Browne Davis Long Range Fuel Tanks

[biggles]

I see the Browne Davis is aluminium coated SS, not sure what the advantage is...

They are not stainless steel. They are 2mm cold rolled aluminum coated steel.

I am very seriously looking at this option for the Storm Trooper. I have looked extensively for local solutions and everyone has had problems with SS or aluminium tanks.

These Browne Davis tanks are bullet proof and I can find no problems with them.

They are very well designed, I can see they have designed solutions to most of the problems aftermarket tanks have. For example if you are fording water will not collect anywhere around the pump flange or ontop of the tank.

I am abit concerned about clearances but I hear these tanks can take a decent knock without rupturing. 2mm steel will do that!!

Cannot wait to see them installed and pull the trigger on this... then to see the petrol attendants face when I fill them up.

[izakjbrt]

Spoke to NorthernOffroad this morning, according to the sales lady, they don't make long range tanks for the y61 4.8grx. The 4.8 is just practically perfect in every way possible (except fuel)

[Tinus lotz]

And again people that sell products dont even know it ...they do but its a bad idea ......

[Kirbster]

I see the Browne Davis is aluminium coated SS, not sure what the advantage is...

They are not stainless steel. They are 2mm cold rolled aluminum coated steel.

I am very seriously looking at this option for the Storm Trooper. I have looked extensively for local solutions and everyone has had problems with SS or aluminium tanks.

These Browne Davis tanks are bullet proof and I can find no problems with them.

They are very well designed, I can see they have designed solutions to most of the problems aftermarket tanks have. For example if you are fording water will not collect anywhere around the pump flange or ontop of the tank.

I am abit concerned about clearances but I hear these tanks can take a decent knock without rupturing. 2mm steel will do that!!

Cannot wait to see them installed and pull the trigger on this... then to see the petrol attendants face when I fill them up.

Hey Biggies!

The BD tanks have a really good reputation as you top have stated. The other option was the Long Ranger tanks, but they took too long to reply to our queries and confirm a price that I went with BD in the end.

I've got 3 - 4" additional lift so I'm not too concerned about my clearance and as you say the tanks are pretty solid so they can take a knock.

I will most certainly post pictures when it's all done.

Cheers
H

[mvcoller]

Izak, I am sure she does not know, but from looking underneath both, the Y60 and the Y61 looks the same underneath and I am sure that when they designed the box, the Y60 was what they designed it for and they never realised it would fit into the Y61.

A person from the 4x4 Community Forum, at the time I fitted mine, asked about it and I gave him my impressions and on the strength of that, had one fitted. He came back on the post and said he had it fitted and was happy. I never followed up with him and cannot remember him ever coming back onto the forum with problems with the tank.

Just a word of warning, do not just have your stainless tank made by "elke Jan rap en sy maat" operation. It must be someone like the well know offroad equipment manufacturers. Their reputation is at stake here. They will have done their homework and they will use the correct grade of stainless steel, there are several grades of stainless, some are magnetic, some are not, some are hard brittle, others formulated to be more bendable and pliable. Some grades it is required to be preheated to a specific heat range before any welding is done. The trick is to know which grade to use. Go and see here (https://continentalsteel.com/stainless-steel/grades/ and http://www.worldstainless.org/Files/iss ... g_2013.pdf) and see the characteristics of the different grades.

The big problem is that the commercial outlet you go and enquire from, is not where the designer and the manufacturer sits, and they have be told that they will not make "one offs" full stop. So if a tank is not commercially available, what happens?

They guy wanting the tanks goes to a buddy who has a buddy whose ex-girlfriend's cousin works for some engineering company, who has spare capacity due to lower demand, and they will make one for you. They have a couple of sheets of 1.6mm stainless steel or even worse, will go and buy the cheapest offcuts to make a tank for you at a really good price. The big problem is that these guys have not researched the best quality and grade of stainless to make the tank from. Their welder just welded up a tank with welded on fastening brackets (maybe without gussets!). It was tested by blowing in air at say 5 or 10 PSI and did not leak when put into the welder's swimming pool at home. It fits, they even help the guy install it (without supporting weight carrying straps) and the guy goes off, happy that he now has a long range tank.

The big issue is how long is it going to last and if it breaks, how do you fix it in the Kruger Park in December when it starts leaking?

Another thing the guys in the know do, they make it with bends (not welds) on the long sections, just welding on the smaller sides and the top, so that the main weight bearing sides have bends and no welds (that is why OEM tanks are stamped out of a single (mild) steel plate (nickel or tin plated afterwards) for the bottom half of the tank, another stamped out one piece for the top, and its is machine seam-welded together at the seam where top and bottom halves join). Then they also weld in baffle plates that not only stops the slosh, but actually strengthens the tank. These plates have quite a few (6 or 8) biggish (30mm) holes for fuel movement. If the baffle plate does not have those holes in, it has a lot of pressure from moving (sloshing) fuel inside the tank, and the baffle may eventually tear away from the tank side and tear the side of the tank in the process. These baffles also have 15 or 20mm wide, 90 degree folds at the ends, to create a flat surface to weld (onto two sides of the 20mm wide flat bent piece) on the inside of the tank. The welds are also not long welds, that cause a lot of heat, but several smaller 20mm runs.

