|
07-15-2004, 01:56 AM
|
#1
|
Vintage Alum. Enthusiast
1959 24' Tradewind
Phoenix
, Arizona
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: I currently do not own a 2nd Airstream
Posts: 4,360
|
Securing Aluminum Tanks
When aluminum tanks went on sale at Airstream Dreams I figured that was my cue to break down and buy a pair. They arrived the other day and I'm in the process of polishing them. How are folks securing their new, freshly polished tanks to the trailer to keep them where they belong? I'd sure hate to lose them..
FF
__________________
4CU 2699 / AIR 10 / TAC AZ-1
I'm haunted by aluminum.
Charter Member of the 4 Corners Unit.
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 04:19 AM
|
#2
|
2 Rivet Member
Ann Arbor
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 96
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyfshr
When aluminum tanks went on sale at Airstream Dreams I figured that was my cue to break down and buy a pair. They arrived the other day and I'm in the process of polishing them. How are folks securing their new, freshly polished tanks to the trailer to keep them where they belong? I'd sure hate to lose them..
FF
|
After having had my tanks come loose and dragging one for a few miles , I promptly bought four 19" black stretch cords, two for each tank. You can bet that tank security is one of the "pre-flight" checks I now routinely make. That includes the condition of the stretch cords. Not pretty, but effective.
Eugenie
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 04:42 AM
|
#3
|
Retired Moderator
1992 29' Excella
madison
, Wisconsin
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,644
|
brad
you may be able to use the holes in the base ring to fashion a locking pin arrangement. it could pass through the ring on the tounge and the base ring on the tank.
would make a good out of sight anti theft device!
john
__________________
you call them ferrets, i call them weasels.
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 05:55 AM
|
#4
|
Just a member
1978 28' Argosy 28
Lutz
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,549
|
Brad,
You will need to verify the thread size but, when we full timed I used a Yakima threaded bolt lock. It was threaded on the hold down shaft and acted like a jam nut to the spinner handle. Once in place and locked it was going to be very difficult to remove it, or the bottles since I had pressure on them with the hold down. It was one extra key, but I did not have to worry that my 30 LB Aluminum tanks were going to get legs.....
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
-------------------------
1978 Argosy 28 foot Motorhome
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 07:35 AM
|
#5
|
Vintage Alum. Enthusiast
1959 24' Tradewind
Phoenix
, Arizona
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: I currently do not own a 2nd Airstream
Posts: 4,360
|
Brett,
That sounds like the solution I had in mind. Do you have a picture of this device in action on your trailer? An aluminum tank with legs would be a terrible sight...
FF
__________________
4CU 2699 / AIR 10 / TAC AZ-1
I'm haunted by aluminum.
Charter Member of the 4 Corners Unit.
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 09:14 AM
|
#6
|
3 Rivet Member
1975 24' Argosy 24
Burlington
, Ontario
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 109
|
On my 74 Argosy (22ft) there is a long shaft inbetween the tanks and a "T" bracket that is held down with a Nut. I have a threaded nut with a cover that when on and the locking key is removed allows the cover to turn free, and no access to the holding nut. I have seen several times , Marks on the edges of my tanks, but I still have them.
Believe it or not on my towing vehicle we had an old car cover, ....someone stole it. Blessings upon them because it was destined for the garbage.
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 09:51 AM
|
#7
|
2 Rivet Member
1964 26' Overlander
Norman
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 70
|
Flyfshr,
When I replaced the old metal tanks on my 64 overlander with new polished alumimum tanks, I was also worried about the possibility of losing them. I had two concerns; the first was me failing to tighten the lock down bar after a propane refill and the second was a failure of the threaded rod that the lock down bar mounts to. I wanted a backup method that worked independently from the primary lock down hardware. The solution I came up with was found in the electrical section of Home Depot. It consists of a cad plated crows foot clamp and bolt that grips the cylinder mounting ring on the trailer frame with the crows foot and the bolt screws down and locks on the heavy aluminum ring that makes up the base of the tank. This arrangement locks the cylinder to the trailer mounting ring and gives a nice tidy backup solution. The clamp can be seen just below the cylinder in the following picture.
__________________
Mark Wilson
1964 Overlander/2000 f250 Crew Cab 4X4 PS WBCCI# 5600
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 10:28 PM
|
#8
|
Vintage Alum. Enthusiast
1959 24' Tradewind
Phoenix
, Arizona
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: I currently do not own a 2nd Airstream
Posts: 4,360
|
Mark,
Can you take a close-up of the device you described. There's a Home Depot right up the street
FF
__________________
4CU 2699 / AIR 10 / TAC AZ-1
I'm haunted by aluminum.
Charter Member of the 4 Corners Unit.
|
|
|
07-15-2004, 11:18 PM
|
#9
|
2 Rivet Member
1964 26' Overlander
Norman
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 70
|
Flyfshr,
I will blow up the picture I previously posted. I do not have a picture available of the clamp from a side view, but it is shaped like a "u" when viewed from the side and has a square headed bolt that threads in from the back side. You would actually tighten the bolt from under the cylinder.
