tank mounting

[brihno]

I finally took the plunge and bought a dive rite transplate system, my question is how do I mount the tank? (I know that I need a tank strap(or two), but is there anything else? and if anyone has pictures that would be cool Also: can I steal the tank strap off of my old BC or would this be unsafe or damaging to my rec wing?
any help would be appreciated thanks.

 

[JohnL]

Any two tank straps will do the job. The onlytough part is keeping the wing straight while you put the tank on. I tried using some 3/8"(I think..might have been 1/4") bolts to hold it on, but they gouged the tanks up a bit. Went to a strip of velcro on the wing and plate (down the middle) and that worked well. It doesn't need to be load bearing, it just holds the wing in place till you get the staps tightened.

I did break down and make an sta from aluminum I had laying around this past week. The velcro worked fine though and was allot less work.

I also use a small strap through the top slot that goes over the top of the tank to "hang" the plate on while I am getting the straps tightened. Helps get the tank position right every time.

 

[brihno]

My system came with some mounting screws I assumed they were for holding the wing in place. are they inadequate?

 

[JohnL]

Hmm...mine didn't come with anything. If they protrude too far they will scratch or maybe gouge your tank up. Strength wise they are probably fine. They just need to hold the wing in place and the straps hold the tank down and the wing once the tank is on.

 

[brihno]

they don't stick out at all, I noticed that you have some tank holding plates on your setup, do I need these or can I just use the strap and sandwich the wing in between the BP and tank?

 

[JohnL]

If they don't stick out they should be fine. The plates are optional...just something I did because I had the material laying around and a few short work days. Wing between the plate and tank works fine. I had heard that the plates make it more stable, but I never really had a problem without them.

It can be a bit tough to get the wing on straight as it just sort of hangs until the tank straps are tightened. I ran a thin strip of velcro down the plate and center of the wing to hold it onto the plate while getting the tank strapped down. It did make it easier to align and keep straight.

 

[brihno]

thanks for the info

 

[strazz]

I'd strongly consider buying a single tank adaptor (with two straps)--it will make life much easier. You sandwich the wing between the back plate and the STA, bolt it together, and forget about it. From that point on, you just put the tank on like any other BC. You can just route the straps through the wing and back plate, but it's not as stable. The Dive Rite STA with two SS buckle straps has a retail price of $130, but you can probably get it cheaper than that.

 

[AquaHump]

I'd strongly consider buying a single tank adaptor (with two straps)--it will make life much easier. You sandwich the wing between the back plate and the STA, bolt it together, and forget about it. From that point on, you just put the tank on like any other BC. You can just route the straps through the wing and back plate, but it's not as stable. The Dive Rite STA with two SS buckle straps has a retail price of $130, but you can probably get it cheaper than that.

Ditto

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

The DR STA is still ACB right? There are weighted options available. I've got a 10-lb STA from Koplin that works wonders.