Conjecture based on my observation of the design: When the machine is static, the weight of the tanks and fuel is sufficiently supported by the cantilevered tube under each tank. But when on the move, bouncing around the lanes, that lower tube flexes enough to put significant stress on that dainty front bracket, unless the band-aid support strap is fully tight. Which of course it isn't if the machine has much in the way of miles or hours of use.
When I checked my machines support strap tension at about 8.5k miles, they were notably loose and required many turns of the adjusting nut to get back to tight, and now there is no adjustment left. Small cracks were already forming at the front brackets. So I have bought a little time, but some sort of re-design will be in order as replacing the straps with new ones that will again yield over time is not a very satisfactory solution.
