Talk me out of: Auxillary Fuel Tanks

for additional fueling capacity

i convert my front seat into gas tank using welded metal and upholstery on top

 

https://titanfueltanks.com/9900026 This needs to be added to the 5.8-foot bed of Chevy and GMC trucks. I thought about packing additional fuel but that's additional weight and carrying additional weight burns more fuel. Pulling a tank trailer? Just plan for the fuel stops... Good excuse to stretch legs and walk around every 100-200 miles, especially where fuel stops may be scarce, like after Labor Day on the AlCan Highway... Leave the truck as is, and figure that a quarter tank on the gauge is worth a hundred miles.

 

Do you think you could invert the mounts in order to fit a toolbox in the bed? Or am I SOL?

 

You really want to just pack fuel around? Like ok!

 

My Towing Truck has the dual tanks Ford F250 7.3 .

In my case I like knowing I can just keep driving many times hauling horses in 100 degree heat stopping in day light can be quite hot.

You want dual tanks go for it.

 

^^^ This ^^^

Don't do it: I see a constantly glowing "CEL" in your future that you'll never be able to clear even if you re-install the original OEM fuel tank...
You might find out the only way to clear it is by removing the actual bulb....

Maybe

If you're that worried about it, go to the Army surplus store and buy a Jerry can to bolt into the bed. $5, fully backward compatible and no CEL.

 

While I do agree that leaving your truck alone is best, it's not always the correct choice for everybody. I can say that I have he LRA tank installed for about 6 years now and I love it. I don't have any CEL's due to the installation of the tank, however there is one caveat. Since I have the Gen 1 version of this tank, it has an issue where the automatic fuel shutoff during refueling isn't instantaneous so I get a little burp of fuel out the filler port before the nozzle shuts off. I have been told that Cruiser Brothers Off-road offers a fix for that but I didn't take them up on that since I would have to either drop the tank again (huge PIA) or remove the bed (another huge PIA). I would presume that all the tanks shipped after 2018-2019 are equipped with this filler port fix.

-J

 

my Eddie Buaer Edition '96 F150 single cab, inline 6, 5 speed manual... had dual tanks. It was awesome.


you want a fire hazzard own any of the older GM trucks from the 70's to late 80's. The gas tanks were mounted outside the frame rails wedged between the bed. People are still sadly getting burned to death in collisions with those trucks. Main reason why I went with an F150

 

Big Bend State Park is one of the most remote spots in the lower 48. I got a camping trailer to the solitario (furthest point in) and back without having to dip into my jerry can or backtrack any paved part of my route.

--you pretty much have to make at least two consecutive bad decisions to run out of gas these days. Its not like the old days of having to camp on the Dalton Highway when it was 18-20 hours between outposts.

 

My 1995 F-150 truck had the twin tanks - held roughly 31-32 gallons altogether. When just using as a DD in snow country I only ran the back tank down about once a month (when there wasn't any highway use). The hundred or so pounds of fuel did wonders for winter traction. Also had use of an '83 Chev full size Blazer with the "extended range" 40 gallon factory tank. It was a company outfit - and the equipment manager type (who kept track of the unit expenses) bitched constantly about us running them down to zip and doing a fill-up. I didn't often do that but sometimes you would have no choice but to check the oil, jump in and drive to tim-buc-too.

Anyway - it was very often handy to have the extra range available when you wanted (or needed) to use it - especially in remote locations at sub-zero temps.

 

Takes fuel to haul fuel. Pretty sure I can find a gas station in 300 miles or so.

 

True, but just imagine going somewhere in the ballpark of 500 miles between fill-ups. You know, there's also another option if you don't like your spare tire. My spare doesn't fit down there so I'm seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on that one too. ~1100 miles between fill-ups. 65 gallons (34 gal LRA and 31 gal fuel cell) of fuel will only set you back around 250$... ouch. Normal round town daily driving, that's like filling up once a month though.

-J

 

Are those the trucks that NBC had to jerry-rig pyrotechnics to stage a story?

 

That’s gonna weigh in at around 400lbs just for fuel. That’s such a terrible idea on a Tacoma. I’m not telling you not to do it, I’d just call it idiotic if you did.

There’s gas stations everywhere and you’re not riding around in a carb’d truck, so even if they cut it with piss and moonshine (to quote the OP) it would still make it to the next gas station no problem.

 

So what you're saying is that getting a fuel trailer is out of the picture? Couldn't tow it fully loaded though, but man I can dream.

-J

 

^On-the-fly refueling or GTFO

 

Model rocket engines IIRC.

A five gallon NATO can (or two) with a locking rack is far, far less expensive than another tank and can be removed when not needed. I've got a half dozen NATO cans for storing/transporting fuel (and no boat anymore), but I only carry one when traveling out west since the fuel economy on these trucks sucks so badly (for a newer vehicle), especially when you engage 4wd and I'm almost always alone.

 

I'm still not seeing how it's a problem to just have spare gas cans in the bed in such a scenario. (after all, you would be going to that place which sounds like a temporary situation)

2x 5 gal nato cans in the bed would add ~200 miles of range on top of a Tacoma's normal range which totals up to around 500 miles.



If you LIVED in such a place, wherever that place is (rural AK?), a Tacoma most likely would not have made the cut for list of possible vehicles to own.

 

DON'T DO IT!!!

There, I don't know if that's enough to talk you out of it though...

 

I have 3 Nato cans for fuel, and 2 Wavian jugs for water. My range fully loaded with camping supplies puts me around 400 miles per tank with the LRA fuel tank. Since I have the 5ft bed, space is limited and with that comes with many changes to what I bring on those camping trips. I got my gear packed down into 6 27 gallon storage totes and have spent a lot of time reorganizing to shrink it down further. Cramming in 6 totes with chairs and other larger campsite needs (wife, kids and pups all have various wants/needs) which doesn't leave much room for extra jerry cans in the bed. 1 gallon of water per person, per day is mandatory so that limits me on how far I can push the truck without carrying the extra fuel cans. Knowing that I have the extra fuel under the bed of the truck is nice to have. I do carry Nato cans of fuel when I'm traveling lighter. With all that said, I am always looking on ways to improve and reduce what I have to take on those longer trips.

-J