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Van's RV Fuel Tank Construction Tips - Mothership Video

greghughespdx

Well Known Member
Advertiser
We've published a new YouTube video - Van's RV Fuel Tank Construction Tips. It includes information and tips that can't really be covered in the plans but which we can show in this format. The primary focus of this video is effective and proper sealing while assembling.

Scott McDaniels from our prototype shop and I spent a few days filming, and the resulting 2.5 hours contains a lot of good info in terms of the how's and why's that matter most to Scott when he's building a fuel tank. It's great contextual info for folks to have before they start their own tank builds.

It's a longer video, and we can't cover every tank topic in this one, but we broke it up into "chapters" that you can click to jump around if you like. The most useful nuggets of "pro" info are interspersed throughout the narration of the process as Scott completes the tank, so for people who are looking at starting the process, I'd suggest setting aside some time to watch it all the way through, then use the chapters to go back and review if needed. We hope this is useful!

Enjoy. :)

 
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Great!!

(Insert sinking feeling and “oh **** I hope he doesn’t tell me not to do it the way I just finished doing it last week”)
 
Great!

Fantastic video showing all those lessons I taught myself the hard way !

This will become a go to for every first time tank builder.

The quality of instruction Vans owes to every builder of their products.

More! More!
 
Fuel Tank Construction

Extremely well done and informative. A lot of builder made tanks will not leak in the future because of this effort by Scott.
Congratulations!
 
Very well done video. This will be a tremendous resource for everyone building tanks in the future!

Would be awesome if this is a regular creation at Van's!
 
BZ!

Greg, Scott:

I watched last night- extremely well done.

You are making airplanes better, and safer, by sharing best practices this way.

I look forward to more.
 
Thank you Scott and Greg! I made this thread a 'sticky'.

Up at the top where it needs to be.

v/r,dr
 
Thank you, Van's folks, for doing this.

Best video on how to build a better tank that lessens the chances of failure or leaking.

Might need it's own sub forum for this one, so it doesn't get lost in the depths.
 
Perfect timing! I’m getting ready to do my -8 tanks. When I purchased my wing kit, I had them delete the fuel caps and flanges because I planned on using the Newton Aero style that Vans used to sell as their “premium” caps, unfortunately Vans decided to change the hole in the tank skins to the larger, RV-14 style red flanges. Now the Newton Aero caps don’t fit right.. any idea why they would do that? I really don’t want to use the plastic -14 caps, but may have no choice..
 
Vans video

Thank you to Vans. I have built 6 tanks and after watching the video I know I have used WAY too much sealant each time. No leaks but very messy.
 
I'd like to know what lucky dude gets that professionally built tank! Hey Scott, what will you charge me to fix my leaky QB tanks? :D

-Marc
 
Awesome

Glad I stumbled on this as I will be starting tanks soon, just ordered my 3/32" Tank Rivet Die Set and a 3/32" Substructure Dimple Die Set , cant wait ,,
Thanks for putting this video out !!
 
Awesome Timing

Wow!! Awesome timing I am about to start my RV8 tanks.

Thankyou Vans and keep videos like these coming as it only improves the overall quality of the build.

Chad
 
Well, this is going to be a boon for so many including myself. And I get to buy another blind rivet tool!

Nice camera work Greg!
 
Glad I stumbled on this as I will be starting tanks soon, just ordered my 3/32" Tank Rivet Die Set and a 3/32" Substructure Dimple Die Set , cant wait ,,
Thanks for putting this video out !!

Unless I have forgotten already, I think I mentioned in the video that we do not endorse the use of fuel tank dimple dies.

If you choose to use them anyway, you should not follow the step shown that details removing excess sealant from the dimple before inserting a rivet. The tank dimple dies are specifically designed for excess sealant to be under the rivet head.
 
Great Job

I have nothing more that a "Great Job Gregg"
Been there done that
Would have helped more if you would have done this video 30 years ago. I used a LOT more sealant back then.
Oh, ya that's right, YouTube wasn't around then.
Wow' we get old to fast. But the RV's are still fast and Van's guys are making them faster.
Thanks Art
 
Yoke

What size yoke did Scott use on the fuel filler rivets? yokes are on sale this weekend. I shot the last ones using a bucking bar and it was a serious PITA.

Thanks!
 
Great Video!

This was such a great video and it came out just before I started my tanks. I was a little uneasy about building them but this video was great and helped me build my tanks without any leaks on the first try! If you are able, please create more videos like this!
 
Great explanations and tips!

But I think that in Florida summer weather one would need to move considerably faster.

Especially at the rear baffle step. There I would turn the tank baffle down (leading edge pointing up) as soon as possible, half of the tank resting on the table, and half of the bottom accessible for inserting 1/8" clecos and pulling the 1/8" rivets as well as setting the skin/baffle flange rivets. An awkward working position but seems to me that using gravity to get that bead to sag and settle down on skin/flange is rather important.

