Work vehicle with support device for mounting a commodity tank and support device mounting a commodity tank to a work vehicle

A work vehicle comprising:

• a ground engaging member;
• a drive axle assembly comprising an axle rotatable relative to the drive axle assembly and being selectively coupleable with the ground engaging member for driving the ground engaging member by the axle;
• a commodity tank comprising a commodity tank mounting structure;
• and
• a commodity tank support device mounting the commodity tank on an end portion of the drive axle assembly of the work vehicle, the commodity tank support device comprising:
• a main body portion defining an elongate opening extending along an axis of the main body portion and configured to receive the end portion of the drive axle assembly extending through the opening, the main body portion comprising a substantially cylindrical main body member defining a main body member longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate opening extends through the main body member along the longitudinal axis;
• a first mounting portion defining an axle mounting portion of the commodity tank support device, the axle mounting portion comprising an axle coupling member configured for selective fastening with a corresponding axle mounting structure on the end portion of the drive axle assembly that is nonrotatable relative to the associated work vehicle;
• and
• a second mounting portion defining a commodity tank mounting portion of the commodity tank support device, the commodity tank mounting portion comprising a commodity tank coupling member configured for selective fastening with the commodity tank mounting structure of the commodity tank,
• wherein the main body portion and the first and second mounting portions comprise a unitary construction.

A method of mounting a commodity tank onto a work vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a commodity tank comprising commodity tank mounting structure;
• providing a commodity tank support device comprising:
• a main body portion defining an elongate opening extending along an axis of the main body portion and configured to receive an end portion of a drive axle assembly of the work vehicle extending through the opening, the main body portion comprising a substantially cylindrical main body member defining a main body member longitudinal axis, wherein the elongate opening extends through the main body member along the longitudinal axis;
• a first mounting portion defining an axle mounting portion of the commodity tank support device, the axle mounting portion comprising an axle coupling member configured for selective fastening with a corresponding axle mounting structure on the end portion of the drive axle assembly that is non-rotatable relative to the work vehicle;
• and
• a second mounting portion defining a commodity tank mounting portion of the commodity tank support device, the commodity tank mounting portion comprising a commodity tank coupling member configured for selective fastening with the commodity tank mounting structure of the commodity tank,
• wherein the main body portion and the first and second mounting portions comprise a unitary construction;
• moving the commodity tank support device and the drive axle assembly of the work vehicle relative to each other to receive the end portion of a drive axle assembly of the work vehicle extending through the opening of the main body portion;
• fastening the axle mounting portion defined by the first mounting portion of the commodity tank support device with the corresponding axle mounting structure on the end portion of the drive axle assembly;
• and
• fastening the commodity tank coupling member of the commodity tank mounting portion of the commodity tank support device with the commodity tank mounting structure of the commodity tank.