Cushioning material for water tank

[peakbus]

I am planning to weld a frame to support my 30 gallon water tank out of 1 1/4"angle iron. I will mount one side to the chair rail (under our bed) and support the other off the floor on legs. Wondering what people have used to prevent wear on the plastic tank where it meets the supports. Some sort of heavy rubber comes to mind but looking for a good source.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

my first bus i made the frame big enough and used 2" thick polyiso insulation.
but that tank was underside not inside.
but for me i would also insulate the tank inside?

[Danjo]

You are suspending the tank off the floor?

[peakbus]

Originally Posted by Danjo

You are suspending the tank off the floor?

Yes, There is a poorly placed fuel tank fill pipe protruding through the sidewall that gets in the way of where my tank will sit. Raising it up will allow it to be against the wall so I can fit bikes under the bed too. I figure that bolting the tank frame to the chair rail will be as solid as can be.

[Danjo]

Build a platform out of 2x4 and plywood.

You’ll probably also need plywood sides to keep it from bulging and a way to attach it to the floor.

Dimensions of the tank?

[peakbus]

Originally Posted by Danjo

Build a platform out of 2x4 and plywood.

You’ll probably also need plywood sides to keep it from bulging and a way to attach it to the floor.

Dimensions of the tank?

The tank is 12x17x34. I'm going the angle iron route for the frame as it seems the most sturdy, especially given the raised location.

Good idea on the plywood. I may do that or add some 1/8"x 1" metal straps to prevent bulging. I don't think it is a big issue since the tank in relatively small. More concerned about chafing as we bouncy along.

[Danjo]

That’s a small tank. It might not bulge. Fill it with water while it’s out of the bus to see.

You’ll still want to support it from the bottom and strap it down because it weighs 250 pounds when it’s full.

Narrow steel might cut into the tank. You could use rubber strips, like inner tube or even 4 or 5 layers of duct tape, or strips of vinyl floor between the straps and tank

[peakbus]

Good idea on the vinyl flooring. I thought about inner tube but thought it should be thicker. I prefer to over do it rather than end up with a nasty surprise.