[dannymack]

I gotta say I did have my first system bolted in when I got it from Omnipole 9 years ago, I know it's safer but it's too much hassle. When I sold the van I wanted to keep system as its on the skid plate so having it removed we had to take off the fuel tank squeeze down the side of the tank to hold a spanner on the nut while a friend undone the other nut of the bolt. So all we done is ratchet strap it down as just as well when my other van went wrong it was in the garage for a week so it was easy to just slide it out wire it up to the battery of the rented van and use it so me personally would never have another bolted to floor pan not only that it leaves holes in the floor !!!

[PoleKing]

That sounds fair DM.
It's refreshing to hear "your opinion" rather that "what I've done is the only choice everyone else has"
Personally I wouldn't ratchet strap my tank down I don't think.
Each to their own

[Paul H]

I've just recently waterproofed the floor in the van and  bolted / framed my tank in ... I feel much better about having done it .. Feels like a weight off my mind tbh .. Just a personal thing I guess

[Simon Mess]

I used to think bolting in the tank was by far the safest way, but i'm not so sure these days. The reason for this has to do with how car safety has progressed since I first started driving. Back then it was generally recognised that a big strong car, or an old school 4x4 with a separate chassis would be the best. Of course what actually happened was that due to the strength and rigidity of the car or 4x4 in question, all the forces of the impact was transferred directly to the passenger, resulting in very serious whiplash injuries, which could take a lot longer to recover from than a broken leg or two. Modern cars are designed to crumple, absorb the impact and dissipate the energy around the passenger compartment. So with your tank being bolted rigidly into the back of your van, with absolutely no give, what is going to happen to all that energy (bearing in mind, in my case, that is half a ton of water) if you have a crash?. I suspect, for my van, the bolts will simply shear off with potentially fatal consequences. If the tank is strapped in though, provided it has been done properly, there is going to be some give as the straps stretch under the force, before doing what they are designed to do, and restraining the tank. Also, a plastic tank will deform (possibly burst if you are lucky) under the weight of water, which will, again, help to release the energy.

I must stress however, this is just my opinion, and in no way scientific or proven fact!, but, because of this, I will give very serious consideration to strapping in the tank for my next van.

[Paul H]

I used to think bolting in the tank was by far the safest way, but i'm not so sure these days. The reason for this has to do with how car safety has progressed since I first started driving. Back then it was generally recognised that a big strong car, or an old school 4x4 with a separate chassis would be the best. Of course what actually happened was that due to the strength and rigidity of the car or 4x4 in question, all the forces of the impact was transferred directly to the passenger, resulting in very serious whiplash injuries, which could take a lot longer to recover from than a broken leg or two. Modern cars are designed to crumple, absorb the impact and dissipate the energy around the passenger compartment. So with your tank being bolted rigidly into the back of your van, with absolutely no give, what is going to happen to all that energy (bearing in mind, in my case, that is half a ton of water) if you have a crash?. I suspect, for my van, the bolts will simply shear off with potentially fatal consequences. If the tank is strapped in though, provided it has been done properly, there is going to be some give as the straps stretch under the force, before doing what they are designed to do, and restraining the tank. Also, a plastic tank will deform (possibly burst if you are lucky) under the weight of water, which will, again, help to release the energy.

I must stress however, this is just my opinion, and in no way scientific or proven fact!, but, because of this, I will give very serious consideration to strapping in the tank for my next van.

Certainly opens up the debate as to whether you do or don't ...

[Spruce]

I used to think bolting in the tank was by far the safest way, but i'm not so sure these days. The reason for this has to do with how car safety has progressed since I first started driving. Back then it was generally recognised that a big strong car, or an old school 4x4 with a separate chassis would be the best. Of course what actually happened was that due to the strength and rigidity of the car or 4x4 in question, all the forces of the impact was transferred directly to the passenger, resulting in very serious whiplash injuries, which could take a lot longer to recover from than a broken leg or two. Modern cars are designed to crumple, absorb the impact and dissipate the energy around the passenger compartment. So with your tank being bolted rigidly into the back of your van, with absolutely no give, what is going to happen to all that energy (bearing in mind, in my case, that is half a ton of water) if you have a crash?. I suspect, for my van, the bolts will simply shear off with potentially fatal consequences. If the tank is strapped in though, provided it has been done properly, there is going to be some give as the straps stretch under the force, before doing what they are designed to do, and restraining the tank. Also, a plastic tank will deform (possibly burst if you are lucky) under the weight of water, which will, again, help to release the energy.

I must stress however, this is just my opinion, and in no way scientific or proven fact!, but, because of this, I will give very serious consideration to strapping in the tank for my next van.

Good post.

Securing loads with strapping has been approved in the transport industry for many years. But as you say, it has to be done correctly.

Dannymack though finished his first post of with what I would say is a worrying comment "me personally would never have another bolted to floor pan not only that it leaves holes in the floor!!!"
To me this suggests that he will use the tie down points provided in the back of most vans by the manufacturers. I doubt many manufacturers tie down bolts will secure 500 liters of water in an accident. Had he bought the van we bought for my SIL he would have discovered that whoever fitted the plylining bolted the tie down bolts to that.

The Grippa tank is crash tested - at 30mph I think and they use spreader plates under the floor stuck on with epoxy resin which has proved a successful way of doing it.
Another manufacturer put a crash test video with one of their tanks in an old Relay/Peugeot/Ducato which remained in place on a front impact. However I'm yet to be convinced that there was any water in the tank.  

My tank is bolted into my Citroen Relay with spreader plates. I have also fitted a full steel manufacturers bulkhead which is far stronger than the aftermarket ones available. I would also hope that in the case of a bad accident the water rushing to the front of the tank would blow the plastic lid off or that the tank would rupture along the middle joins dissipating energy.

Driving to protect your back is also important. Leave a much bigger gap to the vehicle in front is something we learnt in our advanced driver’s course we did.  It gives the driver behind more time to react. We aren't in a hurry to go anywhere in the van with a full tank of water either.

[dannymack]

Thanks for all the fair comments, each to there own I know it's got to be safer having bolted systems to floor pan / chassis but like I say having to remove incase like me you need to move it to another van would be a no no if its bolted lot of hassle. I've got the new transit custom where the aides are ply lined but the floor pan is fitted with the new hard plastic which goes up the spiders slightly very good as its water proof. Mind you I had to screw the skid plate to it with ratchet straps holding it but thanks for all nets and further comments !!!