How do you secure your LP bottle?

rangerdoc · 10-07-2015, 12:01 PM

I don't like how my LP bottle is secured to my 184BH (single 20# tank). It is just two bolts and a nut. Even though the nuts are secured tight the bottle is still very wiggly because of the large holes at the bottom of the tank. I used a bungee cord to help hold it a little, but it looks bad. I'm also going to add a cover to the front for protection and looks. How does your tank secure to the trailer or are they all wiggly?

mike837go · 10-07-2015, 12:15 PM

First, "secured" means just that. Securely attached to the RV.

My old trailer had a band that wrapped around the tank with a nut&bolt to tighten the band. The band was welded to the tongue via some brackets.

The new trailer has two 30# tanks that are held down by a bar across the holes in the top collars. The bar is secured to the tongue by a threaded rod and wingnut.

Take your whole securing system apart and re-examine all the piece. Is anything broken? Missing? Bent?
Look at how the pieces interact when the threaded parts a operated. Re-read the manual for a picture of how the pieces are supposed to look and lock on the tank.

A few minutes of pondering the parts and attempts at re-assembly will reveal how it will work properly.

rangerdoc · 10-07-2015, 12:35 PM

There is nothing to my system to inspect. It is simply a tank sitting on the A-frame with two bolts going through the holes on the bottom of the tank. My manual has no diagram and this is all it says, there has to be a better way so it doesn't bounce around:

Secure the cylinder to the A-frame bracket using the bolts, nuts and washers provided.

mike837go · 10-07-2015, 12:41 PM

Then the answer is "you are missing some parts".

The propane bottle should be mechanically clamped in place. When you grab hold of it and shake, the whole trailer should move.

Do some googleing on "Propane Rack" and see what is supposed to be there.

At the least, there should be a ring or a series of arcs to keep the tank from sliding around and some form of clamp to hold it down.

bigbird · 10-07-2015, 01:48 PM

I have the same setup as you on my 228 jay feather and it wiggles too. The holes don't line up well so the tank don't sit flat. Very thin metal plate with two turn up sides that the tank sits on as well so i put a fresh spray of paint every time i change out the tank to keep the rust down.

mike837go · 10-07-2015, 02:22 PM

Ok, so you have the mounting plate.

There should be a pair of long bolts or threaded rod (over 20" each) with hooks that catch the collar that protects the valve. Nuts are tightened to hold the propane tank against the mounting plate.

What's missing?

rangerdoc · 10-07-2015, 03:06 PM

Here's a picture of a brand new one. It looks to be secured the same way as mine, just a couple bolts underneath. All the other pictures online look the same. And after taking a better look at it I'm not sure a cover will go on there either.

rangerdoc · 10-07-2015, 03:08 PM

Found a picture without the tank. The tank sits on those first two cross beams and each one has a hole in the middle to secure the bolt through the holes on the bottom of the tank. I hate to say it, but I don't think there is anything else from the factory. Just bad design. The tank won't fall off, but seem crazy to allow it to be wiggly on there.

**JFlightRisk** · 10-07-2015, 03:26 PM

This may be what you're looking for.Single-Bottle Liquid Propane Gas Rack 2020-JR
$17.95 from etrailer.com

rangerdoc · 10-07-2015, 03:37 PM

I actually saw that as well. I'm not sure how I would secure it to the tongue though. I did find this picture of what looks like a couple battery hold down posts and a rubber strap holding down the tank. At least it would keep it from wobbling. On etrailer I found a more weather resistant rubber strap with a couple hooks. I may look at that as well. I just know my bungee cord will wear out quickly when exposed to the elements.

jimmoore · 10-07-2015, 03:47 PM

No your not missing anything. That is how my 185RB came. My dealer swears all the swift series trailers are like that to keep the weight down. I feel it is like that because two bolts are cheaper than a bracket. If it is to keep the weight down why do Jayco tent trailers have brackets? I ended up replacing the bolts with padlocks, then using a ratchet strap to secure. Then put a tank cover on it to dress it up.

rangerdoc · 10-07-2015, 05:10 PM

Did your cover fit ok with the way the tank is recessed on the tongue? I'd like to get one.

**norty1** · 10-07-2015, 05:46 PM

I would do what ever needed to be done to make it un-wiggly. To heck with a couple of lbs of tongue weight. buy a single tank bracket and bolt it or weld it.

I don't want to meet a 20lb propane tank going down the highway! Oh No!

pmames · 10-07-2015, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike837go

Then the answer is "you are missing some parts".

The propane bottle should be mechanically clamped in place. When you grab hold of it and shake, the whole trailer should move.

Do some googleing on "Propane Rack" and see what is supposed to be there.

At the least, there should be a ring or a series of arcs to keep the tank from sliding around and some form of clamp to hold it down.

This was the way our 2014 StarCraft AR One RB15 ,traded, was
secured and yes it wiggled. It did not have clamps or a ring.

Edd505 · 10-07-2015, 06:45 PM

I like to fix stuff so 5 Gallon RV Dual LPG Tank Trailer Rack Complete, 1801.1 add a second bottle : propane exchange? Wiggles gone and you won't run dry. Few $$ more MEGR-9984 RV Trailer LP Propane Regulator 2 Stage Automatic auto change over under $75 plus the exchange bottle

ttavasc · 10-07-2015, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmoore

No your not missing anything. That is how my 185RB came. My dealer swears all the swift series trailers are like that to keep the weight down. I feel it is like that because two bolts are cheaper than a bracket. If it is to keep the weight down why do Jayco tent trailers have brackets? I ended up replacing the bolts with padlocks, then using a ratchet strap to secure. Then put a tank cover on it to dress it up.

This would seem to be a true statememt - my 195RB Baja came this way as well. Here is a link to thread showing how I solved the problem - end result is a solid tank with no wiggle:

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...ort-26070.html

I believe I've seen a couple other threads on this same issue with different solutions - I'll see if I can find them as well.

EDIT: Here's the other link I had seen regarding the propane tank - I like how this one turned out but saw it after I did mine :-( At some point I may retro-fit mine like this....

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f7...tml#post280376

krcarter54 · 10-07-2015, 08:06 PM

Not sure if I've done this correctly - but I installed this LP tank holder on our Jayco 185 SRB. It works great! It's a lot better solution than the Mickey Mouse setup that Jayco provided!
http://www.amazon.com/Stromberg-Carl...lp+tank+holder

rangerdoc · 10-07-2015, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krcarter54

Not sure if I've done this correctly - but I installed this LP tank holder on our Jayco 185 SRB. It works great! It's a lot better solution than the Mickey Mouse setup that Jayco provided!
http://www.amazon.com/Stromberg-Carl...lp+tank+holder

How did you mount that? Does it have to be welded on? That's the one skill I don't have.

krcarter54 · 10-07-2015, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangerdoc

How did you mount that? Does it have to be welded on? That's the one skill I don't have.

I simply drilled 2 holes and bolted it to the existing angle iron that the LP tank sets on. I also installed a self tapping screw through this mount and into the trailer frame rail. I did away with the original Mickey Mouse bolts and nuts located at the bottom of the tank. They were a royal pain in the @** to remove when it was time to fill the tank! What an absolute joke!

**norty1** · 10-08-2015, 06:51 AM

A welding shop around here would do that job for less than $50 bucks.

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