Nice solution. Now all I need is a truck. Most of my problem is I only have two tanks and they move around too much. Obvious solution: get lots more tanks so there is no room for them to move. Wife is not amused...
Tank rack / stabilizer for truck bed
- Thread starter gcarter
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Basking Ridge Diver
Contributor
Bigd2722
Contributor
Excellent idea. I built a similar unit using 1-1/4" for six 100 cf tanks. It fits without having to use the straps to hold it in place (that's just my truck I guess). Works great for two tanks also.
I don't have to worry about tanks rolling sideways because I dive doubles, but they still slide around n the bed of the truck. I grabbed an old 6'x3' rug that we used to have in my daughters bedroom and it fit perfectly between the wheel wells in my truck. It is just enough friction so that nothing slides around.
OP
gcarter
Contributor
Bob DBF
Contributor
I'm with you on strapping them down, I even do it when I store the tanks in the garage. Since, in my youth, I saw the aftermath, after some serious scampering, of an industrial gas bottle that fell and broke off the valve. I don't consider it OCD, more like self preservation.
Bob
------------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.
I made something similar 10+ years ago, but I used a 2'x4' plastic pegboard as a base with 2" pipe, elbows, Ts and a 6"x1"x4' board that I got from Home Depot. Instead of sitting within the pipes, my tanks sit on top of them, 6 abreast. AL80s are an easy fit, but larger tanks, like my steel 130s were a bit snug. I loaded up the tanks, and then slid the entire shooting match all the way forward, where the butts were against the forward part of the bed. The plastic made it slide real easily and then I cinched them down so they wouldn't slide. I built it for my Honda Ridgeline, but now it sits in my Sprinter. It's in backwards and the board that stopped the tanks from sliding back broke off a number of years ago. You can see it behind my new tank rack below:
I have done a lot to the Sprinter since this picture was taken. The rack can hold 20 tanks easily, and I can stack them two deep on the lower shelf, so it can hold up to 26 stored right and more if I get creative. It also now has a gear shelf and a work top for assembling gear and such. I simply love the 6 upright tank holders. They make gearing up a breeze and there is plenty of room for students to leave their tanks all set up in the back for transport.
I have done a lot to the Sprinter since this picture was taken. The rack can hold 20 tanks easily, and I can stack them two deep on the lower shelf, so it can hold up to 26 stored right and more if I get creative. It also now has a gear shelf and a work top for assembling gear and such. I simply love the 6 upright tank holders. They make gearing up a breeze and there is plenty of room for students to leave their tanks all set up in the back for transport.
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Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
Really cool setup!
I made a solution to roll around problems by taking a several 24" 2x2's And drilling holes sideways through the boards then running rope through with a knot on each side of the 2x2, essentially making what looks like a rope ladder with the spacing adjusted to fit tanks. I set this on a rubber mat in the bed and it seems to hold pretty well driving up the coast and going around curves.
The only thing that concerns me is a hard hit or wreck and having to bottles get airborne.
I may think of a way to make a removable tank holder that sits up behind the cab and has the tanks lined up vertically, kind of like a dive boat.
I made a solution to roll around problems by taking a several 24" 2x2's And drilling holes sideways through the boards then running rope through with a knot on each side of the 2x2, essentially making what looks like a rope ladder with the spacing adjusted to fit tanks. I set this on a rubber mat in the bed and it seems to hold pretty well driving up the coast and going around curves.
The only thing that concerns me is a hard hit or wreck and having to bottles get airborne.
I may think of a way to make a removable tank holder that sits up behind the cab and has the tanks lined up vertically, kind of like a dive boat.
One other thing. Trucks do best with weight added to the bed either at the rear axle or in front of it. Any weight you add after the rear axle, takes weight and control off of the front tires and will screw with the steering and braking as well. The weight acts like a lever with the rear tires being the fulcrum in that regard. Also, the further the tank can travel before it hits something solid, means that it's building up speed and momentum. I always made sure that the tank bases were against something solid like the back of the bed, or least within an inch. The plywood at the other side and securely screwed into the 2"x4" frame in my Sprinter is 3/4" thick. I'm not so worried about a rear collision, as I am a front impact. A sudden stop does the most damage so I want to keep the tanks from flying with any velocity and I definitely don't want tank necks to be exposed to those types of stopping forces.
MT_Dweller
Registered
Gcarter, do you have a parts list for the construcion of this project? Number and type of PVc connectors and a rough estimate of pipe used?
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