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Originally Posted by tcbrady
Bummed to discover that I'm unable to do this mod since my underneath doesn't match. Booo! I'll have to see if there's another way to rig some sort of support.
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I'm not sure how your tank is configured, but if you want to add the "hangars" that look something like mine for the pipe-mounted support, that would not be that difficult. Some 1/4" to 1/8" plate steel, about 3 self tapping hex head screws (per side), and a 1/2" drill with a 1" bit would do the job. If you have an I-beam frame, it would be easier, because you could use a short length of 2" to 3" angle iron to make a hanger tab and bolt it to the bottom of the frame.
The hardest part would be drilling the 1" hole for the water pipe. As a large bit penetrates steel, it really bites and will twist your arm off. If you have a corded 1/2" drill with a side handle, get a length of pipe that will slide over the side handle to extend it to about 18" to 24" in length. Use something like a folded pair of jeans or other heavy fabric between this handle extension and your shin to protect it and hold on tightly. Or, better yet, bring the plate to someone who has a drill press and save yourself the cost of the handle extension and 1" cut-down bit...pretty costly.
Attach these brackets to the outside of the frame with the self-tapping screws and some permanent (I think "red") Loctite.
Many other tank configurations do not hang down as mine does. They are flush or nearly flush with the supports going between frame members. It's possible to make bracing out of something like 1 1/2" angle iron (available at any hardware store) that goes fore-and-aft between these main tank supports. You might need to add some spacers...depending on thickness, the spacers might even be wood...to get the angle iron low enough to fit under and support the tank and join with the main supports.
Be sure to bevel the ends of your new angle-iron supports so that they will ride up and over rather than catching on rocks, roots, etc that you might encounter in rough terrain...if you're carrying water, you are boondocking after all.
My tank is supported with something like 3" x 3" heavy sheet metal angle iron. Each side of the tank is buffered with a piece of wood as a space filler. That wood allows for safe drilling through the sheet angle without puncturing the tank (if you mount with self-tappers)...or you can empty the tank and drop the angle down to where you can work on it so you can do it right and use bolts with nylock nuts. If you used bolts and nuts, just use a drill with a forstner or paddle bit to "relieve" a spot in that wood buffer for the bolt head.
I'd recommend adding some rubber floor mat to your new angle iron support to protect the tank from chaffing against your new steel support. Some good adhesive should bond the rubber to the steel.
Lots of conjecture in this concept, but I've heard of others doing this kind of modification to help support the tank. It's the large, unsupported open spans of plastic tank that really need help. 20 gallons of water, at 8.3 pounds per gallon, weighs about 160 pounds or so. That's a lot to ask of a chunk of plastic.
I'm looking at a small hard side that has a 43 gallon fresh tank. That's over 350 pounds in a very large plastic tank. One additional cross support can make a HUGE difference in the tank's durability, and it doesn't add much weight to the trailer. If I buy this rig, I'll do this modification day one...probably at least two extra supports.
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