How to travel with tanks

[Ayisha]

I put my tanks in my trunk in a produce box that I get from the grocery store, and they fit perfectly. I place them with the valve facing the side. They always stay perfectly in place. I have a box of emergency car stuff behind it so the box doesn't slide. When traveling for diving, there's lots of gear/stuff keeping the box in place.

 

[Coztick]

I haven't seen anyone suggest actually securing these projectiles to the vehicle!?!
Sure they may not slide much when nailing the brakes but anyone want to guess at the forces involved in an accident? Ever been hit with 50lbs or more, moving 60mph? Many have been killed in minor crashes by unsecured items.
Any SUV or hatch back I've seen has cargo anchors. 2 ratchet style cargo straps of suitable strength would be a bare minimum to me.
I was recently told that commercial vehicle operators in the UK must secure all items heavier than 500g/1.1 lbs.

 

[TMHeimer]

I put the valve toward the rear of my van and secure the tank so it can't possibly move. What else is there to do?

 

[JD_McCombs]

I put all cylinders, doubles included, valves first into my vehicle and ratchet strap them down.

 

[Bob DBF]

I’m a believer in anchors and ratchet straps. Before the Pickup or SUV, I modified a couple of cars along the way with DIY anchors.

Not that I’m scared, but I do have a healthy respect for HP air and flying steel. I know it will happen in a bad accident, and I just want to slow it down some.



Bob

 

[ryanski]

I made a cross bar between the bed rail anchors on my pickup truck out of wood. I transport my tanks standing up "like they are supposed to be transported". It only took maybe an hour with scrap wood i had laying around in my garage. In a car i would probably try to use the floor of the back seat. You can then strap them in with tie downs using the child seat anchors that are in almost every car out there currently on the road.

 

[Belzelbub]

Most of my diving is from my boat. When towing my boat, tanks are secured in the tank brackets. When transporting for other dives/fills, etc. the tanks lay down in the back of my truck. Valve toward the rear of the truck. Cargo bar prevents forward movement, though is probably not necessary as the tanks are secured by ratchet strap tied in to cleats in the floor.

It’s pretty safe this way. It would need to be a fairly large vehicle to be able to hit the tailgate in order to do enough damage to impact the valves.

 

[TMHeimer]

I secure my tank in the back of the van, pinned between the driver's seat (and my rubbermaid gear bin) and the trunk door (fins between tank & door). It is especially secure en route to the site since the BC with weights is attached.
But have to admit, there could be a problem in a serious accident I suppose.

 

[BlueTrin]

There aren’t any straps in my tiny VW Polo ...

I wish there was some kind of straps though.

That remind me that I need advice about what would be a nice car to travel with 3 adults and a baby and 1 scuba kit with twins and a couple of luggages.

Maybe I’ll start a new thread for that.

 

[broncobowsher]

There aren’t any straps in my tiny VW Polo ...

I wish there was some kind of straps though.

That remind me that I need advice about what would be a nice car to travel with 3 adults and a baby and 1 scuba kit with twins and a couple of luggages.

Maybe I’ll start a new thread for that.

Probably a new thread, probably location specific as well. Ask that in Texas and the answer will be a 4-door 1-ton diesel pickup. Probably won't work for you.