Cruiser Brothers 12.5 LRA Aux Tank Install in LX570 (1 Viewer)

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TeCKis300

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I must have been good cause Santa brought me a LRA subtank for X'mas.

Kicking off the install today, paying close attention to potential LX570 installation issues. Talking to Georg and Ward, this might be the first so I'm a going in a bit tentative. Potential issues really is down to the AHC resevoir/pump area as that space is tight with the LRA dual fillter neck. Anyways...going to tackle this slowly in the next couple weeks.

I wanted to maintain the undermounted spare, so the 12.5 gallon is the right choice for me. Another issue specific to my setup is that I have a 305/55/20 mounted underneath which does already stick out a bit. The subtank may push it 1/2" lower still as I understand it.

Will be using this youtube vid I found as a great reference -

Onto the baseline pics. 12.5 gallon tank:
LXlra1.jpg


Spare Tire void
lxlra2.jpg


Filler neck, AHC pump/resevoir area
LXlra3.jpg
 
Those square clips that are used as screw holders are the worst!

I've got my :popcorn:
 
Once again my 24 gallon LRA tank saved me $ on this weekend’s trip:

Out in the boonies while on interstate 15, fuel prices jumped a whopping $2 per gallon over a 60 mile stretch. But instead of having to fill up...I just transferred my 2nd tank into the main. By the time I finally filled up again, the area price had plummeted again.

Having double range is more than just convenient...more than just lowering your COG due to no high-riding jerry cans. It can also end up saving close to $50 per tank. If filling a full 48 gallons before venturing into high price locations, it could even be close to $100. I do this often on the 15 since prices vary wildly between California, Nevada, or remote locations in both.

In short, it lets me choose when to fill instead of having it dictated to me by necessity. And let’s face it...I’m not going to fiddle with jerry cans just to save on fuel prices. When it’s just a press of a button though...it’s pretty awesome.
 
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Great to meet you Paul @TeCKis300 ! Looking forward to progress pics!

@Markuson thanks for chiming in; you bring up a very valid point!!!! Some of the places we travel to are far from the beaten path and fuel prices can and will be MUCH HIGHER than on commonly traveled routes. So having the additional range of a LRA aux tank offers peace of mind and lower fuel cost.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
 
Great to meet you Paul @TeCKis300 ! Looking forward to progress pics!

@Markuson thanks for chiming in; you bring up a very valid point!!!! Some of the places we travel to are far from the beaten path and fuel prices can and will be MUCH HIGHER than on commonly traveled routes. So having the additional range of a LRA aux tank offers peace of mind and lower fuel cost.

Georg @ Valley Hybrids & Cruiser Brothers
What Georg said - special "tanks" to Paul and Mark.

In my daily dealings with customers and partner shops, we see the WHY of owning a Long Range tank as below - Mark's experience is great testimony for #4 :)
  1. CONVENIENCE - Stop when and where you want to for fuel
  2. RANGE - Know how you will get there AND get back
  3. SAFETY- An installed, engineered solution, not jerry cans
  4. FUEL COST - Stock up when prices are low on a regular basis and pay for that thing!
fuel.png


BN-UZ090_FLORID_GR_20170906164247.jpg
 
So I'm thinking about this. Especially as I decided to not do a bumper for now and that leaves me some budget to do something else. But not being a "car guy" or a "truck guy", I have reservations about modifying anything related to large amounts of gasoline. Safety. I know this approach is safe than Jerry Cans but I don't use those. Are my reservations unwarranted? Will these things hold up for 10+ year without leaks, etc.? The fact that @TeCKis300 is doing it makes me feel a bit more comfortable because it seems he prefers to do stock where possible. What say you? Should I be concerned about safety at all?
 
