Fuel Tank/Tool Box Combo

Has anyone seen or heard of someone putting a Fuel Tank & Tool Box combo in there Tacoma bed? I know they make them for diesels and that's where they got the idea. I am installing one in te near future and would like some ideas am suggestions! Thanks

 

Couple threads down there in the bottom left corner of the screen

 

Pretty sure you can only transport diesel in those tanks. They are expensive but man are they nice to have for long trips and equiptment.

I had one in my bed off and on for landscaping equiptment. It did fine back there in my 4cylinder 4X4 but it took up half the bed. I used the "L" shaped one so I could still get some use out of my bed.

I wished I could transport gasoline in my current truck but DOT says no I cannot.

 

I will keep you posted of the one being put in my truck. DOT doesn't need to know. Lol

 

What happens if you are in an accident ?

Goodbye insurance I suspect

 

Talked to my insurance adjuster today and he said as long as it is bolted to the vehicle or hard wired they cover it

 

Even though you aren't legally allowed to carry gas in it ?

 

Yes. He said that it would be up to Highway Patrol (CHP for me) to regulate it.

 

Interesting

 

Used to carry gasoline in a carbon steel tank with a 12V fuel pump, for fueling equipment, on my 87 Toyota Pickup. Also installed a spin-on non-bypassing/water block fuel filter. It worked fine, but the carbon steel tank had some rust in the interior after a year. If I did it again, would find an aluminum tank or a tank that won't rust.

 

Thats cool! except the rust! lol. The one I am purchasing is made of .125 marine grade aluminum.

 

Still waiting for it to be made...

 

Like to see a photo when you get it installed.

 

I will be sure to post one!

 

You need to check the laws of each individual state but generally speaking DOT does not make anything legal or not legal. It sets standards which manufacturers may or may not build to.

This subject comes up ALL the time in thousands of threads every year yet people still continue to believe that if something is not DOT approved it is somehow illegal for highway use.

Usually the question is centered around beadlocks, which by the way are legal wether they are DOT approved or not. (check your own state law, in my state they are legal).

For a non-DOT approved item to be illegal the state has to enact a law which specifically sets the standards at or above DOT standards.

What this means is that if DOT says, "This tank is not approved for gas" and you run gas in it, the states vehicle code must have a section which says "if its not a DOT approved tank, you can't use it."

Those of us in California will remember when the helmet law came out, dudes were getting tickets for wearing non-DOT approved helmets, until of course the courts say hey, you can't right tickets for things you dont have laws for, then the ticketing went away.

Sometimes there are "catch all" sections such as operating an unsafe vehicle but then that's a court argument the officer would need to satisfy the court that the vehicle was in fact unsafe, its just an opinion unless there are facts to back it up.

So to summarize, you need to check your specific states vehicle codes for what is legal or illegal DOT approved means nothing.

Insurance, same thing. In a traffic collision fault is determined by the facts of what happened so in order for adding a non-DOT approved fuel tank to your vehicle to be a cause of an accident it would need to fly out of the back of your truck, and cause an accident. If someone strikes your truck and your truck blows up, its still their fault for striking you.

We see the same argument being made all the time about lift kits. Well if I put one it will void my warranty, or if I get in an accident my insurance wont cover me. This is all myth and old wives tales. Go to google, type in your specific state and vehicle code. Read through it and if it says XYZ is illegal then it is, if it doesn't then its not.

Disclaimer: You can be sued for anything , doesn't mean the person suing has a leg to stand on.

 

Rob, good advice. (where was your pic taken of the truck?)

Too often, what starts out as someone "thinking" they know all the answers, really are going on hearsay evidence.

One piece of advice on the tank, or two. Aluminum is best, and if bigger than 10 or 20 gallons, have baffles installed so that when you come to a stop, your truck is not rocking back and forth.

 

Pic was taken out on the California side of Lake Havasu, Lots of fun trails out there

 

Heading to Ocotillo State Vehicular Recreation Area

http://www.off-road.com/blog/2011/12/19/2012-roughneck-rendezvous-ocotillo-wells-off-highway-event/
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26912

in a few weeks for weekend event, there are some spots on the trails, gonna stop and get a pic taken, I like the layout.

 

Yea from bow willow to ocotillo wells you go through a long canyon, identical sort of terrain out there.