Tank Rack in back of truck?

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Originally Posted by JahJahwarrior

I had a tank rack...then I bolted boards to the sides of the bed and strapped my doubles upright to it...then I took those out and just lay everything down int he bed. If you want to save space, stack them all on top of each other near the cab, then you still have bed room for other stuff. No need for a trailer, especially with that few of tanks. I've carried up to 15 tanks in the bed stacked at the cab with plenty of room for everything else.

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15 tanks? That's it? Here's 14 tanks (four on each side, two in the middle, and two on the floor behind each seat) in my special tank hauler earlier today. The trunk is full of BCD's and regs...and I still have room for a passenger :smt081

http://www.cavediver.net/forum/galle...2/pict0557.jpg

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Originally Posted by DOT Title 49 - Transportation, page 597

(2) For cylinders manufactured before October 1, 2007, a cylinder
must have its valves protected by one of the following methods:
(i) By equipping the cylinder with securely attached metal caps of
sufficient strength to protect valves from damage during transportation;
(ii) By boxing or crating the cylinders so as to protect valves from
damage during transportation;
(iii) By constructing the cylinder so that the valve is recessed
into the cylinder or otherwise protected to the extent that it will not
be subjected to a blow when the container is dropped onto a flat
surface; or
(iv) By loading the cylinders in an upright position and securely
bracing the cylinders in rail cars or motor vehicles

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Celia, I'm not doubting your interpretation. This was what a DOT official told me about ten years ago.

when I was in mexico we used 2 ratchet straps and just strapped them (standing up) to the back of the cab and pushed the gear tubs up against the wall of tanks. I think we had 6 sets of doubles, 6 al80 stages, and 6 al40 deco cylinders in there that way in a toyota.

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Originally Posted by sskasser

15 tanks? That's it? Here's 14 tanks (four on each side, two in the middle, and two on the floor behind each seat) in my special tank hauler earlier today. The trunk is full of BCD's and regs...and I still have room for a passenger :smt081

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NICE!! But where does the scooter go??

Brian

is the bench box attached in any way to the van structure? any problem with it sliding around? I am looking at options for removable storage and also some way of securing doubles and singles in a (eek-it pains me to say it) minivan. (Honda Odyssey)

FWIW please make a way to secure those tanks especially in the back of a pu truck. I have been on the traffic homicide unit for many years. Every years, around here, someone is killed, or maimed, because of unsecure loads, ladders, wheelbarrows, 2 x 4's, etc. It only takes a second to change someone's life or their family's life.........and that will also change yours between, lawsuits and your conscience.

In my truck I have a very strong rope from one side to the other, near the cab, that all of my tanks clip to. This also keeps stuff from heading into my cab and hurting or killing me.

Hijack over.

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Originally Posted by Slüdge

How difficult are you trying to make this? You can make racks like in my trailer in about an hour with a couple of 2x4s, a sabersaw, and a box of eye screws from Lowe's.

http://www.cavediver.net/forum/galle...6/imgp0132.jpg




It's illegal to transport gas cylinders horizontally. If a DOT official sees you riding down the road, expect a hefty fine. (Or do you have a cover on your truck bed?)

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I would be interested to see how many people have ever been fined by the department of transportation for transporting any number of scuba cylinders containing breathable gasses for personal use, regardless of how they were secured. In Texas anyway, DOT regulations the state chooses to enforce are encoded in the traffic code. I am fairly certain that is true of most states. Things like taillight placement are not ticketed because DOT says that is where they should be place, they are ticketed because states have coded that requirement into law. The US DOT does have some regulatory power over interstate commerce, I am not sure they have any enforcement power, I would assume they use some other department. I could be wrong.


Edit: PSI provides a pretty good explanation of what HAZMAT is. You will see in their explanation that states make laws based on DOT guidelines: HAZMAT and SCUBA

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Originally Posted by mfascuba

NICE!! But where does the scooter go??

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I guess she would have to use the passenger seat :roll:

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Originally Posted by FW

I guess she would have to use the passenger seat :roll:

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Exactly!

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Originally Posted by LisaN

Brian

is the bench box attached in any way to the van structure? any problem with it sliding around? I am looking at options for removable storage and also some way of securing doubles and singles in a (eek-it pains me to say it) minivan. (Honda Odyssey)

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Both benches are bolted with at least four 1/4" toggle bolts that are bolted into the side of the van at different points. Also the 2x4 that runs the length of the side and holds the valve/shoulder of the upright cylinders is also bolted into the side of the van with the same type of bolts. None of this is removable without total disassembly of the entire bench system. At least that was the intention.

Safe diving,
Brian