Questions About Water Tanls

[robertwalker2003]

This may have been talked about before, but I wanted to know what people are using for water storage and how they are mounted. I'm currently thinking about a 30 gallon RV type tank mounted inside the cargo box of my trailer. I have noticed that AT trailers have a water tank closer to the front but I have heard that putting them over the axle is better.

Weight distrubtion is going to be important for me, my trailer is going to be heavy, but I also want the trailer to handle very good, becasue it will see as much or more highway time as offroad time.

So if anyone has any ideas or experience I would love to here it.

Thanks

Robert J Walker

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/83339-M101-3-4-Ton-Expedition-Trailer-Build

 

[Martyn]

Robert, balancing a trailer is an important consideration to take into account, and the placement of batteries, fuel cans, water tanks, fridges and other heavy items need to be planned out.

As the axle is the trailers balance point heavy items placed above it can be perfectly balanced, but it's when you have multiple heavy pieces that the puzzle becomes more complex. It's just not possible to stack everything above the axle.

Other challenges are maintaining a minimum of 10 -15% of the trailers total weight on tongue, and distributing weight fore and aft of the axle when the distances from the axle to the tongue and the axle to the rear are different.

The great thing about a custom trailer is you can plan weight distribution into your design, and come up with something that's a good compromise between efficiently placing a 30 gallon tank and maintaining a healthy tongue weight. Your 30 gallon tank will weigh in the region of 270 lbs, once you have that placed you'll be able to organize your other heavy items around it.

 

[Woods]

I think Martyn covered the weight distribution well.

I'm running twin 10 gallon tanks in my trailer. They are held in with heavy duty 48" Zip Ties. The twin tanks have a couple of advantages. They work as a baffled water tank system and I didn't have to mount the tank in the middle of the trailer, to distribute weight evenly.

 

[Aspen Trails Trailers]

Agree with Martyn, also try to get the water as low as possible, below the floor if possible, lowers the center of gravity, making tough off camber trails much easier. Think of the trailer as a teeter/totter, more weight on the front. Also consider, that when the trailer is full upon departure and when you return. Normally the water will be gone so if it is the main weight on the tongue, the trailer will handle differently on the free way. Refill if necessary to keep it the same. I try to keep things that are permanent in the front and back, and the water directly over the axle, that way I do not have changes in handling. Take some time and play with it. Not rocket science. Have fun.