On board water

After thinking about it for a while I decided it was time for some way of keeping water with the truck. If I need to hose down the kids after a day at the beach, give my pup a drink, or just wash mud off a shoe, I needed water. Especially piece of mind that if my family and I were to get stranded, we would at least not die of dehydration. I had two pop up campers for a while one of which was getting cannibalized to finish restoration of the other. I had a 10 gallon rv tank and a pump left over so figured I would put it to use. A couple of years ago I upgraded my exhaust and rerouted the pipe to in front of the rear tire rather than behind. This left the passenger side under the bed wide open. After measuring six ways to sunday to make sure it would fit I rebuilt the pump, gathered up all the fittings, hose, clamps and stuff. When I extended my diff breather up to one of the cubbies in the sidewall of the bed, I added a chunk of lexan on a piano hinge to help protect the little air filter. Since I did that I made one for the other side which until now wasn't being used. So I put a garden bib and tank vent in that one. I already had standalone power to the bed so tapped into that for pump power. I opted for reinforced 1/2 id foodservice tubing and nylon or brass fittings. Everything is ready to go except I am unsure of how I am going to go about fastening the plastic tank to the underneath side of the bed. At first I thought about just using plumbers tape and strapping it up. Then thought about how often and how hard we offroad. Coupled with the fact that water is a little under 8.5 lbs. per gallon (I think) at 10 gallons I am worried that the plastic tank might not be able to handle the abuse. So should I weld a cradle together that I can hang the tank inside? Do I go off the crossbeams rather than the plastic bed? I always get told I overbuild things, its a running joke with some friends. They say I make things like I expect a hurricane or tornado is going to hit. If anyone has read all the way to here, what do you think?

 

Looks awesome

 

Damn I feel so lazy.......

 

Nah your probably not lazy, I just cant seem to leave shit alone. Got bit by the mod bug a couple years back and have been screwing with my truck ever since. Drives my wife nuts, haha.

 

Can you put beer in that container...better yet, hook up a keg?

 

I looks like it could get damaged from rocks while off roading. Nice install otherwise.

 

Lol that would be cool, unless I get pulled over...

 

I thought so as well, I am welding some angle iron to fit around it like a basket and I think a plate along the bottom would protect it. I noticed the bottom bowes a little when full too so that might work for protection and support.

 

Does the tank interfere with the under bed spare tire? I like that the weight is down low to keep the truck's center of gravity low. And yes, maybe a "skid plate" underneath it would offer more protection.
I like it a lot.

 

No, you are like most of us.

My solution, which is removable:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/fimco-spot-sprayer-15-gal

 

That's brilliant actually. Comes with pretty much everything you'd need already in one package. It's even 12V compatible.

 

great ideas here, i have been wanting to put running water on my truck as well. the solution so far has been the blue water can from dicks sporting goods. works well, but i like the fimco above!

 

24.5gal plastico water bladder to prevent lateral slosh while wheeling, under a wooden cargo deck between the wheel wells. 1/2" food grade poly line to a ball check valve at the tail gate. Gravity feed hasn't failed us in 6yrs is use.

Word of advice. If you are planning on drinking tour water, make sure all parts are certified for potable water. Some tanks leech bad stuff out.

 

No not at all, its still at least 4 to 6 in. away from the spare. I stuffed a 285 70 17 under the bed so I had to move the tire elevator closer to the hitch to keep clear of the ring gear gaurd that I added on the diff. Luckily, It hangs higher than the fuel tank on the other side but a skid is still in the making for protection. So far, so good. Gives me an excuse to wheeling soon to "test" it.

 

drink beer not water because fish spawn in it