassis so need spreader plates under the floor anyway.

I'm trying to read between the lines of your post questions and concerns and my gut says that maybe, just maybe, this isn't the job for you to tackle on your own. 

[Spruce]

If you don't mind making your floor like a swiss cheese just drill where you want and stick a bit of dowelling through and get an assistant to draw a line on the dowel underneath where it  sticks through. Add about 25mm each end for plates, nuts and washers.

Avoid obvious runs for wiring, fuel and brake fluid pipes etc.

If you have someone "knowledgeable" then I would pay him/her.

I didn't want to say what you did. 

One tiny hole drilled next to the chassis up through the floor is something we have done before. Its also easily 'fixed' with a blob of black silicon afterwards. The floor of my van has numerous screw holes that once held the plylining down anyway.

[paul alan]

Thanks spruce and granville!

I think this may not be a job for myself.

I did see some 250mm eyebolts online while searching, is there any specific type of steel lm looking for?

Also l would like the tank almost over the back wheels , not quite over the back wheels more towards the middle but nearly there as l have my reels at the back doors fixed in place on home made tables that lift them up off the floor. same height as the arches.

I would like the tank up against the back of them so l have some room behind it for other stuff but will this be problematic with regards weight distrubution. So l want it lengthways from arch to arch up to the back of the arch boxing in .

Can you forsee any trouble with regards weight distrubution or the actual drilling for the eyebolts?

Realy appreciate your help. Thanks

[Don Kee]

whats your tank size and is it upright or layflat?

I had a T280 with a 650 layflat so weight distribution wasn't as bad, I had it running from bulk head to around 10/20cm in from the wheel arches; but I'd be checking your axle weights first before you put your tank right next to your wheel arches (especially if its an upright) as you'll be putting alot of weight at the back of the van with weights of hose reels etc... on top

What age is the transit? I wasn't aware they had the conventional 'chassis' these days anyway, you may find bolting through the floor with decent spreader plates may be easier and just as safe

If you have "someone knowledgeable" then I'd be letting them do what it is they are knowledgeable about mate and take notes so you can try next time if there is one...

[Spruce]

Thanks spruce and granville!

I think this may not be a job for myself.

I did see some 250mm eyebolts online while searching, is there any specific type of steel lm looking for?

Also l would like the tank almost over the back wheels , not quite over the back wheels more towards the middle but nearly there as l have my reels at the back doors fixed in place on home made tables that lift them up off the floor. same height as the arches.

I would like the tank up against the back of them so l have some room behind it for other stuff but will this be problematic with regards weight distrubution. So l want it lengthways from arch to arch up to the back of the arch boxing in .

Can you forsee any trouble with regards weight distrubution or the actual drilling for the eyebolts?

Realy appreciate your help. Thanks

Here is the way to calculate where to position the tank to prevent axle overloading.



In this example, the kerbside weight including the driver is 8 Tonnes.
The load is 10 Tonnes, which in this case is evenly distributed, and the vehicle's GVW is given on the plate as 18 Tonnes.

We now need to measure the distance between the centres of the axles to find the wheelbase, and found this to be 5 Mtrs as in the picture.
We now measure the distance from the centre of the load to each axle and found that in this case it is 3 Mtrs to the front axle and 2 Mtrs to the rear axle as in the picture.

Next, we use the formula in the picture, where
P = payload,
D = distance
and W = wheelbase.

So now to the calculation:
10 x 2 = 20 divided by 5 = 4 Therefore the front axle weighs 4 Tonnes and the rear axle must weigh 6 Tonnes.

NOTE: It doesn't matter which of the 2 "distances" you use, but you should remember that the answer that you get will be for the "other" axle.

Doing the same calculation using the "other" distance will give you:
10 x 3 = 30 divided by 5 = 6.  Therefore the rear axle weighs 6 Tonnes and the front axle must weigh 4 Tonnes.

The eyebolts need to be the strongest material available. High Tensile for the studs.

Axle weights will be on a plate somewhere on the vehicle.

.

[paul alan]

whats your tank size and is it upright or layflat?

I had a T280 with a 650 layflat so weight distribution wasn't as bad, I had it running from bulk head to around 10/20cm in from the wheel arches; but I'd be checking your axle weights first before you put your tank right next to your wheel arches (especially if its an upright) as you'll be putting alot of weight at the back of the van with weights of hose reels etc... on top

What age is the transit? I wasn't aware they had the conventional 'chassis' these days anyway, you may find bolting through the floor with decent spreader plates may be easier and just as safe

If you have "someone knowledgeable" then I'd be letting them do what it is they are knowledgeable about mate and take notes so you can try next time if there is one...

Its a 650ltr upright with frame(wydale)

The vans 2012 so its getting on a bit now.

The guy is an engineer and also knows mechanics but is busy at the min starting his own buisness and l may have to wait for a bit(as long as a piece of string) lve had the tank for month or two and just want it in and the ibc out.