80 Series water tank, Dimensions for fabrication (1 Viewer)

[Alexh85]

A few months ago i did a 4wding trip in the south island , so i decided to build an aluminum water tank for my 80 series to save a little bit of space in the truck, Completely unnecessary. But when i was measuring it up and building it, i realized these sh*tty drawings would be useful to people with some fabrication experience wanting to build a tank for there own vehicles. Considering how much an aftermarket water tank costs.

I got rid of the spare wheel carrier under the truck and built a swing out wheel carrier using the same bearings as my trailer so im never without a spare set of trailer wheel bearings

The tank brackets bolts to the threads the the chassis where the spare wheel carrier use to bolt to. the tank bracket is a section of 60 x 60 x 6 mild steel angle. The bracket on the tank is 50 x 50 x 6 aluminum angle welded to the tank. I designed it to hang down the same distance as the tow bar frame. The same tank can be made to hang down the same as the chassis

The ends are TIG welded the top is MIG welded. I had to knotch away the front right corner to make clearance for my 3" exhaust (not sure if that needed for standard exhaust)

I made the filler neck come up around below the tailgate. Because i got rid of the rear bumper.

I used a 1" male cam-lock as the filler neck and a dust cap as the cap.

I welded a 3/4" ally socket on the side as the out let (At the moment its only gravity fed, but eventually ill plumb in a water pump)

There is a breather in the top of the tank which goes up into the cab through a factory hole in the quarter panel, and the hose goes up and the end tucks around the fuel filler, with a rag duct taped on the end as a filter

If any one is wants them, i will draw up some much more detailed plans including mounting brackets and the filler neck

Cheers

 

[greentruck]

Nice work. What is the approximate capacity?

 

[Alexh85]

I worked out it holds 112 Litres or 29.5 gallons.

Also forgot to mention i put a baffle in the middle of the tank.

Cheers

 

[Alexh85]

I finally got around to dropping the tank out and taking some more pictures.

And the brackets.

 

[Alexh85]

 

[Bambusiero]

Very nice indeed!

 

[Alexh85]

Its hard to show on pictures, but ive put some pretty decent dings in the bottom of it.

Cheers

 

[Alexh85]

I saw a water tank level gauge kit at burnsco and though that's a good idea.

I had to trim the prongs to made it work for this depth tank

I even had the perfect gap in the dash for the gauge display, i had to cut it up to make it fit but it looks pretty tidy

Cheers

 

[LandLocked93]

Well done. Accurate and sustainable dash-mounted info is generally invaluable.
Is that level indicator an otherwise flush-mount unit? (you mentioned "cutting it up to make it fit")

Curious tho in what situations would your water level change while on the move (when you're where you need to be to see the dash-gage indication change in the first place)?
I could see trail damage as an option. But that can be seen physically and pretty quickly.
Would the dash gage help in such a situation?

 

[Alexh85]

The dash-mounted water level display is interesting.
Curious about when you use the display while also using the water?

Hey mate
To be honest, i just mounted the display in the easiest spot possible. it was a toss up between the dash and in one of the panels in the back probably around where the bottle jack is stored (so ill be able to see it when im filling it up). I decided on the dash because that's where Ive already taped into the accessory power. and the other thing is, this tank is a massive over kill. I use it when im camping so for cooking, washing dishes and filling water bottles. Ill be lucky if i use 10 litres in a few days which is less than a tenth of the tanks capacity.

I didn't have this in mind when i designed it. i built it to fit in the space available, which turned out to be way more than i needed
Cheers

 

[LandLocked93]

I decided on the dash because that's where Ive already taped into the accessory power.

Ok so that powers the indicator.
But you had to run a wire carrying level indication from the sender in the back to...the indicator in the dash?

and the other thing is, this tank is a massive over kill. I use it when im camping so for cooking, washing dishes and filling water bottles. Ill be lucky if i use 10 litres in a few days which is less than a tenth of the tanks capacity.

I use 40 liters in 3 days for the same things, 2 of us that is, and not using the shower.
You are a camel by comparison. lol
Again well done.

 

[Alexh85]

Is that level indicator an otherwise flush-mount unit? (you mentioned "cutting it up to make it fit")

The level indicator unit was intended to be fitted in the dash of a boat. And had a switch that you would push the show the level (the bit i cut off) and replaced with a toggle switch in one of the blanks in the dash (you can see it next to the cigarette lighter)
The bit i cut off

Cheers

 

[Alexh85]

But you had to run a wire carrying level indication from the sender in the back to...the indicator in the dash?

Correct

 

[greentruck]

Nice work. Water always seems like overkill - until it's not there.

Got a Front Runner tank for Xmas and have been sizing up how to build the new camper/drawer system around it.

The tank is about 17 gallons IIRC and the Dometic dispenser is a little over two gallons, so close to twenty with this set-up, plus there room for another Dometic jug on this side, plus two more on the other if needed.

 

[LandLocked93]

Nice work. Water always seems like overkill - until it's not there.

Got a Front Runner tank for Xmas and have been sizing up how to build the new camper/drawer system around it.

The tank is about 17 gallons IIRC and the Dometic dispenser is a little over two gallons, so close to twenty with this set-up, plus there room for another Dometic jug on this side, plus two more on the other if needed.

+1 "until it's not there".