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Replace hard tanks


jeffmx

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I want to add some ballast to the rear like everybody else...

But instead of using sacs, and installing plumbing, and cutting holes in my boat, I think I am going to pull out the hand tanks in the rear compartments, and replace them with 500 gal tanks, using the stock pumps,etc.

Then recarpet it and walla, done.

Anybody ever do that?

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Do you mean 500 lb tanks (around 60-65 gal)? 500 gal tanks would weigh 4000 lbs each full and would probably sink your boat... Biggrin.gif

Edited by jshap
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I removed my tanks and replaced them with sacs.

No drilling or cutting required - very ez mod.

Problem with larger hard tanks is the permanent room they take up.

They are always there and you can never use that space for storage (or hiding beer/liquor from Ken)

With sacs you get all the same weight but when they are not in use you have tons of room for storage.

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I removed my tanks and replaced them with sacs.

No drilling or cutting required - very ez mod.

Problem with larger hard tanks is the permanent room they take up.

They are always there and you can never use that space for storage (or hiding beer/liquor from Ken)

With sacs you get all the same weight but when they are not in use you have tons of room for storage.

AHHH...HAAA!!! now I know your secret hiding place... Surprised.gif

I was just talking to Ronnie about this last night, if I could get 700lb. in a hard tank and loose half my locker, I would do it in a heart beat. I am really tired of moving stuff from side to side.

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But if you keep it at 500lbs stuff still fits even when they are full.

We've got 5 or 6 jackets on each side even when the sacs are full.

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I removed my tanks and replaced them with sacs.

No drilling or cutting required - very ez mod.

Problem with larger hard tanks is the permanent room they take up.

They are always there and you can never use that space for storage (or hiding beer/liquor from Ken)

With sacs you get all the same weight but when they are not in use you have tons of room for storage.

AHHH...HAAA!!! now I know your secret hiding place... Surprised.gif

I was just talking to Ronnie about this last night, if I could get 700lb. in a hard tank and loose half my locker, I would do it in a heart beat. I am really tired of moving stuff from side to side.

I am onboard with this setup instead of sacs. With the hard tanks in our '04 boats it's hard to squeeze in a large sac between the tank and the engine compartment wall. If the table is not stored in place, the wall takes a lot of pressure from the sac as well. With a larger hard tank in there, you would not have to mess with a sac at all. I have plenty of storage in other compartments for the vests we don't use but are required by the CC if the hard tanks were not much taller than the stock tanks. It would be a PITA to service the engine with the hard tanks in there if they filled the whole width of the space though. They would have to be able to be removed to work on the engine.

On this same mod, I would like to see the carpet on the floor of the rear storage lockers as an option from the factory. I would rather have a finished gel floor than to have to deal with the wet carpet from the vests and spill overs from filling a sac in there.

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I'm with ya on the no carpet back there Ronnie. I was thinking of taking out the carpet and having it sprayed with a smooth bed liner.

M

Edited by gooddog
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I'm with ya on the no carpet back there Ronnie. I was thinking of taking out the carpet and having it sprayed with a smooth bed liner.

M

Exactly what i was saying the factory should do, invest in a bed liner sprayer!

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Storage wouldn't be an issue.

In the '06 VLX the tanks are below the floor right? If that's the case, take out the old tank and look for a new one, that has the same footprint, just taller. If you doubled the height, you'd still have plenty of room in the locker. The 'floor' (actually the top of the tank) would just be higher.

I think that makes all the sens in the world. You could reinforce the top of the tank, so your 'floor' would be strong and you could still put fat sacs back there if you wanted.

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Storage wouldn't be an issue.

In the '06 VLX the tanks are below the floor right? If that's the case, take out the old tank and look for a new one, that has the same footprint, just taller. If you doubled the height, you'd still have plenty of room in the locker. The 'floor' (actually the top of the tank) would just be higher.

I think that makes all the sens in the world. You could reinforce the top of the tank, so your 'floor' would be strong and you could still put fat sacs back there if you wanted.

Exactly what I was thinking. My boat has more than enough storage- dare I say too much storage. I wouldn't miss the space, and using the stock set up is the key here.

Don't get me wrong, I definately like having the extra storage, like when we go on the houseboat, I can pack everything we need except the coolers in the boat at home for a week long trip, and tow it to Shasta ,dump it in the lake, throw the coolers in , and we are gone. No double packing at the ramp.

Anyway, I will look into it and report my findings.

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Storage wouldn't be an issue.

In the '06 VLX the tanks are below the floor right? If that's the case, take out the old tank and look for a new one, that has the same footprint, just taller. If you doubled the height, you'd still have plenty of room in the locker. The 'floor' (actually the top of the tank) would just be higher.

I think that makes all the sens in the world. You could reinforce the top of the tank, so your 'floor' would be strong and you could still put fat sacs back there if you wanted.

OK or that.

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  • 9 months later...

Not to shoot down a man's idea, but just getting the stock hard tanks removed via the locker opening was a bit of a challenge. Not sure how much wider of a tank it could take, IIRC. Seems like I have to turn it sideways and eventually on its back to get it out. Dontknow.gif

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Not to shoot down a man's idea, but just getting the stock hard tanks removed via the locker opening was a bit of a challenge. Not sure how much wider of a tank it could take, IIRC. Seems like I have to turn it sideways and eventually on its back to get it out. Dontknow.gif

I also was thinking this would be the hard part. At the factory, they put the hard tanks in even before they put the top deck on or engine in for that matter. Whatever design you were gonna go with Jeff would have to contort through the opening of the storage locker. Although, if you want we can get a screw driver and a power saw to fix that problem. Crazy.gif

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A buddy of mine with a 2002 VLX got another set from Malibu ($150/set, he claims...at the time) and just installed it right next to the OEM installed ones. Get yourself a set of Pop Bags and your in business!!! A whole lot less trouble and probably about the same $$$.

Not to shoot down a man's idea, but just getting the stock hard tanks removed via the locker opening was a bit of a challenge. Not sure how much wider of a tank it could take, IIRC. Seems like I have to turn it sideways and eventually on its back to get it out. Dontknow.gif

I also was thinking this would be the hard part. At the factory, they put the hard tanks in even before they put the top deck on or engine in for that matter. Whatever design you were gonna go with Jeff would have to contort through the opening of the storage locker. Although, if you want we can get a screw driver and a power saw to fix that problem. Crazy.gif

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