LRA auxiliarytank - more problems

[sharkcaver]

I've broken both rear brackets now L and R. To be fair, Roger has been very accommodating, mind you I got nothing for the issue of the tank breaking my floor pan due to the "secret" reinforcing plates I put you onto . They got off very lightly. You are welcome to pass that along to them.

The long ranger to my mind is no better. There are no brackets to break. If something breaks, it will either be the tank or the vehicle. Better to replace mounting brackets I think. But I'm also wondering the same - the 58l tank will shed 30 odd Kilo's. I reckon next time around, I will look at the 58.

Oh wait, next time around due to piss poor service from MMA, it probably wont be a mitz either, so the above is mute.

[old Jack]

Just reading back through the complete thread.
My question is where all the brackets replaced when the new (replacement) tank was fitted a few years ago?
If the brackets were not they could have been fatigued during the previous tank mount failure.

OJ.

[Ian H]

Oh wait, next time around due to piss poor service from MMA, it probably wont be a mitz either, so the above is mute.

From what I've been reading and checking out, they're all the same. Toyota, worse.

[Pwoffey]

Just reading back through the complete thread.
My question is where all the brackets replaced when the new (replacement) tank was fitted a few years ago?
If the brackets were not they could have been fatigued during the previous tank mount failure.

OJ.

I don't know. Since the replacement tank was new, it would have come with 4 new brackets welded onto the tank. But I had no idea at the time that there were also "sub-brackets" (at least for the 2 rearmost brackets) that the brackets bolted onto. All the work for my tank(s) was done by TJM, both initial installation and repairs/replacements) so I didn't get the up close and personal look at the componentry that maybe Sharkcaver did when he did his own installation.

[Pwoffey]

I've broken both rear brackets now L and R. To be fair, Roger has been very accommodating, mind you I got nothing for the issue of the tank breaking my floor pan due to the "secret" reinforcing plates I put you onto . They got off very lightly. You are welcome to pass that along to them.

The long ranger to my mind is no better. There are no brackets to break. If something breaks, it will either be the tank or the vehicle. Better to replace mounting brackets I think. But I'm also wondering the same - the 58l tank will shed 30 odd Kilo's. I reckon next time around, I will look at the 58.

Oh wait, next time around due to piss poor service from MMA, it probably wont be a mitz either, so the above is mute.

The other option is a ARB replacement tank. It's poly, not steel, and the blurb states is allows chassis flex, which the LRA (and perhaps Long Ranger?) lacks. Only gives an extra 40L (total 128L), rather than the extra 81L of our LRA tanks, but perhaps an extra 40L in a properly constructed and reliable tank is better than a 81L tank being dragged along the CSR or Binns Track? I'm seriously considering this, I've lost all confidence in the LRA for the sort of trips I do.

[spot01]

I wonder what the tank & 81 litres of fuel weighs in total? Probably a fair bit.
I wonder if LRA do the same sort of engineering analysis & durability testing that vehicle manufacturers do? Given how many different models they make, it would be a huge task to do that on each different tank/vehicle.
I believe ARB did a lot of work on the replacement poly tank, which is why it's release was delayed for so long (& why it isn't cheap).

[Pwoffey]

I have now spoken with the engineers at LRA.


They have fabricated a replacement sub-bracket for the sheared rear-ward one on the driver's side. They say they have made it longer and put an extra fold in it to strengthen it. So of course I asked about the passenger side bracket. Apparently it too is bolted onto a sub-bracket that is in turn affixed to the Paj subframe. Although it looks fine to me now I asked if it will now be the weak link. They had no real answer to this except to say they had never seen it fail. Yes, well with my tank there have been a lot of never-seen-its that eventually get seen. I also asked about the potential problem with flex and the 4 bracket design. The engineer said that although there are 4 brackets, the 2 front ones are quite close together - he estimated about 20mm - and said that it is functionally more like a triangle than a rectangle and that this was designed to provide sufficient flex. So at least they have thought about this, whether its adequate I'm not qualified to say.


My plan at the moment is to get the car driveable again as soon as possible. This means getting TJM to fit the new bracket and inspect all the others while it's up on the hoist. (LRA told me they will get TJM to send the sheared bracket back to them for closer inspection of why it failed.) I'll then take my time deciding if I get rid of the LRA tank and swap it for a ARB poly one before my next big trip.

[spot01]

I wonder if each failure then places extra loading on the other fittings whilst still in use before you find the damage? This may have weakened the other fittings, leading to the subsequent failures?


To their credit, it sounds like LRA are interested in finding out why you are experiencing "never seen" failures.


If it were me, I'd be suggesting (or demanding) they replace the entire tank & fittings (which you are legally entitled to do under Australian Consumer Law, for a major failure, such as this, as the product they have sold you is clearly either defective or "not fit for purpose"). You are also entitled to a refund if you wish - it is your choice under the ACL.

[Dicko1]

Excuse my ignorance but when fitting a long range tank is the 3rd row seat well removed?

[Pwoffey]

Excuse my ignorance but when fitting a long range tank is the 3rd row seat well removed?

Not in the case of my LRA 81L tank. The tank is shaped so it fits under and then up the rear facing wall of the seat well to sit just in front of the tow-bar and bumper (so it provides some protection from the big sand scoop of the rear bumper). In my 5-seater Paj, I thus still have the storage space afforded by the seat well.

[Ian H]

Same deal with the 58L tank. It's the one used if the car has the rear A/C but the seat well remains as is.

[Dicko1]

The only reason I ask is that I have a combined weight of around 80+ kilos in my 3rd row well. Travelled many k,s on corrugated roads and never had an issue. Wouldnt it be more practical to have some sort of a bladder arrangement in the well?? After all the long range tank is not required that often and like many after market accessories....gives issues, obviously.

[outbackogre]

I can't comment on the long range fuel requirements of trips like the Binns Track and CSR. However, I can fit six 10 litre jerries in my 3rd row seat well, along with firewood and tools, and this is easily enough for a Simpson crossing. I can then remove everything when I get home and travel light for suburban duties. On a recent trip from Melbourne to Fraser Island, I fueled up at Gympie and did 650 kms on the island and Cooloola coast, before refueling at Gympie a week later. No need for a long range tank (or even a jerrie can).

[HeavyPizzaz]

LRA auxiliarytank - more problems

I can't comment on the long range fuel requirements of trips like the Binns Track and CSR. However, I can fit six 10 litre jerries in my 3rd row seat well, along with firewood and tools, and this is easily enough for a Simpson crossing. I can then remove everything when I get home and travel light for suburban duties. On a recent trip from Melbourne to Fraser Island, I fueled up at Gympie and did 650 kms on the island and Cooloola coast, before refueling at Gympie a week later. No need for a long range tank (or even a jerrie can).

Honestly if I didn’t already have a Brown Davis one under my ex cop NX (as in, the cops got it put on) then I would just do the same as you when required.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nab]

If you have rear drawers etc access to that area becomes quite difficult. I reckon the long range tank was one of my favourite mods. Horses for courses though!!

My outback accessories tank bolted through to the seat well, I wounded if that’s a more suitable mounting option?