Propane Bottles - Montana Owners Club

Army Guy · 01-19-2010, 03:32 PM

Has someone figured out a better way to secure our propane bottles? I do not like the metal band and clamp - seems the clamp is always coming loose and is a pain to attach.

Looking for thoughts/ideas. Thanks

Art-n-Marge · 01-19-2010, 06:28 PM

I hate that clamp. Fortunately, mine never comes loose. If it does, I hate to say this, but maybe it's not tight enough. Mine is REAL tight, but when I finally get that clamp to snap flush to the bottle I know it is very solid. My biggest complaint is that the metal strap has very sharp edges. I can't use gloves because then I can't work the clamp, and I know one day I am gonna slice my hands.... I do not want to think about it.

I wonder what others have come up with?

Emmel · 01-20-2010, 02:09 AM

Rick, mine are tight like Arts, they have not worked loose "yet".
Try putting a small clip in the hole after you close the clamp. It's not big enough to put a padlock in, but there ought to be some small clevis pin or something like that.

kdeiss · 01-20-2010, 02:14 AM

I put rubber under the band to keep tight old inter tube

lfw · 01-20-2010, 02:15 AM

The one's I have do not have a hole to put a clip in. I store a water hose in with the propane bottle.. when I move the hose the strap will pop loose ...
lfw

cmp-shooter · 01-20-2010, 02:17 AM

Use a rubber bungy cord around it.

richfaa · 01-20-2010, 03:13 AM

Never had a clap pop or come loose in 5 campers. Never thought about it....

camper4 · 01-20-2010, 03:20 AM

I had a strap break loose from the mount once. It stayed in place till I found it. I re attached with a self taping metal screw.
Never had one come loose on it's own otherwise. Mine are tight when clamped in place. There is some foam on the metal strap, on the back side. I like the inner tube idea.

HamRad · 01-20-2010, 04:36 AM

Only problem I've had was one of the straps broke. I removed the remaining parts and bought a new one and installed it. So far no problems.

I suppose one could build a metal base with sides a few inches high. Just high enough to hold the tank in place. Of course it would have to be low enough to allow one to remove and replace the tank. And you might still need something on top to keep it from wobbling around.

Or how about installing a strap with Velcro fastener? That might help with the clasp coming loose. Or maybe not!

I don't plan to do anything to mine.

HamRad

bobivy · 01-20-2010, 10:27 AM

I use the standard strap and clamp, but put one of the smallest plastic strap ties they make around the end of the clamp. That way, it keeps the clamp from unclamping, yet, in an emergency, it can be broken to get the bottle out.

lfw · 01-20-2010, 11:57 AM

Could someone post a picture of the type of strap they have one their propane tanks.. Before we got the Monty we had a SOB and I liked the strap on the SOB a lot better than the one on the Monty.. But I would not give the Monty up for another SOB....
lfw

Art-n-Marge · 01-20-2010, 12:42 PM

These pictures show the propane tank and the restraint in its cabinet. The second picture shows a closeup view of the restraint in question.

This is used on many RVs when there is a single bottle to be supported in a cabinet. The other bottle is on the other side of the rig and is strapped securely using the same hardware.

To loosen, one grabs the left side of the silver clasp and flips it outward to the right - one might keep their hand over the clasp to prevent a "violent" movement as it snaps loose. The loop on the other side is supposed to keep everything together as it snaps loose. The silver loop on the other side of the clasp is removed from the black metal hook on the strap and opened to remove the propane tank.

I was thinking that the strap was coming loose at the clasp. This is usually caused by it being too loose.

If the strap is coming loose at the wall, then that's a different problem. I have not taken a close look at that, but I expect that the hole might be worn too big for the fastener and new larger diameter hardware needs to be used, or use something completely different like the loop and hook strap someone mentioned prior. The strap still has to be fastened to the side wall somehow.

Army Guy · 01-20-2010, 05:16 PM

Hey Art, thanks for posting the pictures. What I'm more talking about is that metal clamp that has all the holes in, they keep coming out. This winter, I have had to fill bottles on a regular basis which means opening and closing the clamps and they have just become a pain.... Trying to think of a different way to secure bottles.

KTManiac · 01-20-2010, 05:37 PM

Get after the the wire part of the clamp with some pliers and bend it so it hooks back through the hole in the lever part of the clamp. Should cure the problem.

Art-n-Marge · 01-20-2010, 07:03 PM

Yup, Army Guy, KTManiac is right. The metal wire C-shaped loop that fits into the holes may be spread open too much and will come out of the holes. I used a pair of channel lock pliers to squeeze the loop into a more closed position. Just make sure you remember which holes they went back in if you do this while it is apart.

This cured my problem. Now the clamp doesn't fall apart like it used to. The key to avoiding this is to make sure that the clamp is square with the black metal strap's hook. Any kind of angle will cause the loop to spread open again.

lfw · 01-21-2010, 12:46 AM

Art.. That is not the kind of strap I have.. Those are the kind I had on my SOB...Thanks for the pictures.. I will post a picture of the kind I have as soon as I find out how to include a picture in my message.. This may take a couple of days.. Heading for the RV show in Ft. Myers, FL this a.m. We are in Punta Gorda for a few more days...
Thanks again for the pictures.
lfw

lfw · 01-21-2010, 01:41 AM

Art.. I was wrong your picture is just like the one's I have.. a senior moment.. I think.. Sorry....
lfw

Army Guy · 01-22-2010, 09:30 AM

Thanks for the thoughts and comments. I guess I'll work on the clamp again - was just looking for some ideas out there. Safe travels out there.

jsmitfl · 01-22-2010, 11:48 AM

I use aluminum bottles in our fiver also along with the steel. They are a bit bigger around so I took the bands out and added eye bolts in the cabinet and then I use a heavy rubber bungee. No problems yet. Will try and post pics soon

Tom S. · 01-23-2010, 03:53 AM

The clamp works well if it's adjusted properly. The holes in the bracket are used to adjust the amount of tension on the strap. Make sure your propane bottles are as far back from the door as they will go and the clamp requires a bit of effort to secure, and they will hold forever. I know this for a fact because after adjusting ours, we had no problems with the gazillion frost heaves in the Yukon and Alaska shaking them loose.

You may also like: