# Lifting a diesel fuel tank onto a stand



## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

I have another one of these on the property where the tank blew off in a massive wind storm. The problem is the stand is about 9 feet tall, and I'm doubting whether my tractor would be able to lift the tank high enough to get it back on the stand.

Any ideas on how to get the tank back on the stand safely? The tank is empty right now.

Thanks!


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## BinVa (Sep 21, 2020)

You could build a dirt ramp...then cut it away when you get the tank set. Measure the reach of your tractor bucket and see if that's feasible. Keep in mind if you do this with the tank suspended by a chain, as the tractor climbs the ramp..the tank will want to swing towards the tractor front end. You may also be able to chain/strap the tank to the front of the bucket, if it has the lift/curl capacity. Regardless of the method..be sure you attach something heavy to the 3pt hitch to counter balance the load. B.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

I am assuming that the stand is just setting on the ground not mounted in concrete or anything like that?


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

You need to know someone with a truck mounted Hiab crane, to lift the tank safely, I wouldn't attempt to lift that tank unless I had a 950 Cat loader, being the smallest loader I would use, and certainly not your small machine, if you try with your small tractor, then you could wear the tank in your lap as well as smash the canopy, steering plus the dash, because it wouldn't take much for the tank to roll over the bucket and onto the tractor.

If you had a couple of 10" dia trees that could be made into ramps and laid against the tank stand, then you could use the tractor to pull and roll the tank up onto the stand, but I see your country seems to be treeless, I"ll do a rough drawing to show what I mean, the only dangerous part of this manoeuvre is when the tank reaches the top and rolls into the seat, the tank could roll right over without restraints, the tank base would need to be attached to concrete footings, otherwise the stand would most likely tip over.


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

unsquidly said:


> I am assuming that the stand is just setting on the ground not mounted in concrete or anything like that?


Correct.


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

FredM said:


> I wouldn't attempt to lift that tank unless I had a 950 Cat loader, being the smallest loader I would use, and certainly not your small machine.


I looked up a 950 Cat loader online and they are HUGE machines! I'm shocked that you would say to use nothing less than a 950. We're talking about an empty steel drum that probably holds 300-500 gallons. But thank you for the diagram. Something to think about if I had trees.


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

What about putting the stand on it's side, anchoring the tank to the stand with straps, then using the tractor's bucket to tip the stand upright?


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

pioneerMan said:


> I looked up a 950 Cat loader online and they are HUGE machines! I'm shocked that you would say to use nothing less than a 950. We're talking about an empty steel drum that probably holds 300-500 gallons. But thank you for the diagram. Something to think about if I had trees.
> 
> The photo of the tank you attached to the post doesn't look that small and that is what I based my assumption on.





pioneerMan said:


> What about putting the stand on it's side, anchoring the tank to the stand with straps, then using the tractor's bucket to tip the stand upright?


Yes, I had thought of offerering that suggestion too, but I would also have the stand attached to the tractor also to prevent the stand tipping over with the weight of the tank on top as the stand passed the point of balance on the legs.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

OK.....Here is what I would given your landscape, equipment and your situation.......If you have a pretty much standard size stand for a 300 to 500 gallon tank then the cradle that the tank rests in is about 5 foot off of the ground which is probably well within the lifting height of your bucket but going to be hard to reach up and do any hand maneuvering at that height so, I would take the tractor and using your FEL bucket dig about a two foot deep hole a little larger then the base of the tank stand... Then I would run the bucket into the middle open part of the stand, lift it up and place it in the hole you just dug. Now you have a very workable height with your FEL to chain or ratchet strap the tank to your bucket and place it back on the stand. Once you have that done and the tank secured to the stand, life the stand out of the hole the same way you put it in and place the fuel tank and stand where you want it....... This is the way that I would do it and it would not require me to get any help and I could do it all by myself.....Make sense?


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

unsquidly said:


> OK.....Here is what I would given your landscape, equipment and your situation.......If you have a pretty much standard size stand for a 300 to 500 gallon tank then the cradle that the tank rests in is about 5 foot off of the ground which is probably well within the lifting height of your bucket but going to be hard to reach up and do any hand maneuvering at that height so, I would take the tractor and using your FEL bucket dig about a two foot deep hole a little larger then the base of the tank stand... Then I would run the bucket into the middle open part of the stand, lift it up and place it in the hole you just dug. Now you have a very workable height with your FEL to chain or ratchet strap the tank to your bucket and place it back on the stand. Once you have that done and the tank secured to the stand, life the stand out of the hole the same way you put it in and place the fuel tank and stand where you want it....... This is the way that I would do it and it would not require me to get any help and I could do it all by myself.....Make sense?


My thought was, why have it 9FT high in the first place? 6FT would work just fine. Cutting the stand legs would be one soultion. Yet, your idea is better. The legs are in the hole, buried, and the tank base can be at the 6FT height.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

bmaverick said:


> My thought was, why have it 9FT high in the first place? 6FT would work just fine. Cutting the stand legs would be one soultion. Yet, your idea is better. The legs are in the hole, buried, and the tank base can be at the 6FT height.



I doubt that the bottom of the tank is 9 foot off of the ground.......I have never seen one that the bottom of the tank was more then about 5 foot off the ground.....


