[Pj]

If you drill through the chassis to attach bolts for tank fixings so as to make the tank really safe in the van - Is that a modification to the vehicle that Insurance need to be notified about?

[[GQC] Tim]

If you drill through the chassis to attach bolts for tank fixings so as to make the tank really safe in the van - Is that a modification to the vehicle that Insurance need to be notified about?

Absolutely, add a water tank, and you have to modify your existing policy. Reminded me, I have to do that now as well.

[Xline Systems]

if you strap the tank down i believe that this is classed as cargo and not a modification. there must be ways round it. so if you fasten a toolbox down in the back of a van its classed as a modification?

[[GQC] Tim]

if you strap the tank down i believe that this is classed as cargo and not a modification. there must be ways round it. so if you fasten a toolbox down in the back of a van its classed as a modification?

Well evan insurance classifies it as an modification, regardless if it's strapped in or not.

[steve.ternent]

 : Great! 
something else to worry about 

[[GQC] Tim]

Yea, and guess what, how much extra it's going to cost me? I just had to adjust the policy.

£157.86

Damn, that's just too much.    

[Xline Systems]

told my insurance about my system in my van and has not altered my payments at all result

[[GQC] Tim]

told my insurance about my system in my van and has not altered my payments at all result

Lucky you.

[RPCCS]

How is that a modification? Its not going to improve the performance of the vehicle or its attractiveness to theives.
 They only need to know about the equipment from a contents point of view,so its covered for theft.

[NWH]

Yea, and guess what, how much extra it's going to cost me? I just had to adjust the policy.

£157.86

Damn, that's just too much.    

I`d check again,if you do have a crash and it`s not been fitted by authorised people you won`t get anything.Also you have to have a steel plate to screw the bolt to underneath,the safest way to attach the bolts is to do the nut up from underneath the van not the other way round although it`s easier.

[[GQC] Tim]

Yea, and guess what, how much extra it's going to cost me? I just had to adjust the policy.

£157.86

Damn, that's just too much.    

I`d check again,if you do have a crash and it`s not been fitted by authorised people you won`t get anything.Also you have to have a steel plate to screw the bolt to underneath,the safest way to attach the bolts is to do the nut up from underneath the van not the other way round although it`s easier.

I will check that indeed, it's a purefreedom tank cage though, with spreader plates underneath. So that should be okay. But yea, with all the shenanigans going on with crash test certificates etc.

[LWC Ltd]

I've decided to build my own van mount system.

I haven't got the tank for in the van yet but I'm starting to wonder how I'm going to secure it to the van floor?

Are you supposed to build a cage around it or jus strap through the loop things in the van floor.

How do you guys do it. Safest way please!

[steve m]

are we really going to go down this road again?. Firstly if you strap your tank down make sure you use proper commercial straps and not the ones from halfords. Why?, cos the proper ones are rated to hold a certain weight in an accident. Secondly strap to the manufacturers strapping points. These once again have been weight tested. After you do that you then isure it as carrying your own goods-simple

[windowwashers]

are we really going to go down this road again?. Firstly if you strap your tank down make sure you use proper commercial straps and not the ones from halfords. Why?, cos the proper ones are rated to hold a certain weight in an accident. Secondly strap to the manufacturers strapping points. These once again have been weight tested. After you do that you then isure it as carrying your own goods-simple

I would not strap my tank to the strapping points in my van they would never hold the weight just by looking I can tell this, I would honestly like to know what weight they would hold because imo there is no way these would hold 1085kg

[JSMC]

interesting debate this could be regarding insurance etc

[windowwashers]

interesting debate this could be regarding insurance etc

I am insured for my system and with it in the van , I asked this question when looking for the insurance.

Ian

[[GQC] Tim]

are we really going to go down this road again?. Firstly if you strap your tank down make sure you use proper commercial straps and not the ones from halfords. Why?, cos the proper ones are rated to hold a certain weight in an accident. Secondly strap to the manufacturers strapping points. These once again have been weight tested. After you do that you then isure it as carrying your own goods-simple

I would not strap my tank to the strapping points in my van they would never hold the weight just by looking I can tell this, I would honestly like to know what weight they would hold because imo there is no way these would hold 1085kg

Absolutely, never use the eye hooks in the van, tank cage is the safest way, if you really want straps, use spreader plates underneath the van.

[steve m]

so whats the best way of fitting a tank- drilling the chassis?
lets see what happens in an accident when the chassis gives way on the weak points shall we. Strapping points? maybe. When the vehicle is tested they must hold 150% of the maximum weight of the possible load carried, so if its fixed securely to the bulkhead at 4 strapping points it will hold 1000kg (transit type), or 500kg( escort,dispatch type). If this was not so these type of vehicles would not be allowed on the roads carrying such loads legally. Could you imagine the legal claims people like ford, vauxhall, renault etc if the loads came forward and killed the driver. And when was the last time you heard of a driver on the news being crushed to death by his load? And when was the last time you heard dof a vehicle failing its mot through corrosion due to a hole letting in the eliments and causing rust

[Pj]

The substance of my original question was,
"Is drilling holes through the chassis classed as a modification that will alter your insurance?"

How to safely secure your tank is another topic.

I raised the original question not because I didn't know the answer but because it's one of those issues that comes up time and time again, and as often happens people give their opinion but opinions are not always based on facts, they are just opinions often stated convincingly.

So, for the record the fact is:

(Provided that the chassis is drilled by an engineer/ie. professional or someone who knows what they're doing, preferrably with receipt to prove it)
Drilling holes for fixing bolts through the chassis is NOT considered a modification by Insurance Companies.

A modification - is something which would change the vehicle's performance.

I hope that clears it up.

[steve.ternent]

The substance of my original question was,
"Is drilling holes through the chassis classed as a modification that will alter your insurance?"

How to safely secure your tank is another topic.

I raised the original question not because I didn't know the answer but because it's one of those issues that comes up time and time again, and as often happens people give their opinion but opinions are not always based on facts, they are just opinions often stated convincingly.

So, for the record the fact is:

(Provided that the chassis is drilled by an engineer/ie. professional or someone who knows what they're doing, preferrably with receipt to prove it)
Drilling holes for fixing bolts through the chassis is NOT considered a modification by Insurance Companies.

A modification - is something which would change the vehicle's performance.

I hope that clears it up.

  Glad you cleared that up...I for one didn't know! 

 Cheers very useful information!