My Jegs fuel cell came with a tag tied to the mounts stating that they are for "locating only" and that the cell must be strapped. I've spent a few hours with the "search" function and it doesn't appear that any of you guys are using straps. Any suggestions or input? Thanks!!!

I've seen the same cell, only one from Summit. The tabs are way too light in my opinion. They won't hold the cell down. Straps are the ugliest thing you can do to that cell. My suggestion is to find someone who can weld aluminum well and weld some brackets on or some aluminum angle to bolt it down. Here is a pic of the Summit cell in a Valiant I'm building for a buddy. It's up to you what you want though. Just an idea.

I believe there are some strap kits out there
look at Jegs or possibley try
Behrent's Performance Warehouse
1-877-372-2348
www.behrents.com

They sell alot of stuff for drag race, circle
track and sprint cars. You may find something
that would work for you there.

I have a plastic 12 gallon tank with aluminum
brackets that go around and bolt together.

I got a raft of crap at Maple grove one year because I had aluminum straps on my cell. Techie said had to be steel and a specific width and thickness.

I just bent and re-used the stock straps.. so far so good... TBF

Man, I've been wondering the same thing.

I have a Summit cell very similar to yours (mine is a 2" sump). Honestly I'm thinking it is the same mfg. Same warning about the tabs being for mounting purposes only
I would really hope if you design a product and put mounting tabs that you make them strong enough to be functional, if not why are you wasting the time welding them on?

But rant aside, I'm still debating how to mount the cell and handle strapping it down. I was thinking about making a framework out of 2" sq tubing and using long bolts to anchor it to the floor..I'm guessing bending straps (or welding for non-powdercoated cells) is about the only option. I suppose you could cage it in, but I don't know the various sanctioning body rules. I have an older thread somewhere on here inquiring about fuel cell mounting that had some good pictures.

I'm not sure if the same straps that are used on the plastic cells fit the aluminum versions or not?

Hopefully you come up with something good, then I can copy it

I'm probably going to strap it. I'm not happy about it, but it beats getting sent home at tech or worse....

so i guess mine are going to fall off. they have been there for 12 years now. they dont send to be falling off.

I suppose you could rip any thing off, mine like the above cell has been in for many years with no apparent movement. I don't remember any warning with my cell when iI bought it new from Jegs. Never had the mounting tabs questioned at any of the tracks i have ran at. The only thing that was said was nice cell. They probably didn't expect it in my junky looking ride.

Any chance one of you guys can post a pic zoomed in on one of the tabs? Maybe they changed recently???

Here is mine. I don't plan on strapping it.

The tabs look the same to me...Guess the best thing to do would be to mic them and compare the thickness.

It's just those dam engineers and lawyers again. The weight of the full fuel cell while undergoing high enough G loads to tear free those little tabs off and rip open, spilling fuel everywhere and busting into flames as the car slams into something and/ or is flipping and barrel rolling down the back 40 during a high speed wreck is what they are trying to avoid being sued for.

Think along the lines of requiring mandatory rollbars as the cars get faster. Some think its overkill, but if experience has taught anyone anything, it's that doo doo happens. They have saved many lives and injuries.

If you look at the loading of those cells, all of the
weight is above the mounting tabs, as the car accelerates
the weight is trying to tip the tank over, pulling
up on the front tabs pivoting on the rears. If you
wanted to lower the tank into the floor and move the
tabs to the center of the tank the weight would just
push rearward(I'm not adding the fluid dynamics that
wants to climb the back wall). Also the surface area
of the tabs is real small. I am a big believer in
straps. I worked in the fuel lab for 35 years doing
just this stuff and if you watch video's of impacts
you would see what a tank goes through during a
impact. Most guys NEVER think of a crash when installing
a tank

Mr P Body,

You think we should strap regardless? Any ideas for a clean safe looking strap?

Thanks!

dragrcr97, One thing I notice is that your installation does not meet the IHRA requirements. The rule specifically says that the tank/cell cannot be mounted above the rear tires. This also used to be a NHRA requirement but they changed their rulebook years ago. Altho your installation looks exceptionally good, I wouldn't want to see what would happen if it hit the wall.

We have recently repaired two of these due to leaks around the welds. This was due to some flexing which stressed the tabs and tore the weld,or better said the material around the weld,we added 1/4 inch tabs (overkill)becouse the owners did not want straps. If it was my car i would strap it. Even a minor hit could tear the supplied tabs.

Anybody know the specs required for the straps?

I'm picturing a strap that will fit across the cell and be drilled to line up with the "locating tabs." Would that be sufficient for inspection?

I checked the measurements and neither Summit or Jegs seem to have straps for aluminum cells like their plastic counterparts...The plastic straps won't work due to different dimensions, so I'm guessing you've got to fab some up.

They can't line up with the tabs because the tabs line up with the vent and return on the top of the cell.

I did the same as you and was unable to find straps in the catalog. I'm going to call Jegs before I fab some up. The price they're charging for the straps they have listed is about the same as buying strap steel to make your own. Pre-Bent would be nice if they have them.

Good luck!

Greg

Yeah, I suppose if I had gotten to spend more than 5 minutes with the fuel cell I'd have remembered that, lol...It does look good collecting dust though

Hopefully someone has pre-bent straps available!
I have an e-mail off to Summit regarding the straps, I'll keep you posted on the feedback.

Do you have a pic of the doubled end? I hot linked the pic from Summit's site, and they don't appear to have anything like you described.

I'm giving up on Summit...They sent the confirmation e-mail to acknowledge the question has been sent, said one day response time...obviously that didn't happen and I don't believe it is going to happen

I'm going out on a limb to say they do not have straps, do not intend to sell straps, and do not want to recommend a source to obtain straps from for their aluminum cells.

Sorry I'm not of more help

"" The rule specifically says that the tank/cell cannot be mounted above the rear tires. ""

Well that rule was always ambiguous. Is that the "top" or is that the "bottom" that they are talking about?? Or is it the mounting tabs? If you look carefully you can see that my cell IS "mounted" below the top of the rear tires. Yes the top of the cell goes above that, but the mounting is below.

What would you do with one of those real tall and narrow plastic cells?? Lay it on its side or just have it dragging on the ground under the car?? I think not.

That is why NHRA took that rule out of the rule book. Because in a closed body car like mine it is not an issue.

This issue has been hashed out on here before. There are hundreds of "stockers" racing in NHRA (and probably IHRA) that have the fuel cell mounted in the trunk. Walk around next time you are at the races and check it out. My Demon was that way and I never had any tech Guy ever mention anything about it. Like I said before maybe I was lucky?

All I'm doing is pointing out the requirement. I just bought an IHRA rulebook because some tracks around here are going to IHRA and we're having some IHRA National and Divisonal events. I don't want to fail tech because of some stupid little requirement, so I'm making sure I meet all requirements. There are several requirements like this where the two sanctioning bodies differ. You could certainly argue the point as you state and I believe the key word is "mounted".

My guess is that requirement was intended for open wheel dragsters, not full bodied cars.