So I'm thinking about this. Especially as I decided to not do a bumper for now and that leaves me some budget to do something else. But not being a "car guy" or a "truck guy", I have reservations about modifying anything related to large amounts of gasoline. Safety. I know this approach is safe than Jerry Cans but I don't use those. Are my reservations unwarranted? Will these things hold up for 10+ year without leaks, etc.? The fact that @TeCKis300 is doing it makes me feel a bit more comfortable because it seems he prefers to do stock where possible. What say you? Should I be concerned about safety at all?
Dan -
Take the following with a grain or two of salt, given that it is coming from the vendor of these LRA tanks.....

First - LRA has been building them in Australia for 30 years and owners include a certified journeyman boilermaker who started out building pressure vessels in the petroleum business - think really, really big things that liquify gaseous hydrocarbons. They definitely know what they are doing and apply the latest CNC/welding tools and techniques to ensure best results. They also use some pretty interesting tools to reduce the number of welds - bending stock like an origami work of art. See the video as below :)

Second - The tanks have been sold in USA for half that 30 years and many owners and shops know them well from the 40, 60 and 80 Series communities. Not aware of any failures or bonfires during that time. Any questions can be addressed by folks like Georg Esterer/Valley Hybrids, Christo Slee or Kurt Williams.

My partner Georg @orangefj45 and his awesome crew have adapted or helped LRA to develop eight different tanks for North American rigs. No bad news.....

All that said, don't pull the trigger until you are completely satisfied. Any of the tanks we offer are a big investment on top of your purchase and enhancement of an awesome vehicle. Measure twice, cut once.

And Happy New Year! :cheers:

 
Dan -
Take the following with a grain or two of salt, given that it is coming from the vendor of these LRA tanks.....

First - LRA has been building them in Australia for 30 years and owners include a certified journeyman boilermaker who started out building pressure vessels in the petroleum business - think really, really big things that liquify gaseous hydrocarbons. They definitely know what they are doing and apply the latest CNC/welding tools and techniques to ensure best results. They also use some pretty interesting tools to reduce the number of welds - bending stock like an origami work of art. See the video as below :)

Second - The tanks have been sold in USA for half that 30 years and many owners and shops know them well from the 40, 60 and 80 Series communities. Not aware of any failures or bonfires during that time. Any questions can be addressed by folks like Georg Esterer/Valley Hybrids, Christo Slee or Kurt Williams.

My partner Georg @orangefj45 and his awesome crew have adapted or helped LRA to develop eight different tanks for North American rigs. No bad news.....

All that said, don't pull the trigger until you are completely satisfied. Any of the tanks we offer are a big investment on top of your purchase and enhancement of an awesome vehicle. Measure twice, cut once.

And Happy New Year! :cheers:



Thanks, Ward. I think I was more concerned about the hoses and connections than the tanks themselves. And of course the install. But I would have Slee do it since I am in Denver. If they have done a few of these on 200's then I should be OK.
 
Sorry if this thread will be like watching water boil as I tackle only a bit each day. Nice not having pressure to get-er-done with a 3rd vehicle in the house. At the same time, I've got a 5 hr Vegas trip in a couple weeks, and a desert towing trip out to Anza Borrego end of this month. Both trips will be a good test.

The fuel cost point is legitimate. I do hate paying a premium, for the premium fuel the LX needs in tourist/fuel traps. Some of these places, the difference between regular, mid-grade, to premium is a 30 cent or more jump to each grade, rather than the more typical 10-15 cents. Which means premium users are raped even more.

At the same time, my justification for the tank is far less money driven. Considering the cost of the tank, install costs (this is a 8-10 hour typical install time), I have no expectation for ROI. Every bit helps, and I won't deny that I used this reason to justify it to the wifee. :)

Primary reason is just simple extended fuel range/capacity. I do try to maximize use of the stock tank typically running it down to 0 range/fuel light. Which means I fill max ~20-21 gallons. With the way my car is modified and driven, this usually nets 290 max miles range, or max 220 miles towing. More typical is 18-20 gallons fill, or 275 solo, 200 towing.