__________________
Mark Wilson
1964 Overlander/2000 f250 Crew Cab 4X4 PS WBCCI# 5600
|
|
|
07-16-2004, 10:11 AM
|
#10
|
418
2007 25' Safari FB SE
1958 22' Flying Cloud
1974 29' Ambassador
Yucca Valley
, California
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: 1963 26' Overlander
Posts: 4,804
|
A word of caution for old trailer owners:
The hold down rod on my 1963 Overlander snapped right off at the base when I tried to undo the winged screw on teh top of the rod. Id did not look bad, and there was no evidence of corrosion near the bottom, just on the top where the winged nut got rusty on the treads.
My advice would be to replace this rod soon if you have not already done so.
|
|
|
07-16-2004, 10:52 AM
|
#11
|
Moderator Emeritus
1964 26' Overlander
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
Anna
, Illinois
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,710
|
Securing Aluminum Tanks
Greetings Uwe!
Quote:
Originally Posted by uwe
A word of caution for old trailer owners:
The hold down rod on my 1963 Overlander snapped right off at the base when I tried to undo the winged screw on teh top of the rod. Id did not look bad, and there was no evidence of corrosion near the bottom, just on the top where the winged nut got rusty on the treads.
My advice would be to replace this rod soon if you have not already done so.
|
I second the advice - - I had the same experience with both my '64 Overlander and '78 Minuet. The Minuet was well behaved, and this repair was required when removing tanks for filling while parked in my home driveway - - the one on the Overlander failed while in the wilds of South Dakota. Checking these brackets is now on my regular maintenance check-list.
Kevin
__________________
Kevin D. Allen
WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC #7864
AIR #827
1964 Overlander International
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
|
|
|
07-18-2004, 12:51 PM
|
#12
|
Rivet Master
1986 25' Sovereign
Southern Middle
, Tennessee
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,319
|
I use a 6' Kryptonite vinyl covered steel cable with a loop on each end. I run one end of the cable through the collars and then run that end through the loop on the other end. I then lock it to the connection the chains are attached to with a large stainless steel Master padlock. So far so good.
__________________
Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
|
|
|
07-18-2004, 01:17 PM
|
#13
|
Rivet Master
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 541
|
It's unfortunate that the manufacturer of the aluminum tanks couldn't just put a ring at the bottom of the tank that has say 4 round holes in it so securing the tanks would be easy for anyone. I suppose one could have such a ring added to the bottom if you know a good welding shop.
On another note my local propane supplier has informed me that he is able to get steel tanks that are chromed. The cost is around $120 for a 30 pounder.
Anyone else have an outlet for these and do you think a chrome tank would be just as good as a polished aluminum tank?
__________________
Just adding my 2¢ worth
John G
___________________________
1975 31ft Sovereign International
........Rear Bath Double Bed Model
Tow Vehicle:1999 GMC Serria SLE Classic 1500 5.7Ltr
System: Jordon 2020 Ultima Brake Controller
Hook-Up: Equalizing Hitch and Sway Bar
|
|
|
07-18-2004, 01:25 PM
|
#14
|
Rivet Master
1986 25' Sovereign
Southern Middle
, Tennessee
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,319
|
I have always heard that chroming or nickle plating certain auto parts will actually weaken them but they have nickle plated and hard chromed semi-auto pistol frames/slides for years to resist the weather as well as sweat from hands without ill effects. The bad part about chroming is that a single imperfection or nick will set up rust at the site and then you are done for. I would be more inclined to just re-polish from time to time to keep them looking good although my aluminum tanks are still in the buff.
__________________
Craig
AIR #0078
'01 2500hd ext. cab, 8.1 litre gas, 5 sp. Allison auto
3.73 rear end
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover
Amsoil Dual by-pass oil filtration system
Amsoil synthetics all around
265 watt AM Solar, Inc. system
|
|
|
07-18-2004, 01:34 PM
|
#15
|
Rivet Master
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 541
|
I know that the price difference isn't far apart. I know that you’re right about the rust setting up. Actually if you ever look at an older car bumper it will start pitting and this just seems to be the way it is.
I know that all the mag wheels I now place on any of my vehicles are aluminum instead of the chromed wheels.
Guess I will spend the extra bucks and opt for the aluminum tanks too. Thanks for your input Craig.
Once I get them I will decide if I want to have some type of device added to the bottom to keep them secure.
__________________
Just adding my 2¢ worth
John G
___________________________
1975 31ft Sovereign International
........Rear Bath Double Bed Model
Tow Vehicle:1999 GMC Serria SLE Classic 1500 5.7Ltr
System: Jordon 2020 Ultima Brake Controller
Hook-Up: Equalizing Hitch and Sway Bar
|
|
|
07-18-2004, 01:47 PM
|
#16
|
5 rivets, 1 loose screw
1966 20' Globetrotter
Saginaw County
, Michigan
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,555
|
I am fortunate in that my tongue has room to acommodate the spare and a vinyl coated cable does a nice job of securing tanks and spare. Simple but effective so far.
Nothing is foolproof and thiefs are fools.
__________________
Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|