LRA auxiliarytank - more problems

[Pwoffey]

I've had more than my fair share of problems with my auxiliary tank over the last two years (see, just for one example, https://pajeroclub.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=51352 ).

Today I noticed that the tank was hanging asymmetrically: closer to the ground on the driver's side. A quick inspection showed that one of the 4 brackets holding the tank onto the Paj had sheared through it's entire width. That's about 10 cm of 3mm (or maybe 4mm?) steel. The other 3 brackets seemed OK, but won't be sure until the tank is dropped. Drove the Paj very carefully to TJM, the original suppliers and fitters. They contacted LRA, who, to their credit, immediately agreed to send an entirely new tank. Hopefully it will be done by end of the week.

Not sure why this happened. Maybe the bracket was crap to begin with. Maybe it had taken an extra load and fatigued in the 18 months I had the tank when it hadn't been fitted with the large steel weight-spreading plates on the floor pan for the front two bolts. I did scrape the tank on some tracks on my recent trip to the Cape, but nothing very harsh, and certainly nothing that an off-road tank shouldn't be engineered for. I might need to investigate a rear bash plate. I think Bushskinz' one is compatible with an LRA tank.

Anyway, every so often it might pay anyone with a LRA tank to look up your Paj's backside to see if it's all OK.

The pic shows the shear line and the several centimetres of separation of the edges.

[Ian H]

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep an eye on mine.

[sharkcaver]

Snap:




Very interesting. That's 2 now. I got them to put gussets on my replacement. I wasn't going to have that happen again



Draggin ones arse:

[Ian H]

It's just a suggestion but I've got the 58L LRA tank but I notice you both have the 81L version, which is another 23kg in weight when full. Perhaps that's enough extra weight to cause the failures.

[Pwoffey]

Yes indeed, I have been thinking about that. Actually, since diesel is only 83% of the density of diesel, then the extra weight of a full tank is only about 19kg more than for the smaller 58L tank. Of course there would be more steel in the tank itself... Anyway, I'm thinking maybe only have the tank part full, say around town, except when I'm planning to go on long isolated trips. But the bottom line is that if the tank and it's brackets were appropriately engineered for their weight and intended purpose, there would be no problem.

[Pwoffey]

I've just had a chat with the owner of LRA. He reckons that since 2013 they sell about 15 or so of the 81L tanks per year and Sharkcaver's and mine are the only two who have come to grief with respect to the rear bracket giving way. What they did for Sharkcaver's - and will do for mine - is weld a steel reinforcing gusset along the side of the right angle bracket to help insure it won't shear off again. I have to say that, in my case at least, although it is mighty inconvenient, I was very satisfied with the attitude of LRA and their no-quibble customer service.

[Ian H]

But the bottom line is that if the tank and it's brackets were appropriately engineered for their weight and intended purpose, there would be no problem.

Agree 100% there mate.

[sharkcaver]

I've just had a chat with the owner of LRA. He reckons that since 2013 they sell about 15 or so of the 81L tanks per year and Sharkcaver's and mine are the only two who have come to grief with respect to the rear bracket giving way. What they did for Sharkcaver's - and will do for mine - is weld a steel reinforcing gusset along the side of the right angle bracket to help insure it won't shear off again. I have to say that, in my case at least, although it is mighty inconvenient, I was very satisfied with the attitude of LRA and their no-quibble customer service.

Inconvenient.....Just wait till it drops it's guts 300KM's up the CSR like mine did.

Get them to gusset the LHS bracket on the tank too - they didn't do mine, so I did it. And I also did the hanger that the LH bracket bolts to.







Problem with too many gussets is that you then lose some flex and it could put strain on something else - something else to break???.

Also whilst at it, make sure you check the bracket that the RHS bolts too. I found mine had failed just after coming home from the ABH. Credit to LRA, they air bagged me a new one, also with no quibbles:




I too am also wondering if I should have just stayed with the 58L job. And as said, I'm thinking that if I'm in the rough and I don't need the extra fuel, I will limit how much I put in there. Places like the ABH though makes it hard, so I just transfer fuel across when I use a 1/4 tank. Makes it a bit hard to gauge consumption, but every thing's a trade off.

[Pwoffey]

"Problem with too many gussets is that you then lose some flex and it could put strain on something else - something else to break???."

Yes, that's crossed my mind too. No free lunches I guess. Bigger tank, greater chance of something going wrong when we are driving in extremes - which is why we wanted the bigger tank in the first place . From now on I'm just going to be much more attentive to the fuel tank by more judicious filling and transfer, and inspecting the brackets and bolts at least every week, and daily out on the tracks.

[BBP]

Or perhaps when one is going to do those trips requiring a full fuel load and over rough terrain one adds ancillary support of some kind. Be it as simple as straps that help with the load and allow the required "flexing" of the mounts. Makes me think twice about getting an LRA if this is likely to happen as I intend to go on remote solo trips in the future.

[Pwoffey]

Might depend on which tank you get, I've not seen any reports of problems with the LRA 58L tank.

Straps could be a good idea (I've used them in the past to support a dodgy water tank underneath my camper) but I suspect that in future LRA will routinely supply the brackets for the 81L tank with reinforcing side gussets, so to the extent that any lack of flex might cause a problem, it's hard to see how supporting straps would prevent damage. But if I already had an intact 81L tank without gussets then I'd certainly be considering straps as supplementary support for a full tank over corrugated roads. Even if it didn't prevent damage, if a bracket did snap it would at least provide some sort of a sling to support the tank and allow you to keep driving. Might need some further welding to get suitable attachment points for the straps onto the back of the towbar and forward onto a cross-member.

But if by now it all sounds a bit dicey, then depending on Paj model you can always get a LRA 58L aux tank or maybe the new 140L replacement ARB frontier tank or something from Lone Ranger or Brown Davis, about all of which I know nothing. What you won't get is the extra capacity that the 81L LRA aux tank provides. You're looking at one of the smaller tanks + jerry cans, something I wanted to avoid, especially on the roof.

Before anything, consider whether you will really need a supplementary fuel supply, and if so, just how much.

[jimsutt]

A while ago I was talking to the guys at Artarmon Automotive (Pajero soecislist) they don't recommend either the LRA or Brown Davis. I can't remember the brand they recommend. I eventually 3 weeks ago fitted the 128 lt ARB Frontier tank and have just returned from the French line as nd Madigan line. No problems at all. However the Frontier tank does hang down and reduce ramp over and ground clearance a bit.

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[Ian H]

I've seen poor reviews of the Brown Davis tanks but not LRA. The other brand you may be thinking of is the Long Ranger from ARB

[jimsutt]

I've seen poor reviews of the Brown Davis tanks but not LRA. The other brand you may be thinking of is the Long Ranger from ARB

No its not Long Ranger...

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[Pwoffey]

Maybe Outback Accessories? They are a Perth mob, Opposite Lock stock them.