Cruiser Brothers 12.5 LRA Aux Tank Install in LX570
- Thread starter TeCKis300
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SQRRRL
SILVER Star
Not me. I would never own a RR. Hahahahaha
To be honest I am somewhat disappointed seeing this is not a bolt-on affair and requires surgery like cutting tabs of the body and frame. Mods that are fully reversible are always preferable.
Or drilling out holes for the bracket - that's just rather lazy as there are welded nuts nearby in the frame for the removed spare tire crossmember. It should not be all that difficult to fab a bracket that would mount to these.
Or drilling out holes for the bracket - that's just rather lazy as there are welded nuts nearby in the frame for the removed spare tire crossmember. It should not be all that difficult to fab a bracket that would mount to these.
I would'nt refer to removing a set of tabs from the bottom of a floor pan ( that will NEVER be used ) as "surgery". It's a simple 5-minute job ..........
These tanks ( just like many other items like the aftermarket bumpers we see for these vehicles ) are designed with the thought in mind that they're here for a purpose and need to fit within a limited space yet provide the best result possible. So the tabs need to be removed along with one bracket. The spare tire still fits under the vehicle and the system remains 100% functional. If the tanks were to be modified to allow these items to remain intact, then the capacity would be diminished to the point that most people wouldn't consider it a worthy upgrade/investment.
Is the 12.5gallon tank made specifically for land cruisers?
I ask because the way it’s shaped around the spare tire, it sure seems to be. But then, why are those tabs that need to be cut off on it?
And why is it such a close/tight fit?
Why not make it a 10 gallon tank (or 11 even) and make it a tad smaller? It seems an odd design that the installer is required to come up with a “fix” for the rubbing issue. And you know that neoprene isn’t going to last. Eventually it will wear away.
Sure, if we are putting on an aux tank, we want to maximize the fuel it can carry, but maybe not at the expense of the tank‘s (or the mounting of the tanks) longevity.
I ask because the way it’s shaped around the spare tire, it sure seems to be. But then, why are those tabs that need to be cut off on it?
And why is it such a close/tight fit?
Why not make it a 10 gallon tank (or 11 even) and make it a tad smaller? It seems an odd design that the installer is required to come up with a “fix” for the rubbing issue. And you know that neoprene isn’t going to last. Eventually it will wear away.
Sure, if we are putting on an aux tank, we want to maximize the fuel it can carry, but maybe not at the expense of the tank‘s (or the mounting of the tanks) longevity.
take a peek a few posts up ..... #165
Hopefully it’ll help answer some of your questions/concerns.
The installer ( be it a shop or enduser ) does not have to come up with a “fix”. These tanks/kits are well engineered and go thru rigorous testing before being released to be sold. The US tanks require some additional R&D and the US importer/Distributor LRAM ( www.longrangeamerica.com is constantly working on improving the kits and instructions.
I tend to agree with you. However, I also see the concerns the others have voiced as being legitimate. The only reason I haven't already purchased the 12.5 gallon tank this past year is because of having to chop the tabs and bracket (well, and now also the breather tubing size and clog-prone filter that has recently been discussed on the forum). I have the right tools for it, but my own preference is that I don't like mods that are irreversible. I will probably end up buying the tank and doing the chops anyway at some point, but I also have no problem waiting a while to see if LRA can come up with a clever workaround in response to this particular set of concerns that people do seem to share.
@FerrisBueller - your concerns seem overblown to me.
Nobody will ever see the minor pieces of metal that get removed. There is a ~$40 fix for the breather concerns (if not already addressed by running changes by the vendor). The rubber strips that Eric Sarjeant’s team uses helps with potential noises, but isn’t an essential part of the install. I bought a roll of the stuff for like $15. This is all par for the course for aftermarket customization.
@MCtree I doubt you’ll find a better solution for extended fuel range, and the 12.5 gallon maximizes fuel load without requiring relocation of the spare. Personally, I wouldn’t want them to reduce capacity, 12.5 gallons is challenging the cost/benefit as it is.
Nobody will ever see the minor pieces of metal that get removed. There is a ~$40 fix for the breather concerns (if not already addressed by running changes by the vendor). The rubber strips that Eric Sarjeant’s team uses helps with potential noises, but isn’t an essential part of the install. I bought a roll of the stuff for like $15. This is all par for the course for aftermarket customization.
@MCtree I doubt you’ll find a better solution for extended fuel range, and the 12.5 gallon maximizes fuel load without requiring relocation of the spare. Personally, I wouldn’t want them to reduce capacity, 12.5 gallons is challenging the cost/benefit as it is.
