Tank Frame to van

[Peter J]

I’ve got my new frame for my new 400l upright. I need to now fix it to the van. I’m quite confident in doing this myself but where can I get the right screws and some spreader plates from?

Any help and or advice in this venture will be greatly appreciated

 

[ched999uk]

Toolstation and Screwfix sell high tensile bolts - check the holes in the frame to see the biggest diameter that fit. As for spreader plates that's a little tricky. Ideally you want something like 6mm steel plates cut as big as possible to fit round things under the chassis. Angle iron is probably easier to get but not as good at spreading the load. Basically your van floor is thin steel that can rip like cardboard in an accident, so using a plate like a massive washer to spread the load on as big an area of the floor as possible is good. Ideally you would want to bolt through the chassis rails and use a plate under that but that could be tricky.

I have seen people use 2 strong magnets to work out where to drill. They put one on the inside van floor where they want the hole then use the other to find the corresponding spot under the van.

Remember to paint any cut edges of the floor/chassis so they don't rust.
Screwfix sell square washers that are 3mm to 5mm thick but I don't think they are really big enough. Maybe strips of unistrut would work. Ideally the thicker and bigger the better.

I'm no expert in tank frame installations so this is just my opinion.

 

[AW Services]

I’ve got my new frame for my new 400l upright. I need to now fix it to the van. I’m quite confident in doing this myself but where can I get the right screws and some spreader plates from?

Any help and or advice in this venture will be greatly appreciated

I’ve got my new frame for my new 400l upright. I need to now fix it to the van. I’m quite confident in doing this myself but where can I get the right screws and some spreader plates from?

Any help and or advice in this venture will be greatly appreciated

You can't use self tapping screws
Get some high quality M10 hardware as a minimum along with some 50x50x4mm plate washers

Pay someone to fit it

 

[Pjj]

I’ve got my new frame for my new 400l upright. I need to now fix it to the van. I’m quite confident in doing this myself but where can I get the right screws and some spreader plates from?

Any help and or advice in this venture will be greatly appreciated

Measure and re check multiple times as holes through brake or fuel lines etc will be both expensive and difficult to repair

 

[Peter J]

Measure and re check multiple times as holes through brake or fuel lines etc will be both expensive and difficult to repair

Yep I’ll be quadruple checking that, if not more

 

[Peter J]

Toolstation and Screwfix sell high tensile bolts - check the holes in the frame to see the biggest diameter that fit. As for spreader plates that's a little tricky. Ideally you want something like 6mm steel plates cut as big as possible to fit round things under the chassis. Angle iron is probably easier to get but not as good at spreading the load. Basically your van floor is thin steel that can rip like cardboard in an accident, so using a plate like a massive washer to spread the load on as big an area of the floor as possible is good. Ideally you would want to bolt through the chassis rails and use a plate under that but that could be tricky.

I have seen people use 2 strong magnets to work out where to drill. They put one on the inside van floor where they want the hole then use the other to find the corresponding spot under the van.

Remember to paint any cut edges of the floor/chassis so they don't rust.
Screwfix sell square washers that are 3mm to 5mm thick but I don't think they are really big enough. Maybe strips of unistrut would work. Ideally the thicker and bigger the better.

I'm no expert in tank frame installations so this is just my opinion.

It’s the spreader plates I’m finding it most difficult to source. I think I’m going to have to do some shopping around and probably get the angle grinder out a few times

 

[Peter J]

Toolstation and Screwfix sell high tensile bolts - check the holes in the frame to see the biggest diameter that fit. As for spreader plates that's a little tricky. Ideally you want something like 6mm steel plates cut as big as possible to fit round things under the chassis. Angle iron is probably easier to get but not as good at spreading the load. Basically your van floor is thin steel that can rip like cardboard in an accident, so using a plate like a massive washer to spread the load on as big an area of the floor as possible is good. Ideally you would want to bolt through the chassis rails and use a plate under that but that could be tricky.