When towing to make distance especially, I hate filling upwards of 3x a day. I've done even 4x when traveling desolate spaces where I have to retain more margin, <10mpg in headwinds and hilly terrain, and a fill at the end of the day for the next days travel. This also means that I sometimes fill at tighter spots than I prefer, maneuvering 46' of rig.

The aux tank will do wonders. 12.5 gallons may not sound like a lot, but it's truly game changing. Consider that my typical fill is more like 19 gallons. Aux tanks don't need to hold reserve which means its full capacity is always utilized. That's now 66% more typical usable capacity than stock! Max range would now be 500 miles solo or 360 miles under tow, compared to 290/220 stock. Costco, here I come.

On the topic of progress, I made good progress yesterday. Have just about all the major parts removed.

So I'm thinking about this. Especially as I decided to not do a bumper for now and that leaves me some budget to do something else. But not being a "car guy" or a "truck guy", I have reservations about modifying anything related to large amounts of gasoline. Safety. I know this approach is safe than Jerry Cans but I don't use those. Are my reservations unwarranted? Will these things hold up for 10+ year without leaks, etc.? The fact that @TeCKis300 is doing it makes me feel a bit more comfortable because it seems he prefers to do stock where possible. What say you? Should I be concerned about safety at all?

Thanks Dan. I do prefer stock where reliability is important. More imperative for me is balance, where I won't give up too much in one area to get some more elsewhere. So weight is always a consideration for me because of the way I use my vehicle and the way I like to drive. I'll leave my final judgement for later after all said and done. To Ward's point, it is reassuring that this product is from a supplier with a well developed history. Initial impressions are good, with good quality and instructions, that is better than most products I've come across in the aftermarket.
 
Thanks, Ward. I think I was more concerned about the hoses and connections than the tanks themselves. And of course the install. But I would have Slee do it since I am in Denver. If they have done a few of these on 200's then I should be OK.
Understood. Yes, the LRA kits for 200s are designed to work with North American emission systems and are a proven solution - mostly due to the hard work of Georg Esterer and the team at Long Range Automotive.
 
Progress. I'm at least 50% into the install now with all major pieces removed and parts prepped.

I'm doing this in my home garage. I have a lift (MaxJax), but it's rated to 6,000lbs. My 100-series was fine on there. My 200-series pig of an LX is ~6,300 lbs so I rather not test margins.

AHC in high, and two truck stands at their highest position under the rear axle makes enough working clearance that I can sit on my crawler and work reasonably comfortably.

LXlra4.jpg


From underneath. The LX mechanical's, at least where the aux tank location is concerned, is identical to the LC. The only extra wiring loom that may need to be unclipped for some extra room is where the tow harness receiver is located at the very passenger rear of the frame. This loom goes to the AHC tank/pump under the rear fender.

LXlra5.jpg


Those square clips that are used as screw holders are the worst!

Hah, that is the first steps that need to be taken. Battled with like 8 of them and got them out whole. If you pinch them right from the backside, they do come out without too much fight, but some are blind.


This brown clip for the 1/4" breather line from the filler neck was a bit sneaky. For the next person. The clip is really just a safety cage. Slide it downwards. It exposes the gray buttons at the either side which is the real release. The brown cage masquerades a common vacuum type fitting underneath.

LXlra6.jpg
 
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The piece-de-resistance fits. With very minor adjustments that is. Whew!

Slight interference at the two marked spots.
EDIT: Just rotate the stock mounting bracket counterclockwise a few degrees.

LXlra7.jpg
 
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While you have it apart might as well put a rear bumper on:bounce:
 
I was thinking that the LRA tank will save money on gas but in Chicago suburbs the price for 87 octane has been $2/gal. So even if I save 20 cents of gas by fueling on cheaper days it would take 150k miles to pay for itself at 15 mpg. I'm assuming a cost of $400 to install it. I hate filing up every other day but it seemed like too long of an ROI for me. I don't forsee gas prices going up with all the electric vehicles gaining traction any time soon.
 

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