Best and Safest way to carry petrol whilst travelling

Hi Lyndon. We don't have our custom boat loader yet. I have just completed all the research and once house sells will be ready to purchase everything. Have spoken the the guys a bit at custom boat loader though. I am going to purchase a Quintrex 390 Explorer and have full side rails put on. This will allow extra clearance under the boat and also grab/tie points and feel safer with the kids. Do you have full side rails? You obviously travel with tank empty. Do you have outboard fuel in container ready or do you just fill it up when you require it?

Have a read of the Material Safety data Sheet on Unleaded fuel!

Why in hell would you carry all that fuel in your cabin and think that it is safer. That would have to be the most unsafe way to carry fuel. Imagine if you have a roll over or rear end collision. I can't believe that you think this is the safest way to carry fuel. Vehicle fuel tanks are on the outside of a vehicle for very good reasons. To advise someone to carry fuel in the cabin borders on recklessness.

Hi Dindy

Inside the cabin , is the only place engineered and designed specifically to withstand impact on a vehicle - hence its the saftest.

Do you really think you would be better with it mounted in a jerry can holder at the back of a car / van when that rear end collison you mentioned happened !

Even a small impact would rupture a can there , whereas I takes a huge hit
to penetrate cabin space these days.

Aside from any other considerations, have a read of the MSDS. Unleaded fuel contains many harmful substances that makes it dangerous to inhale or absorb the vapours. So if you can smell it it's dangerous especially if inhaled/absorbed over long periods.

Hi robin I now understand why you think that it is a safe place to carry your fuel. However If you think that you will be safe in your engineered steel cocoon in the event of an accident, well good luck. I have attended the scenes of many a collision and generally the survivability of the occupants of the vehicles involved, no matter the make or model of vehicles, depends on the angle and and the speed of the vehicle at the point of impact. Most vehicles are designed to provide occupant protection at speeds in the 60kph to 80kph range. If your cans are on the exterior of the vehicle there is a good chance they will dislodge in the event, as I have seen, and cause no problem.

Have you considered fitting long range fuel tanks for your 4wd then the only fuel container you will need is a small one for your outboard which should be a lot easier to store than multiple jerry cans.

Hi Guys

Toby even my long range tanks don't cut it sometimes the exposive potential of a litre of petrol is such that carring several jerries is not really considered any worse than a small container.




Hi Notso
The potential for fumes is there as per your MSDS sheet , but its not real in practise by taking care.
You certainly wouldn't take a container that actually leaks even a drop , and ones I mentioned do specifically not have a vent valve.
You just can't smell petrol normally , you have to leave in enclosed space for hours and I think a minute amount must pass directly thru the plastic (not sure).
This is gone within a few seconds of driving anyway, I think you have more health issues by driving to close to the diesel car in front of you.




Dinidy - You could definately have senarios when either fails , but I opt for me and the fuel to be inside the engineeried steel cocoon.
Sounds like I am lucky to not have attended as many accidents as you.
Once though the car next to me rolled, it was carrying jerries on the roof which came dislodged , damaged and fuel spilled. Nasty scene actually but
every container inside the car was okay - people weren't.
These experiences do tend to shape the way you do things.

One thing I notice is that having them inside makes one take more care of them , whereas I often o with people who just chuck a couple onto their trailers , and later on you find they are leaking / dirty / etc or get incidental damage more easily.

Inside these things become apparent, and get fixed much more quickly, else the wife soon lets you know.

Hi, have a very good sense of smell and the wife's is even better. Two kids in the back also. Travelling with fuel in the car is definetly out of the question for us because of the safety, and any hint of fuel smell, the wife and kids will not want to go anywhere in that vehicle. Can't blame them. Am going to have longrange tank installed on landcruiser, so it's just the other petrol operated acc. that we will require fuel and storage for.

As I said,

See the MSDS.

unleaded MSDS

Do you really want to take the risk of breathing this in for hours at a time.

Store it outside the passenger compartment in an approved container.

That really is an imaginary fear in practise Notso.

The MSDS is actually pretty mild in context , but we should not downplay or overrate the issue.

Petrol is that stuff we all spill on our hands from time to time and breathe in at the service station.

A plane flight Melb to sydney is rated at same cancer risk as smoking 2 cigarettes and heaven forbid eating a BBQ sausage (think thats 7 cigs equivalent).

You don't drive along breathing petrol fumes from jerries -your far more likely to get cancer causing particultes from the diesel in front of you.

In a relative risk assesment it more dangerous to have the fuel outside the vehicle saftey Cocoon where the real danger comes from a rear ender etc.

Mate that's OK for yourself if you so desire but as far as advising others to take that risk, I wouldn't recommend it.

Brings new meaning to the term "Nissan Time Bomb" :)

Cheers
Greg

My Aunt and Uncle were cut out of their car recently which was almost ripped in half by a motorcycle. Admitadely it was a small car, but there are similar stories out there involving 4wds.
Does'nt take much with a side on impact.

Go diesels!

Cheers.

Hi rudi s! Thanks for your reply. Was wondering how big a container for your generator fuel you can fit in the generator box. I wont need much for the chainsaw but un sure how much the generator will require say bush camping for a week. Do you use your jerry can holders for fuel or water? Tow vehicle fuel? Do you have any pics of your setup? We are looking at the Topender 21ft family caravan. I love the Kedrons caravans and their service is great.

John P
Our tow vehicle is a Landcruiser 105 Diesel with lots of after market mods.
The caravan is an ATV. The Generator (Honda I 20) sits in the generator compartment on the rear right hand side of the caravan. I normally carry
a 5 litre can of unleaded petrol for the generator and 5 litres 2 stroke fuel for the chain saw. The jerry can holders are on the caravan and used for 2 x 20 litre jerry cans of diesel for the Cruiser. On a long trip we have 2 plastic jerry cans in the vehicle for water.

We only use the generator occasionally for the aircon and the TV. We are planning to go west for about 3 months leaving mid-May.

Regards
Rudi

I agree Lindsay. As long as one understands the (real) risks and takes appropriate precautions then it's Happy Days.