[windymiller]

How do you guys secure your lay flat tanks? I always see frames advertised for upright tanks but never for lay flat tanks. I have a expert with a 400l lay flat tank and dont like the thought of what would happen to the tank in a crash Your help is much appreciated

[Don Kee]

Went to a garage and got a guy to weld me one together and bolt it into the floor with spreader plates

[EandM]

I just put mine in the back of a pick up and found an intelligent insurance company...

[Small but perfectley formed]

Don't need a frame for lay flat if you crash and its full it will just slide forward as you are higher than tank in expert no problem.

[EandM]

Don't need a frame for lay flat if you crash and its full it will just slide forward as you are higher than tank in expert no problem.

In a pickup it would need to get through two metal bulkheads with a gap in between before it was anywhere near the driver. Some insurance companies refused to insure it unless it was either bolted down, not bolted down or at all. Several sensible companies just said, ' Yep. No problem '

[robert mitchell]

It will just slide forward?
Really?

at 30 mph you could easily 10 g in an impact , do you really think the bulkhead will stop that going through you?

with a 500 litre tank that could be a force of 5 tons.

For the amount it costs it is well worth bolting it in with spreader plates and a properly built frame , for peace of mind.

I personally got grippa to do mine , expensive but worth it in my opinion.

[tompoole]

big rachet straps

[robert mitchell]

of course the crumple zones in the vehicle will absorb some of the force - depending on the vehicle.

[robert mitchell]

Big lorry type straps would work if they were attached to proper eyes bolted to big spreader plates.

i prefer the peace of mind from the crash testing though .

[richard jagger]

I have a up right tank with a bulkhead factory fitted 2x 5 ton straps to floor,.and one 5 tone to bulkhead.I have twice had to slam on the brake to a quick holt and the tank has never moved.I FOUND THE SWAY MORE OF A PROBLEM SO HAVE FILLED UP THE TANK WITH 2 LITRE BOTTLE. STRAPS ARE JUST FINE if your van has a bulkhead.So I dont see the need for frame on a flat tank. So just over react.

[windymiller]

Thanks, will just strap it down 

[PoleKing]

For those that care

1000kg coming to a complete stop from 30mph exerts a force (approx) equivalent to 15000kg.

The numbers I asked my mate to work out we're based on 30mph because even if you were at 70mph, you wouldn't (probably) hit something and come to a complete stop.
Most likely you'd hit the car in front which would move, thereby reducing the force exerted.

Lets be honest, if you hit something immovable (say the concrete leg on a bridge), no matter what was in the back you'd be dead.

It took my mate (a maths teacher at quite a prestigious school) quite a while to work it out.
He says its not as easy as multiplying the weight by the speed. It's nM's etc etc.

Long and short...
A 15,000kg ratchet strap would hold at 30mph impact.
Would the vehicle? Who knows.
Any faster than that-you takes your chances.
A lot faster than that-you're toast either way

[Small but perfectley formed]

How come you see arctics with only straps around their cargo  These are upto 32 t and they travel at 56-60 mph

[robert mitchell]

The straps on lorries are very heavy duty and attached to the huge chassis rails on the lorry.

Most people who ratchet strap a tank in there van use the van lashing eyes that are normally just welded to sheet steel and normally rated at around 250kg.