Bed mounted Aux fuel tank

[spock123]

You know I had not given much thought to commercial trucks but it is right or the one I drove was. You only pumped out of one tank as one gravity fed the other tank. Now I had a F-150 that had dual fuel tanks and I pumped from each tank, when one went dry you had to switch tanks. I really believe George has to much time on his hands.

Everyone doesn’t use extra fuel tanks but I do and I’ll continue to use mine. I thought when I crossed the Canadian border last year the border guards would say something but no one said a thing. There is three things I would do different if I made another tank. 1. I would install baffles in the tank to keep the fuel from moving around. 2. I would make it bigger. This tank was made for a standard bed, I have a long bed now. 3. Probably the most important I would bolt the tank down to the bed of truck. It was not bolted down for 8 years. Alaska taught me to bolt the tank down

[Mad Cow]

Is this a solution to a problem that doesn't exist? How remote is one going that they need an auxiliary fuel tank? And even then, wouldn't a couple of 5 gallon DOT approved fuel containers suffice? Even if I was doing the TT transport gig, I couldn't justify putting in an auxiliary fuel tank. While many spec their commercial semi trucks with dual 120 or dual 150 fuel tanks, I spec'd mine with dual 80's. It has never been an issue that I needed to have more fuel on board.

If it is about being able to have lots of fuel so that one can reach those cheaper fuel locations, then factor in the cost of the auxiliary setup and see if it is really saving anything. Keeping in mind, that the auxiliary fuel is going to attack available payload and add just that much more weight that will increase the fuel consumption. Lots of things to consider.

[MOODMAN]

MAD COW you make a good point. I think someone with a better mind for math could make an equation that would factor in the cost versus benefit of buying cheaper fuel. For example, assuming that the added weight of an 80 Gal tank would be (6.943 lbs per gallon) x 80 = 555.4 lbs.

So, what would be the impact of an added 555 lbs? Don't know. If someone could plug in those variables and create a table to see where the crossover point would be for any particular weight versus fuel cost versus mileage penalty, I think you could see whether or not an added fuel tank would benefit you. Probably OTR truckers have already done this, but the fuel economy one gets with an OTR truck are vastly different than the efficiencies you get with a 5th wheel or trailer combination.

I am curious, but am not very convinced that an added tank would give a justifiable benefit unless the difference in fuel costs was VERY high. This might make more sense if you live in a state near a bordering state where the fuel prices are vastly different. For example, if you live close to the border to South Carolina. Their prices are much lower than North Carolina, so driving a few miles to get a low price on a large fuel purchase might make sense.

[koller1509]

For me its for convenience!! I can stop for fuel where I want to. And when I am not towing I can make a trip south 20 miles to Sams Club once every 6 weeks to refuel at 70 cents a gallon less then local - saves me around $60 every time I refuel - that's just a bonus!!

[NMWildcat]

There are many different reasons that make an auxiliary tank beneficial. For us, cost doesn't have much to do with it. Just like RVing in general doesn't make any sense if you just look at the $$$ aspect.

We boondock in the Gila National Forest area a lot. Very large area with many primitive roads. Not many fuel stations and even less with diesel that are near the entrances and exits. Those that do exist are painfully expensive and I wouldn't trust buying diesel from them anyway. My stock 25 gallon tank might get me to my destination, but not out again. And my bed is already filled with water cans, gas cans for the generators, and firewood. A lot of it sits on top of my L shaped aux tank, so it doesn't rob me of much bed room in my 6.5' bed. And for the weight police faction, I could care less what my CC numbers are when all that doesn't even squat my stock suspension to level.

When on the farm we refuel equipment in the field from our trucks.

When on long trips, with or without the RV, it gives us many more options about when and where to fuel. In the desert southwest we pull a lot overnight due to less heat, wind, and traffic. So the extra tank just allows convenience if we decide not to stop when driving through the night.

So, use an auxiliary tank if it makes sense to you. Otherwise, don't. Easy

[mzbrandi]

Originally Posted by koller1509

For me its for convenience!! I can stop for fuel where I want to. And when I am not towing I can make a trip south 20 miles to Sams Club once every 6 weeks to refuel at 70 cents a gallon less then local - saves me around $60 every time I refuel - that's just a bonus!!

Ditto for me. Wish I had one

Brandi

[Paulie1138]

I did the math. Assuming ideal maximum conditions, I might get around .25 MPG less when full. I was lucky to find my used 50 gallon Transfer Flow tool/fuel setup on C.L. for 300. Sold the tool box that came with the truck for 85.00. Took me about 2-3 hours to install.

My first trip from AZ to OR, thru CA, I was able to avoid filling in that state. At the time, fuel was over 1.25/gal different if I looked for cheaper fuel. As much as 2.00 more at the truck stops. Round trip, I saved at least 200.00.

Another savings, we play the fuel points game at the grocery store. Usually I am able to save .75-1.00/gal when I fill, with a max at 35 gallons.

That said, it will pay for itself a lot faster than you might think. For me, it is not the fact I can save a lot on fuel costs, but it is the convenience of NOT worrying about where to get fuel when hitched. We stop to enjoy the scenery or stretch out whenever we want. I fuel when I want to, rather than when I HAVE to. Here in the West, there can be long stretches on the back roads with no fuel stops. There is another point for us here in the Desert Southwest. When it is 118 outside, we try to travel when it is cooler in the mornings or after dark. We try to be off the road by 2-3pm. Or, drop our speed to 55 with frequent stops.