[Tony]

I've had a long range main tank from Northern Off-road fitted over two years ago and haven't had any issues - it has also taken a beating on the River Trip as it does hang a little low - there are a couple of dents in it now, but overall I am very happy and the range improvement is substantial.

[biggles]

I've had a long range main tank from Northern Off-road fitted over two years ago and haven't had any issues - it has also taken a beating on the River Trip as it does hang a little low - there are a couple of dents in it now, but overall I am very happy and the range improvement is substantial.

Interesting... what are they made of and what was the approximate cost?

[Craig Lord]

These Browne Davis tanks seem like the go. The 4.8 is fantastic but I have to say that carrying 7 Jerry cans just to get +-1000km range is a bit hectic and a hassle every time you want to fill up. I carry 3 in the carrier on the rear bar and 4 on the roof rack at the front to try balance the weight. If I can put all that into tanks under the car then that's a win for sure ! I also want 2 spare wheels on the rear bar so the Jerry can holder has to go anyway.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures of the finished job and if they are as good as they seem then I'm seriously considering biting the cash bullet and doing it too...

[izakjbrt]

Izak, I am sure she does not know, but from looking underneath both, the Y60 and the Y61 looks the same underneath and I am sure that when they designed the box, the Y60 was what they designed it for and they never realised it would fit into the Y61.

A person from the 4x4 Community Forum, at the time I fitted mine, asked about it and I gave him my impressions and on the strength of that, had one fitted. He came back on the post and said he had it fitted and was happy. I never followed up with him and cannot remember him ever coming back onto the forum with problems with the tank.

Just a word of warning, do not just have your stainless tank made by "elke Jan rap en sy maat" operation. It must be someone like the well know offroad equipment manufacturers. Their reputation is at stake here. They will have done their homework and they will use the correct grade of stainless steel, there are several grades of stainless, some are magnetic, some are not, some are hard brittle, others formulated to be more bendable and pliable. Some grades it is required to be preheated to a specific heat range before any welding is done. The trick is to know which grade to use. Go and see here (https://continentalsteel.com/stainless-steel/grades/ and http://www.worldstainless.org/Files/iss ... g_2013.pdf) and see the characteristics of the different grades.

The big problem is that the commercial outlet you go and enquire from, is not where the designer and the manufacturer sits, and they have be told that they will not make "one offs" full stop. So if a tank is not commercially available, what happens?

They guy wanting the tanks goes to a buddy who has a buddy whose ex-girlfriend's cousin works for some engineering company, who has spare capacity due to lower demand, and they will make one for you. They have a couple of sheets of 1.6mm stainless steel or even worse, will go and buy the cheapest offcuts to make a tank for you at a really good price. The big problem is that these guys have not researched the best quality and grade of stainless to make the tank from. Their welder just welded up a tank with welded on fastening brackets (maybe without gussets!). It was tested by blowing in air at say 5 or 10 PSI and did not leak when put into the welder's swimming pool at home. It fits, they even help the guy install it (without supporting weight carrying straps) and the guy goes off, happy that he now has a long range tank.

The big issue is how long is it going to last and if it breaks, how do you fix it in the Kruger Park in December when it starts leaking?

Another thing the guys in the know do, they make it with bends (not welds) on the long sections, just welding on the smaller sides and the top, so that the main weight bearing sides have bends and no welds (that is why OEM tanks are stamped out of a single (mild) steel plate (nickel or tin plated afterwards) for the bottom half of the tank, another stamped out one piece for the top, and its is machine seam-welded together at the seam where top and bottom halves join). Then they also weld in baffle plates that not only stops the slosh, but actually strengthens the tank. These plates have quite a few (6 or 8) biggish (30mm) holes for fuel movement. If the baffle plate does not have those holes in, it has a lot of pressure from moving (sloshing) fuel inside the tank, and the baffle may eventually tear away from the tank side and tear the side of the tank in the process. These baffles also have 15 or 20mm wide, 90 degree folds at the ends, to create a flat surface to weld (onto two sides of the 20mm wide flat bent piece) on the inside of the tank. The welds are also not long welds, that cause a lot of heat, but several smaller 20mm runs.

Jip, I have no plans for a long range. Was basically out of curiosity regarding the price. The roof rack can carry 4 jerry cans with the tent, and the fridge can stock a lot of beer if those 4 jerry cans a re not enough

[SJC]

If anyone is interested, and it’s a medium to long-shot, my fabrication department has done fuel tanks for the industrial industry, out of polyethylene. Problem is the price for the actual design is where the costs lie. I have considered getting them to make me a bigger tank but everyone needs a salary and they won’t design it for free.

So what price are we looking at here? This could be a good opportunity to patent the design and re-sell/distribute...?