Tank rack / stabilizer for truck bed

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gcarter

Contributor
Messages
8,428
Reaction score
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Location
Ottawa, Canada
# of dives
500 - 999
Up until now I have been blocking tanks in the bed of my truck so they wouldn't roll around. I have never been happy with that, particularly when I only need to haul 1 or 2 and I really don't like carrying them in the cab. Most of the time there are 4 tanks in the back though, so I wanted something that would at a minimum work for 1 - 4.

I had seen several solutions using plastic pipe, but locally could only find standard tees and elbows, none of the specialty fittings. This is what I came up with using tees, 90* and 45* elbows, 1-1/2 pipe:

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To ensure the rack itself doesn't move around, I put these "ears" at the tailgate and used a strap to stop it from sliding forward:

DSCF7679.jpg

This will fit my AL80s , HP100s and HP117. The HP tanks are 8". If I need to carry 6 tanks, there is room to move two of the shorter HP tanks to the outside behind the wheel wells.
 
Today was the trial, loaded 2 tanks + gear in the back before driving to Brockville for work this morning, then to Morrisburg to dive Lock 23 this evening and just arrived back in Ottawa.

Solid as a rock, nothing moved at all, 200km+.

I'm happy with it.
 
Looks good, simple and effective! If I had a pickup, I'd be all over this. Until then I'll stick to my butchered pool noodles The only thing I'm wondering is; wouldn't it would be easier getting the tanks in/out if they were flipped so the valve is on the tailgate side?
 
Sure beats my half moon foam tank holder thingys! :D
 
Nice!
 
Looks good, simple and effective! If I had a pickup, I'd be all over this. Until then I'll stick to my butchered pool noodles The only thing I'm wondering is; wouldn't it would be easier getting the tanks in/out if they were flipped so the valve is on the tailgate side?

From a safety perspective, if a tank turns into a rocket I want it going out the tailgate, not towards the cab...

They actually slide in / out pretty easy.
 
Nice... When I get energetic, I may give it a try.

For now, I simply take a ratcheting tie down strap, wrap it around the tanks and cinch it down. I usually take three tanks diving and they don't move in the bed of my truck.

Jim
 
Pure awesomeness!
 
That is nice! I still have a small sedan but I have set my tanks up right behind the driver and passenger seats. Then I run a bungee cord around the necks and attach it to the head rests of the seats. I beats the heck out of dragging them out of the trunk!

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk
 

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