1st Gen 4Runner Onboard Water Storage

[ab1985]

What are you guys with onboard water doing for storage in your 4Runner? I'm trying to make good use of what little space is available so I initially was leaning towards one of the slick front runner tanks. The 50L slant tank would be perfect behind the seat, but they are out of stock until mid-summer. The footwell tank is pretty nifty, but at 40L it's on the small side if I bring my wife and/or daughter for a weekend. The 50L upright tank is also nice, but I'm not sure if it would fit or how it would be made stationary when the back seats get folded down.

Ideas? Pictures? Thanks!:sombrero:

 

[itsmejme]

$20 water storage set-up

I did this 10 gallon set-up for $20.00 bucks. Front runner set-up is nice, but pricey.

 

[ab1985]

Do you have any other pics? It doesn't look like your back seats can be used (?).

I don't like the price on the front runner stuff either, but after searching around I can't find anything comparable so I can understand why they go for what they do. I don't want to move the pickup to the pump, so ideally I'd like a single tank. 10 gallons would be bare minimum but 13+ would be ideal.

 

[BIGdaddy]

I did this 10 gallon set-up for $20.00 bucks. Front runner set-up is nice, but pricey.

That's a creative, low-buck solution, but the OP mentioned a wife and kid, so I'm assuming he's going to need his rear seat.

Does your solution allow for rear seat use?

to the OP, I've got a small rig, and I'm considering both the seat shaped and the slant tank for storage.

I've also looked at the footwell tank, which i feel is fine as far as capacity. I'm more concerned with having anything that heavy near my kids or my wife during the event of a rollover/accident.


Honestly with a rig the size of yours or my Cherokee, It may very well be that 3-4 jerry cans on a swingaway carrier or in roof-mounted carriers is the best way to carry enough water.

Another thought I had was a marine grade poly tank with a custom steel/aluminum skid plate mounted under the floor boards. Pricey as well, but it would keep the weight nice and low, and the bulk out of our precious, finite interior cargo area.

 

[corax]

I've been digging on this set up for awhile, but I don't think he ever posted pics of the tank itself

spigot/shower head

water filler

yep that is a shower in the rear panel, with a 60 litre water tank where the spare use to be, and pumped out by an electric water pump

Take a look underneath and see where you could fit some capped off PVC pipe for water storage. You can use several smaller spaces that way and link them together with hose, just make sure you fill it from the highest point and pull from the lowest. I was also considering the dead space above the rear wheel wells at one point (just not high on the priority list yet).

 

[ab1985]

I think the footwell tank could be secured. Outside of capacity my other concern is I don't think I'd be able to fold the bottoms of the rear seats forward.

I ruled out jerry cans due to the limited space on a bumper/spare tire carrier. I'd like to carry 5 gallons of fuel and an 11# propane tank. I haven't laid everything out yet, but rough calculations tell me I'd be pressed for space/weight to get 10 gallons of water back there, too.

I've thought about an under body tank and might go that route. I was hoping some one would have pics or ideas. Corax, that setup looks pretty sick. I didn't want to get into anything overly custom, but I may end up going that route if an easier solution doesn't present itself. It would be nice from a budget standpoint to use a regular marine/rv poly tank so I guess I have to factor that into the decision.

 

[slus]

What about putting one in the stock spare tire location? If you dropped the spare and moved it to a swing out tire carrier, you could fit a good sized poly water tank in its place with a little work.

 

[PirateMcGee]

what about just buying a water filter............carry some water, filter more when needed. I then would just carry a couple of 5 gallon water tanks, this allows for you to carry water to different places (i.e. over to the picknik table) so you are not tied to the rig for water.

 

[ab1985]

I'd rather not rely on trying to find water to filter. The plan is to have a faucet/shower setup near the tailgate where we cook (shower enclosure around on the side of the truck). I would like to be able to park for a few days and just relax.

I took some measurements and underneath the bed is probably the best use of available space. A 16 gallon tank will be a squeeze but I think it's doable. Anything to be aware of when ordering poly water tanks?

Here's an ebay 16 gallon for cheap: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/16-G...5fCamperQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_6620wt_1165

vs.

Something like this (3/8" wall and custom fitting location): http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=383

 

[slus]

It would be nice to get a tank without fittings or holes, so you could use the exact location and fittings that you wanted. It would make inlet hose routing much easier. It's not hard to put in your own. Get yourself a marine flush mount water fill from West Marine, some tank fittings, some PEX tubing, a Shurflo pump and a switch, and you'd have a SWEET on demand water system.

The way we always mounted them on boats was a frame of angle iron around the edge with expanded metal in the middle for a little extra support and protection if they were on the underside of a pontoon boat. I might be tempted to use a couple pieces of flat stock on the underside of a truck, for some reason I can picture expanded metal collecting a lot of crap on the trail.

 

[ab1985]

I think I'm going this route. It's more work, but I'll end up saving a lot of space inside the truck and it shouldn't cost much more money.

I was thinking flat strap, too, for the mount, but I might need to consider a skidplate for a portion of the tank depending on how far behind the rear axle it extends. From the rear of the gas tank to the aft crossmember is around 23". I've got ~18" of usable space between the passenger frame and where my exhaust is routed on the driver side. Anything from a few inches forward of the crossmember and back will be exposed to rocks, ledges, etc... We shall see.

I'll post up in a few weeks once I get everything together. I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions.

 

[ab1985]

After measuring, searching for tanks, and remeasuring, I'm going to try and make this 14 gallon setup work: http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=372 . The primary limiting factor is tank height. I want to keep the tank as far forward as possible so that means clearance above the rear axle has to be considered. I mocked up this cardboard version to test before ordering the poly tank. It measures ~.125" larger than 29.75 x 16 x 7.5 all the way around. I have a couple questions:

1) Do you think the clearance between the exhaust pipe is enough to keep heat from warping the tank?

2) If I remove the parking brake bracket I'm left with just under 5" of clearance at the center of the diff housing. I'm got 5.5" before my shocks bottom out. I can either bend the BPV lines and angle the front of the tank up an inch or install bump stops. Recommendations? Ideas?

I'm a total newb with this stuff so feel free to make suggestions or point out any mistakes I'm making.

 

[Swim]

I'm doing the same thing you are. Why not turn the tank 90^ and put it further back toward the trailer hitch?

 

[ab1985]

Initially I wanted the weight as far forward as possible, but at 117 lbs I'm not as worried and will probably do as you suggest.

The tank and pump came in a couple weeks ago. I still need to get the lines and fittings. I'm going to start on a rear bumper as soon as the spindle I ordered arrives, and I'll be tackling the tank mounting after that. I also just finished my storage/sleeping/fridge setup which needed to get done before mounting the pump and faucet/spray port. Now that things are in order and starting to get done I'll probably start a build thread with everything.

 

[Ruined Adventures]

The tank and pump came in a couple weeks ago. I still need to get the lines and fittings. I'm going to start on a rear bumper as soon as the spindle I ordered arrives, and I'll be tackling the tank mounting after that. I also just finished my storage/sleeping/fridge setup which needed to get done before mounting the pump and faucet/spray port. Now that things are in order and starting to get done I'll probably start a build thread with everything.

I'd like to see how you set up that storage/sleeping/fridge setup with the Edgestar 43qt...we've pretty much decided we have to get rid of ours because the sleeping setup would be very coffin-like for two people...