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

unsquidly said:


> This is the way that I would do it and it would not require me to get any help and I could do it all by myself.....Make sense?


Yes, it does make sense, but I'm not sure how easily I would be able to dig a 2 foot hole with my bucket. The ground is quite hard out here. What does FEL refer to? I'll take a photo later today of my bucket up against the top portion of the stand, and I'll also measure the height. It may not really be 9 feet tall.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

FEL refers to "*F*_ront_ *E*_nd _*L*_oade_r". I'd check the height of the tank stand and see if the loader has the capacity to lift the tank before you go any further. Do you you the capacity or the dimensions of the tank? A 300 gallon tank MT about 6 feet long and 3 1/2 foot diameter would probably weigh no more than a medium size round hay bale, for instance.


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

I took a photo today of how high my bucket will go. The stand is not 9 feet tall like I said earlier, but it's taller than 6. At this point I think the safest way will be to tie the tank to the stand while the stand is laying on it's narrow side. Then use the bucket to slowly raise the stand upright.

By the way, I'm liking the used landscape rake I purchased a few weeks ago. It gets clogged with weeds and then the dirt starts backing up instead of going through the tines, so my plan is to remove every other tine.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Can you attach a photo of your tractor with the bucket against the tank as if you were going to lift the tank just to give a comparison of sizes of tank and tractor, the photo shows you have enough reach, but lets see the tank size against your machine.

Will the bucket fit between the stand uprights.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I'd be inclined to dig a 2' depression in the ground, put a liner in it, then set the stand at one corner of your containment pit, then set the tank on. As long as the bottom of the tank is higher than the top of your fuel tank, you'd be good to go. 
The other option that you mentioned, is tip the stand on it's side, not on it's end, fasten the tank in the proper position then tip the whole think up. I'd tie a rope to the stand to prevent the tank and stand from tipping right over onto it's other side.


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## dennis wagner (Jun 8, 2020)

pioneerMan said:


> I have another one of these on the property where the tank blew off in a massive wind storm. The problem is the stand is about 9 feet tall, and I'm doubting whether my tractor would be able to lift the tank high enough to get it back on the stand.
> 
> Any ideas on how to get the tank back on the stand safely? The tank is empty right now.
> 
> ...


what i would do is push the stand on its side strap the tank to the top of the stand both laying on the ground then put a chain around the top of the stand and pull the top of the stand by lifting and moving in reverse and the pivot point will pull the tank back up to where it should be


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## John Liebermann (Sep 17, 2018)

I cant believe that that loader wont lift that tank! It's empty.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

John Liebermann said:


> I cant believe that that loader wont lift that tank! It's empty.


No one is saying the tractor wont lift the tank, safety is the concern.

A 300 gallon tank is equivalent to 6.8 44gallon drums, and a 500 gallon tank is equivalent to 11.3 44 gallon drums just as a size comparison.

I have asked the OP to include a photo of the bucket against the tank for a comparison.


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## Jim Quist (May 4, 2019)

bmaverick said:


> My thought was, why have it 9FT high in the first place? 6FT would work just fine. Cutting the stand legs would be one soultion. Yet, your idea is better. The legs are in the hole, buried, and the tank base can be at the 6FT height.


Exactly - as long as the bottom of the tank is about the height of the tractor fuel tank, there will be enough pressure. Think about a common jerry can. It's at tractor height when used - and you do NOT hold it 9 feet high. Keep it simple.


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

Jim Quist said:


> Cutting the stand legs would be one soultion.


This would not be easy or simple for my situation.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

Did you ever pick a plan and try it out on getting this tank back on the stand?


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

unsquidly said:


> Did you ever pick a plan and try it out on getting this tank back on the stand?


Not yet, but it's still on my list. I will add a photo soon of the bucket next to the tank itself. I'm going in multiple directions with all the things I'm doing on this property to get it cleaned up.


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## willy81 (Jan 30, 2020)

I didn't read all the coments but this is what I would do. Attach the tank to the stand put the stand on its side when the tank is attached
to the stand use the bucket to raise is up. Get the bucket under the tank tractor is 4wd slowly move forward and slowly raising bucket should be a quick fix

willy


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## Cvans (Sep 7, 2008)

Jim Quist said:


> Exactly - as long as the bottom of the tank is about the height of the tractor fuel tank, there will be enough pressure. Think about a common jerry can. It's at tractor height when used - and you do NOT hold it 9 feet high. Keep it simple.


When l moved my tank the same size as yours using a 25 hp Mitsubishi I picked the tank up from the end and set it in the cradle. Worked just fine and that small tractor had no problems lifting the empty tank


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## John Liebermann (Sep 17, 2018)

We are making a bigger issue about this than necessary.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

John Liebermann said:


> We are making a bigger issue about this than necessary.


I think you are right! Maybe we should see how he makes out. Hopefully he'll have a few pictures,LOL.


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## pioneerMan (11 mo ago)

I'm finally back with an update. A neighbor came to my rescue and helped me move the two tanks. We positions the spouts on the north side, to help protect the plastic fuel filter housings.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Great you had a neighbor to help and what better way to lift with an excavator.


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