I'm aware of the cheap fixes you've mentioned, and I agree they're generally acceptable. I assume LRA would immediately start shipping with the updated hose size, and will probably eventually ship with the other items mentioned. I also agree the LRA 12.5 gallon is a fantastic solution and we probably won't see something that can beat it anytime soon.
Most folks on this forum would probably see the concerns in my previous post as being overblown, too. But that's also just how I view this, apparently as do the other potential customers who have mentioned it here. For whatever reason, I have no problem drilling into in frame to install sliders or trim wheel well lining as needed, but something in my mind makes me pause the moment I need to remove brackets / pieces that seem like they could eventually be useful for something in the future (even if I would never end up using them for anything else
).
The ex-US stock sub tank also uses 1/16" rubber strips between the tank and body rails. That tank uses a traditional strap securing system, but I imagine it's functionally similar to a bolt up method. I don't think there is much tank to body rubbing once secured.
I don’t see how cutting off tabs or adding a neoprene cushion is anything but a “fix.”
But, Orangefj45, are you saying that the tight fit is designed that way so as to absolutely maximize the capacity of this 12.5gallon tank?
I get that, but it seems odd that they want to maximize the capacity at the cost of other things.
While it’s certainly not definitive, it is noteworthy that Slee won’t install this particular tank. I wonder if it didn’t require these fixes if they would install it. Though maybe I’m wrong on why Slee won’t install it (I don’t remember all of what they told me).
But then again, maybe there is not enough of a market of people who would want a 11.5 gallon tank instead of the 12.5. Maybe people really want that extra ~16 miles. So it’s not worth LRAM’s, time/money to design or fabricate.
(or I have to admit, maybe a slightly smaller tank doesn’t actually fix the problem.)
But, Orangefj45, are you saying that the tight fit is designed that way so as to absolutely maximize the capacity of this 12.5gallon tank?
I get that, but it seems odd that they want to maximize the capacity at the cost of other things.
While it’s certainly not definitive, it is noteworthy that Slee won’t install this particular tank. I wonder if it didn’t require these fixes if they would install it. Though maybe I’m wrong on why Slee won’t install it (I don’t remember all of what they told me).
But then again, maybe there is not enough of a market of people who would want a 11.5 gallon tank instead of the 12.5. Maybe people really want that extra ~16 miles. So it’s not worth LRAM’s, time/money to design or fabricate.
(or I have to admit, maybe a slightly smaller tank doesn’t actually fix the problem.)
If I’m remembering correctly, the factory main tank connects to brackets on the body, unlike the LRA auxiliary that attaches to the frame. It just seems logical to me that if the body and the frame move independently (which they do on a 200), and the tank and body are in close proximity (they are with the LRA 12.5 gallon), then it has a chance for contact.
Ah, thought the LRA was body mounted.
The 12.5 gallon LRA mounts to the frame.
There are u-bolts over a crossmember and frame rail mounted brackets.
OTRAMM install video on YouTube - you can see the side mounting brackets around the 35 min timeframe:
Charlie,
I suspect you are right. I won’t find a better solution.
I would accept an 11.5 gallon tank if it fixed some of the issues, but perhaps there are not enough like me.
I do not have the skills to maintain such a tank so I hate to do something to my LC that might diminish the reliability of my vehicle.
But you are right, I doubt I find a better solution. So I’m stuck contemplating....
- Thread starter
- #179
This isn't the issue you think it is. The original issue I documented in this thread was that the step to cutoff the stock brackets wasn't documented in the instructions. Also the relief for the charcoal canister wasn't sufficient. Both have been long addressed as I understand it, and the install is straightforward now.
For anyone that's modified a vehicle, none of that is a big deal. If you were to see the fit-up in person, it's a necessary sacrifice as the tank is like an origami, fitting the contours tightly, to maximize capacity while retaining the factory spare placement. I'm unsure why Slee won't install it after the refinements, and it's too bad, because IMO, it's the best size subtank to maximize payload and utility of the truck.
As the first installer of this tank to the LX, and having enjoyed it many years now, I wouldn't be without it. It's singularly the best mod I've made to the vehicle.
We are not prepared to install the tank when the tank touches the body but is mounted to the frame. It is perfectly fine for the DIY, however as a shop, what would be our recourse if it is installed and then the customer complains about vibrations or noises. Or a couple of years down the load the material that you put in between has degraded or has rubbed through. We have done one of them, and after that install chose not to do them again based on our technicians feedback.