Finn
 
We've published a new YouTube video - Van's RV Fuel Tank Construction Tips. It includes information and tips that can't really be covered in the plans but which we can show in this format. The primary focus of this video is effective and proper sealing while assembling.

Scott McDaniels from our prototype shop and I spent a few days filming, and the resulting 2.5 hours contains a lot of good info in terms of the how's and why's that matter most to Scott when he's building a fuel tank. It's great contextual info ……….

Enjoy. :)

Absolutely fantastic video.
 
Cheap but Effective Proseal applicator

Almost through with my 2 RV-14a tanks. Couple things of interest that may be useful. First, although I ordered 2 quarts of Proseal it looks like I am going to easily finish with one quart only used. With Scott's video as a reference, I likely used more than what he showed in his video as well. As far as application, one thing I found really helped, in lieu of the Semco applicator (hundreds of dollars), was to buy some 6 oz. empty cartridges and round nozzles (7579A42/41 and 7579A31 ) from McMaster-Carr. You probably want to cut these down to a total length of 3-4 inches or so and file or grind down the little flare on the plastic plunger that comes with each cartridge. Then you just load the Proseal into a cartridge, and then either use a manual caulk gun applicator or just press down with your thumb. You get great control over the size of the bead, as well as it's location. This is a lot cheaper than other methods I've seen used. These cartridges are only a few bucks apiece.
 
Almost through with my 2 RV-14a tanks. Couple things of interest that may be useful. First, although I ordered 2 quarts of Proseal it looks like I am going to easily finish with one quart only used. With Scott's video as a reference, I likely used more than what he showed in his video as well. As far as application, one thing I found really helped, in lieu of the Semco applicator (hundreds of dollars), was to buy some 6 oz. empty cartridges and round nozzles (7579A42/41 and 7579A31 ) from McMaster-Carr. You probably want to cut these down to a total length of 3-4 inches or so and file or grind down the little flare on the plastic plunger that comes with each cartridge. Then you just load the Proseal into a cartridge, and then either use a manual caulk gun applicator or just press down with your thumb. You get great control over the size of the bead, as well as it's location. This is a lot cheaper than other methods I've seen used. These cartridges are only a few bucks apiece.

Thanks for that. My wings come Tuesday, and I while I don't know where in the lineup the tanks come, I like this idea. Which brand of proseal did you get?
 
Proseal

It's the Flamemaster stuff available on Van's website. If you want, I'd be happy to send you my unused quart of the stuff, but if you're just getting started with the wing kit, it may expire by then (01/23). Only caveat is that the shipping isn't too crazy.
 
Sealing tank repair access panels

My tanks were built a long time ago and developed leaks (due to Proseal reverting to goo, that's another story).

After partially disassembling the tanks to clean out and replace the failed sealant I followed the process in the video, where applicable.

The repairs did require access covers in the rear baffle and I sealed them using minimal sealant, focussing on the inside application. There are no leaks so far. I don't think it should be necessary to put additional sealant on the external surface of the access covers because the seal is made from the inside, much like the inner tube in a tire.
 

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Tank Sealing Video

I took many of the tips from the Vans video and condensed into 2 min vid on my process or installing a tank rib. Hopefully helpful to others!

 
Thank you

I took many of the tips from the Vans video and condensed into 2 min vid on my process or installing a tank rib. Hopefully helpful to others!


Thank you for the video
One question, IN the cover where you install the fuel senders, did you put pro seal in that area for those covers? Or just the gasket?
Thank you in advance!
 
Thank you for the video
One question, IN the cover where you install the fuel senders, did you put pro seal in that area for those covers? Or just the gasket?
Thank you in advance!

I installed the end access plate with proseal because it will not normally need to be removed again, but if necessary it can be disassembled with some effort.

The sender for the fuel level is installed with a cork gasket and Permatex Aviation Form a Gasket. This is so that the sender can be more easily removed and replaced in future (likely). The screws that hold the sender in are sealed with proseal.
 

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I installed the end access plate with proseal because it will not normally need to be removed again, but if necessary it can be disassembled with some effort.

The sender for the fuel level is installed with a cork gasket and Permatex Aviation Form a Gasket. This is so that the sender can be more easily removed and replaced in future (likely). The screws that hold the sender in are sealed with proseal.

Thank you for the information!
 
Van's recommends against using the cork gasket. That's been the case for many years, and we certainly don't use it in-house. It will eventually deteriorate and leak, as has been proven over and over (and over again). The definition of "eventually" varies considerably. Ease of removal can often be trumped within a relatively small period of time by ease of leaking, so we recommend using just proseal when installing.
 
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