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| Sadi Member Since: 23 Jul 2015 Location: Windhoek Posts: 334   
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Hi Tony - I have the Frontrunner wing tank - which adds a quoted 45 liters. Extremely easy to fill. Cannot comment on drilling and a balance pipe as it was done via the dealer by a firm who does these alterations/additions - except to say that Frontrunner has this off the shelf for the Defender. You can browse/google for the replacement tanks - which generally give more fuel quantity. Had 2 small problems with the wing tank: it once leaked fuel via the breather pipe - the original installer lengthened the pipe and problem immediately solved. The other problem is that the tank will not allow the insertion of a hilift jack or the older ratchet type jack and may cause the x-member to actually bend - as said jacks cannot engage fully. But can be solved by using a bottle jack or air jack.
In general then very happy with the wing tank. Hope this helps. |
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3rd Nov 2016 5:37pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971  
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I thought about fitting the flow through tank before fitting my side lockers (which aren't an option in a station wagon) but was put off by the prices.
Talking to people on here they recommend having someone do the job for you as it's a lot easier with a lift and a bit of a faff of a job, and the prices that I was quoted were all around £1000. |
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3rd Nov 2016 5:47pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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Hi Tony, might be worthwhile giving me a ring on 07929 604668 and I will talk you through some options.
Replacement tanks are available in mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium (the weight saving option  )
IIRC we can offer up to 360 litres of fuel tanks for a 110 ! Consider carefully what range you actually need. Also what towing facilities you need. 120 litre main replacement tank available mild steel or stainless steel. No guards are available, however we can get the bottom double skinned Standard LR towing equipment will not fit with 120 litre tank. You would require a 2" receiver and for towing on road you would need the LR to be taxed N1 or commercial as a 2" receiver is not type approved towing equipment. We have run 120 litre tax with 33" tyres, with rear bumperettes and the tank did not impede on the departure angle. Wink tank is about 48 litre capacity, 45 litre actual I believe. Again mild steel or stainless steel. No tank guards available but ours have double skinned bottom. The balance pipe goes to the main tank and not the fuel filler pipe. It is located a few mm above the bottom of the wing tank. With a wing tank yes the fuel gauge does not move from full until the wing tank is empty. On one of our 110's we had a range of about a 1,000 miles! Only issue was it was almost a second mortgage job to fill up from empty and the look on the fuel station attendants face when you ask them to restart the pumps at £100. Much easier job to fit on a 4 poster rather then on your drive at home! HTH Brendan |
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3rd Nov 2016 6:18pm |
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| JimC Member Since: 22 Jan 2011 Location: NOVA Posts: 164  
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I have a Nakatanenga stainless 135 liter tank for my 130, fitted it in about six hours on a summer afternoon. Totally happy with it.
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3rd Nov 2016 7:55pm |
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| nosnibod Member Since: 15 Aug 2007 Location: West Midlands Posts: 367 
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I had the Safari Equip setup Brendan describes on my Td5 110 - a 120 litre replacement main tank and a 45 litre wing tank, both in stainless with a double-skinned bottom. Ian at IRB Developments fitted them whilst I made a nuisance of myself, made the tea and fed him hobnobs.
The standard adjustable Dixon-Bate towbar (i.e. the one with the slider you can pin at different heights) does in fact fit, but the bracing bars back to the chassis need a small amount trimming off - 2 minutes each with an angle grinder. Things to note:- - If you have the rear seats fitted then you will have trouble fitting the wing tank because a bracing bar runs from the rear crossmember to the bottom of the seat box to brace the seat and seat belt fixings. - seriously consider cutting a hatch for the fuel pump/sender in the floor. Once those tanks are fitted you will not want to remove them to get at the pump/sender. Believe me on this.... - The balance pipe looks vulnerable but in fact I never had a problem with it for over 150,000 miles[1]. - You will need to either remove the rear anti-roll bar or get some extensions to lower it. Mine didn't have the anti-roll bars fitted anyway. If you do retain the anti-roll bar it will be very low indeed compared to the rest of the transmission. Just a thought... - The main tank isn't hard to fit, but the wing tank requires a great deal of dexterity to get the filler lined up and then a shortened main pipe between the wing and main tank installed and the hose clips tightened. - The fuel pipes to the pump are brittle and liable to breaking unless you are extremely careful. I broke one and we had to source a complete replacement pipe. - The mudflap bracket needs trimming to fit under the wing tank. - Most petrol stations have a 100 litre dispensing limit - you will find that putting the pump handle back, into it's socket and then starting over again may get the cashier to restart the pump. At my local Esso they got used to it but I still ended up paying for each fill-up separately. - Depending on what I was doing, the fuel gauge would stay at full for 450-500 miles. I had another 300-400 miles before I started getting twitchy but in reality even when the fuel light came on there was 20-25 litres left in there. - Fuel is heavy, especially when in stainless steel tanks located behind the rear axle, so you need to consider whether your rear suspension is suitable. I ended up fitting the rear helper spring setup from a 130. Would I do it again? If I was going on very long trips, yes it would be worth doing it again. [1] Filled up for the first time, checked everything, all okay; next morning drove to work and parked in the usual spot - a block-paved posh car park. Smelt fuel... Cue very fast trip back to the workshop and a panicky call to Ian. Turned out the supplied pipe for the balance feed was made of cheese and appeared to be reacting to the diesel. We had to drain 160 litres of diesel into 10 litre buckets to replace it. Dave Green Goddess - 1998 Defender 110 300tdi |
