Propane Tank Transport Solved!

One RV chore I really hate is refilling propane tanks. It ranks right up there with vacuuming for me as a true pain in the you-know-what. First you have to wrestle the tank out of the outside cabinet it is stored in. Space is tight in there and you have to get it clear of the hoses, regulator, hold down clamp, and shelf lip. Once that is done, you have to transport it to the station to get it refueled without it rolling all over your truck bed. Then, if you have more to do in that same trip, you need to drive extra careful to keep it from rolling around all day. By law, it should be secured well.

One solution I have used is a molded plastic base you can find at Wal-Mart and other places. It helps to keep tanks upright and has places you can hook bungee cords to so the tank absolutely stays upright. You can also use it for transporting gas cans. It works but it takes up a lot of space in the truck bed whether you are transporting a tank or not. Some folks use milk crates instead but, again, those take up space when not transporting and don’t fully secure to the truck.

A few weeks ago I found a better solution. It is called the Tailgater Strap. It is a high-quality nylon harness specially designed to cradle a propane tank and secure it to a truck tailgate like a baby to a parent’s chest. The strap fits between the tailgate and the truck bed and comes around the tailgate then over the top of the tank to a ratchet. A second connected strap connects between the tailgate and tank to keep tension and keep the tank from rubbing the tailgate. Once your baby is tightened down in this harness, it isn’t going anywhere, even if you get in an accident. At only $14.95 plus shipping on sale, the strap is well worth it to me.

LIKES:

• Very secure
• Bright color
• Can be removed and stored easily elsewhere out of the elements, in a small space

DISLIKES:

• Takes a little time to insert strap into ratchet and roll it up which could be resolved if they added a quick buckle to it. This could actually be a good thing though in that if someone wants to take your tank, it will take them more time than a quick unbuckle to get at it.