Everything you need to know about our 80L 4WD water tanks

The Dunn & Watson 80L 4WD water tanks are perfect for all your needs on the road, whether for work or for pleasure. Made in Australia, our high quality water tanks are constructed from extremely tough, roto-moulded 5-8mm plastic material, so you don’t need any additional protective plates to guard against punctures. It’s also water potable, so you can drink the water.

What size 4WD water tanks are available?

Made from 5-8mm plastic walling (the thickness of the wall depends on the environmental temperature during the day or night), Dunn & Watson offer three different size water tanks. These are 65L, 80L and 100L tanks. The sizes of the 65L and the 80L 4WD water tanks are the same, except for the depth which allows for the additional 15L in the 80L tank. On the other hand, the 100L water tank is significantly longer, slightly wider, but much shallower than either the 65L or the 80L tanks.

 

• 65L water tanks: 810mm long x 610mm wide x 200mm deep
• 80L water tanks: 810mm long x 610mm wide x 250mm deep
• 100L water tanks: 1200mm x 700mm x 180mm deep 

 

Features of the 80L water tanks

The thickness of the tank’s walls means that it’s gouge and stab proof, so you don’t need to worry about the tank being punctured, so bash plates are not necessary. These 4WD water tanks are designed to fit under the chassis of your 4WD or Ute tray, camper trailer or caravan and are easy to install. All of our water tanks are designed with filler, breather and overflow access points on the front end of the tank (outlets are included) and a drainage point at the rear. The drainage point can be used to join two tanks together or to drain water from the tank.

 

The thread sizes for these access points are the same for the 65L, 80L and 100L tanks, except that the inlet thread is slightly larger for the 100L tanks. All tanks come with pre-drilled fixing holes for easy installation. One important point to remember is that you must not drill any other holes in these tanks, as this can lead to leakages. The existing pre-drilled holes will allow you to safely secure your tank in the correct position under your vehicle. If you have any problems installing the Dunn & Watson 4WD water tanks, please give us a call, because we are extremely familiar with these installations.

 

• 5-8mm plastic walling
• Bash plates are not required
• Filler, breather, overflow and drainage access points
• 80L & 65L thread size of filler/inlet point is ¾” BSP
• 80L, 65L & 100L thread size of outlet/drainage point is ½” BSP
• 80L, 65L & 100L thread size of breather point is ¼’ BSP
• 100L thread size of filler/inlet point is 1” BSP
• Pre-drilled fixing holes
• Colour – Black

Benefits of under tray water tanks

Carrying enough water for your needs when working or touring can be a big problem, particularly if you’re relying on plastic jerry cans. On the road, you need water for washing and cooking, as well as for the engine, and since water can be hard to find in remote areas, some way of carrying large amounts is vital. That’s why the Dunn & Watson 4WD water tanks are so popular, because where water is concerned – the more the better!

 

The best place to carry large amounts of water is under the body of your vehicle, because otherwise, it takes up a lot of valuable space. So a water tank that’s installed underneath your 4WD doesn’t take up any space that could be used for clothes, food, recovery gear, etc.

 

Another benefit is that the Dunn & Watson 4WD water tanks help to lower your vehicle’s centre of gravity, which is important for the stability of your vehicle. When you store a lot of water on the roof rack (along with all the other gear) your vehicle’s centre of gravity becomes too high, reducing its stability and easily toppling your 4WD. With so many people driving off-road, this is a serious problem that can result in fatalities for the unwary. 

 

Also, since these water tanks are installed between the front axles, the weight of your vehicle is increased towards the front. Given the weight of the engine, you might not think that this is a problem. However, when you consider the gear that travellers load into the back of their 4WDs and the amount of weight this can entail, images of broken chassis don’t seem so farfetched! Adding more weight to the front of your vehicle shares the load between the front and rear suspension and tyres, giving you a much safer ride.

 

Dunn & Watson’s water tanks are also easy to fill, use and drain. They come with pre-set access points, each with an outlet point so you don’t need to struggle with your 4WD water tanks. You can even set up a small pump with a tap so that everyone can pour their water as needed from an easily accessible point. Some people use a hose and nozzle that fits the fill point, so it can be topped up wherever you stop. Our tanks are also designed to contain potable water, which is important when touring remotely. In fact, if you’re attached to your jerry cans, you can fill these as well as your water tank, increasing your water capacity. Then fill them from the water tank on the road. 

 

Finally, as mentioned previously, the thickness of the tank’s walls means that you don’t need to spend money on protective bash plates underneath your 4WD.

 

• Frees up space inside your vehicle
• Low centre of gravity
• Centres its weight between the axles
• Easy to fill, access and drain
• Contains potable water
• No need for bash plates

 

If you already have an undertray drawer taking up the available space beneath your 4WD, then you can opt for a wheel arch storage box, canopy headboard tank, 20L sideboard tank or a dual wheel arch tank. We also have automatic 12V water pumps or hand pumps, if you prefer. 

At Dunn & Watson, we are proud of our 4WD water tanks, so if you need any help selecting or installing these tanks, just give us a call and we’ll be glad to help.