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3rd Nov 2016 8:06pm |
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| kzycnn Member Since: 24 Apr 2009 Location: Northumberland Posts: 276 
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Hi
Thanks all for the responses. I've seen the frontrunner/terrafirma wing tanks and also pictures of the Safari Equip ones. I used prices for these as a guide before hitting my lad with the request - it's through him I can get the good prices on the Britpart stuff. It was his enquiries of the independent he is associated with (that supplies terrafirma stuff as well) that said the Britpart stuff is made by Safari Equip. They also told him the balance pipe now goes to the filler rather than the tank. I have to say, though, this is the only place I have seen that as I also believed it went to the main tank (hence thinking about a main tank replacement). Brendan - I don't have a tow hook fitted, I use a receiver hitch fitted to an ex-G4 rear step, so no issues there. Currently, when needed I carry 2 NATO cans on my roof rack - Hannibal rack and Hannibal fuel can holder. Really I just want to get the weight lower down and also have the added range when it's inconvenient to carry cans (like most of the time  ). Carrying cans inside the car is not an option as I'm also looking at changing my sleeping arrangements from the current RTT to inside the car.
Tony |
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4th Nov 2016 12:36pm |
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| kzycnn Member Since: 24 Apr 2009 Location: Northumberland Posts: 276
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Forgot to say. No rear seats fitted - in fact no seats behind the driver at all
. It's also a TD5, not that that matters unless the third row seats were in place (and it was a puma  )
Tony |
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4th Nov 2016 12:44pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971
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Sell it and get a hardtop
Makes the job much cheaper. |
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4th Nov 2016 1:06pm |
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| kzycnn Member Since: 24 Apr 2009 Location: Northumberland Posts: 276
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I suppose it does but I've had it since 2007 and watched it evolve from a bog standard XS 9 seater. It's like part of the family. Mind, my neighbour recently picked up a very tidy TD5 110 hardtop that got me thinking...
No... If the current plans work out, I'll access my fridge through the LHS passenger door. That would be difficult if there wasn't a door there
Tony |
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4th Nov 2016 1:27pm |
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| kzycnn Member Since: 24 Apr 2009 Location: Northumberland Posts: 276
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Hi. Just a quick follow up to say that I've decided on a replacement main tank (double skin). Father Christmas has obliged and I hope to pick it up, and fit, early February.
This leads me to another question.... This time regarding the original tank. Anyway, my Defender is a 53 plate (110) but one of the first '04 model year cars. It has the original fuel tank fitted, which is steel. Now, my neighbour has a '54 plate 110 with a leaky tank, but he reckons it is plastic. So, two questions: 1) I thought Land Rover didn't fit plastic tanks until the Puma came out. Is this not the case? And, if not, when was the plastic tank fitted? 2) Are the two tanks interchangeable? In other words, can I offer my old tank to my neighbour or will he need to source a compatible sender etc. etc. In other words, would it be a viable proposition to swap the two tanks? Thanks (again) Tony |
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9th Jan 2017 1:39pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1762 
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I'll have to check when I get home, but i'm 90% sure my 1999 TD5 110 Has a plastic tank...
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9th Jan 2017 2:57pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 03 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 5138
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Can you get bigger tanks for the 90 300 tdi? Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back
Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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9th Jan 2017 11:49pm |
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| kzycnn Member Since: 24 Apr 2009 Location: Northumberland Posts: 276
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Hi all
Quick update on this post and another question... There always is
Anyway, Father Christmas did indeed oblige and yesterday I fitted a Safari Equip stainless 120 litre replacement tank with a double skinned bottom . Only thing to note was there was no breather in this tank and when I put fuel in it had pressurized a bit.
Drove 400 plus miles afterwards without issue so, my question is: Do I need to vent this? If so, can you get vented caps for the Defender? Also the tank at the garage kept locking out which I guess may be a result of the tank not venting to atmosphere. Thanks as always Tony |
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6th Feb 2017 10:41am |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5842 
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My 1999 TD5 110 has a plastic tank 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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6th Feb 2017 12:54pm |
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