I have seen people use 2 strong magnets to work out where to drill. They put one on the inside van floor where they want the hole then use the other to find the corresponding spot under the van.

Remember to paint any cut edges of the floor/chassis so they don't rust.
Screwfix sell square washers that are 3mm to 5mm thick but I don't think they are really big enough. Maybe strips of unistrut would work. Ideally the thicker and bigger the better.

I'm no expert in tank frame installations so this is just my opinion.

What would you recommend painting in the holes? I’ve got a selection of stuff that could work: hammerite, protectacote, kurust, bitumen, car touch up paint, stuff like that. I’m going to slap a load of sicoflex round the fixings as well to try and help.

I just need to find something to use as a spreader plate and hopefully the rest should be reasonably (relatively speaking) straightforward

 

[AW Services]

It’s the spreader plates I’m finding it most difficult to source. I think I’m going to have to do some shopping around and probably get the angle grinder out a few times

Many people in the trade use the word spreader plate however in terms of engineering its a washer or metallic substrate that is greater than the hole to ensure point loading forces are transferred across a larger / greater area

If you are using an M10 or M12 nut and bolt ensure they are high tensile and you use a plate or washer large than the area of the nut or bolt head to ensure that under load it can not be torn through the thin sheet metal

Go to a supplier of fasterners and look at types of washers or template your frame and fixings and visit a sheet metal supplier or CNC machine shop and have custom plates made.

With the upmost respect, I feel that this diy project is way over your head and may pose as life threatening it goes pear shape

 

[Peter J]

Many people in the trade use the word spreader plate however in terms of engineering its a washer or metallic substrate that is greater than the hole to ensure point loading forces are transferred across a larger / greater area

If you are using an M10 or M12 nut and bolt ensure they are high tensile and you use a plate or washer large than the area of the nut or bolt head to ensure that under load it can not be torn through the thin sheet metal

Go to a supplier of fasterners and look at types of washers or template your frame and fixings and visit a sheet metal supplier or CNC machine shop and have custom plates made.

With the upmost respect, I feel that this diy project is way over your head and may pose as life threatening it goes pear shape

Thanks @AW Services o do appreciate your concern but I think it’ll be okay really. It’s basic physics and mechanics.

After having a Quick Look underneath I’m going with a slightly different plan and using unistrut basically building pretty much a secondary frame base and sandwiching the van base between them. Should hold it I reckon

 

[spruce]

It’s the spreader plates I’m finding it most difficult to source. I think I’m going to have to do some shopping around and probably get the angle grinder out a few times

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You just drill the hole in the middle.

 

[Gadgetfox]

I’ve got my new frame for my new 400l upright. I need to now fix it to the van. I’m quite confident in doing this myself but where can I get the right screws and some spreader plates from?

Any help and or advice in this venture will be greatly appreciated

Use Unistrut channel with the right nuts, bolts & brackets. Nothing safer...

unistrut channel - Google Search

 

[Pjj]

Use Unistrut channel with the right nuts, bolts & brackets. Nothing safer...

unistrut channel - Google Search

Uni strut is not really strong enough it needs solid 4-6 mm solid steel plates to spread the load

 

[Peter J]

Uni strut is not really strong enough it needs solid 4-6 mm solid steel plates to spread the load

But the frame is made from unistrut. I figured if the underneath support is made from the same stuff surely that’s strong enough; either that or the frame would be toast anyway

 

[Pjj]

But the frame is made from unistrut. I figured if the underneath support is made from the same stuff surely that’s strong enough; either that or the frame would be toast anyway

You need to spread the load in the event of an accident to stop it ripping through the thin sheet metal floor so bigger plates thicker steel are needed

 

[AW Services]

Uni strut is not really strong enough it needs solid 4-6 mm solid steel plates to spread the load

You're absolutely correct there. 3mm and being that it's slotted there's zero linear strength in it.

 

[Gadgetfox]

If you bolt unistrut to the chasis, the pillars and the bulkhead the frame becomes part of the vans structure. Use M12 bolts and you will be fine. (In my humble opinion of course...)