This works for us. If fuel is plentiful where you are or go, then no need for the extra. If most of your travels are along the Interstates, freeways and the like, then no need for the tank.

[Mad Cow]

I can see the one point of not stopping as often to buy fuel or if one has an exceedingly small fuel tank. But having the extra fuel on board so one doesn't have to stop thru the night seems spurious. Maybe just me. Even as a commercial semi truck owner and driver for over 35 years, I cannot (and never have) drive 12 hrs straight without getting out of the seat at least once or twice to stretch my legs and drain the bladder. Besides, it is just not healthy to stay in the seat that long at one time. And fueling at night is the easiest time to get in and out of the fuel stops. But whatever works for others is cool.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Mad Cow

I can see the one point of not stopping as often to buy fuel or if one has an exceedingly small fuel tank. But having the extra fuel on board so one doesn't have to stop thru the night seems spurious. Maybe just me. Even as a commercial semi truck owner and driver for over 35 years, I cannot (and never have) drive 12 hrs straight without getting out of the seat at least once or twice to stretch my legs and drain the bladder. Besides, it is just not healthy to stay in the seat that long at one time. And fueling at night is the easiest time to get in and out of the fuel stops. But whatever works for others is cool.

Agreed. I wasn't clear in my language about driving through the night. For us, driving through the night is generally an 8 hour trip between Las Cruces NM and Scottsdale Az. We do not stop for fuel, but we do stop at least once, sometimes more, for bathroom or meal breaks. But we can be very selective in where we stop. 5 hours is about my limit for non-stop driving at night. During the day it seems to be two hours for some reason

[Dirt Sifter]

I laughed at Mad Cow's comment that he didn't understand the need for extra tank capacity 'cause his dual 80 gal tanks did the job. This thread started with a member asking about a bigger gas tank than the OEM in his pickup..... It certainly has taken on a life of its own. This is a great forum.

[Paulie1138]

X2. We very seldom go more than 2-3 hours without stopping for something or other. Towing along smaller routes can be hard to find fuel stops that are camper-friendly or without need to disconnect.

[koller1509]

Originally Posted by Paulie1138

X2. We very seldom go more than 2-3 hours without stopping for something or other. Towing along smaller routes can be hard to find fuel stops that are camper-friendly or without need to disconnect.

X2

[spock123]

It’s just a convenience for us but in the ten years I have had the tank it’s paid for itself a time or two. I just don’t like going in truckstops. The auxiliary tank works for but it’s like other things it doesn’t work for everyone. The tank doesn’t stay full all the time. Coming back from Fort Wilderness to North Carolina I only filled the tank half full. We stop about every couple hundred miles to use our bathroom

[jtesta1]

Fellow from our neighborhood was traveling with his family. During a collision with another vehicle their auxiliary fuel tank was compromised. Him his wife and three children were killed. Don't think it was worth it.

[Houston Remodeler]

The best reason for an auxiliary tank is pictured below.

We spent a week in Yosemite this spring (before the fires thank Jesus) where diesel was selling for $6.07 per gallon. We could drive to the Indian reservation and buy at $3.45. A savings of $246 each fill-up.

We average 200 miles a day when not towing. We went to other nearby parks, a trip into town for a fancy birthday dinner, and long back country drives through the mountains where we didn't see a place to buy fuel for hours.

[mzbrandi]

Originally Posted by Houston Remodeler

The best reason for an auxiliary tank is pictured below.



We spent a week in Yosemite this spring (before the fires thank Jesus) where diesel was selling for $6.07 per gallon. We could drive to the Indian reservation and buy at $3.45. A savings of $246 each fill-up.



We average 200 miles a day when not towing. We went to other nearby parks, a trip into town for a fancy birthday dinner, and long back country drives through the mountains where we didn't see a place to buy fuel for hours.

Wow, if it wasn’t for the mountains, I would have thought you were in Death Valley or hwy 395 near Lee Vining/Bridgeport, Ca.

[Gsykora]

Towing out here, you definitely need a larger tank. There was nothing (or anybody for miles)

[koller1509]

Originally Posted by jtesta1

Fellow from our neighborhood was traveling with his family. During a collision with another vehicle their auxiliary fuel tank was compromised. Him his wife and three children were killed. Don't think it was worth it.

I would like to see the accident report on that one - I doubt the auxiliary diesel tank was ruled the cause. I have been on hundreds of accidents over the last 25 years and have never seen a diesel tank contribute to a fatality - have seen many gasoline though.

[W5CI]

I also have a 40 gal TransferFlow tank because my 2015 RAM 3500 only has a 28 gal tank. yes we stop ever 2 or 3 hours for a break but I didn't want to have to fuel that often. it was a PIA pulling my 5er. with the aux tank I can drive all day then fuel when and where I want. it is all about convenience

[spock123]

Originally Posted by jtesta1

Fellow from our neighborhood was traveling with his family. During a collision with another vehicle their auxiliary fuel tank was compromised. Him his wife and three children were killed. Don't think it was worth it.

I would like to see that report, I think all on here would like to see that, pros and cons. They may have been killed by the collision. My family safety comes first but in ten years I know that in accidents the fuel can catch fire, what would you have commercial trucks do have twenty gallon tanks. If you don’t want a auxiliary tank it’s your decision, it’s about convenience for me plus I like to buy fuel where I choose to and not where I have too. It works for me but not for everyone