Extended range fuel tank / in bed fuel tank etc

[gary_lucas]

Loving my truck, planning our next road trip.

Vancouver BC, to Las Vegas Nevada with our little chalet trailer.

One thing I'm not sure about is the size of the tank, 26gallons isn't much when the truck is unloaded... When it's loaded it's not anywhere near enough heading across Nevada!

Has anyone installed the aftermarket extended range fuel tank (Titan 52 gallon I believe) or an in bed tank?

Any suggestions? what to avoid, what to get?

Right now I'm leaning towards ordering a titan in-bed 60 gallon diesel fuel tank with a gravity feed kit. I'll likely find a nearby place to install it. My theory is that it'll probably pay for itself over 2 years of buying fuel in the US (About $1 / gallon cheaper... 100gallon fills = $80ish saved... 26 gallon fills = $18ish saved)... It's worth going to the states to save $80, not so much for $18.

Also, I'm looking forward to not having to fuel up every day...

Thoughts? Concerns?

All appreciated!

Gary Lucas

[DmaxMaverick]

Thoroughbred Diesel posted a new Titan 60 gallon in-bed tool box fuel tank on Facebook yesterday. It seems they are a Titan dealer, and a TDP supporter. Give 'em a look.

[EdHale]

I have the Titan 52 gallon and it has worked perfectly for the past 5 years. I wouldn't be without it and my bed is clean.

My Titan was installed even before I started towing a lot mainly because of the ability to pick and choose where to buy diesel. We all know how much it can vary station to station.

[paoutdoorsman]

I ordered and am installing a Titan 52 gallon replacement tank in my buddies truck this Saturday. He opted for the replacement for the cleaner install, the full use of the bed, and less likleyhood of contracting moisture in the fuel. They almost never check, but DOT laws are not really in favor of gravity flow tank mounted beds. Shouldn't be an issue unless you were to be involved in an accident where fuel spillage was involved.

[gary_lucas]

I'm just checking out local shops to see if they handle these kinds of installations.

Sadly thoroughbreddiesel doesn't ship to Canada so that complicates matters.

So far I haven't had a single response the titan fuel tanks at the local shops.

Ahh well, I'll wander into cap-it on the weekend and see what gives.

Thanks for the responses

G

[Kennedy]

I've been running a 90 gallon aux tank as needed in my tow rig since around 2004-5-ish. Cost is minimal, installation simple and gets me real range when combined with the OE 34 gallon (now 36 gallon) tank.

[AKMark]

I typically carry 2-55 gallon drums in the bed. I have a nice little pump, just put the hose in the drum, and let her rip. Pumps 15-18 gal a minute. I just watch the filler neck close as I have a ball valve on the end and it won't stop, unless I stop it. Oh to power my pump, I put a 7 pin connector on the wires and use the 12V that's meant to charge the trailer brakeaway battery to run it. Works great, been doing this for years.

[gary_lucas]

AKMark and Kennedy, good to hear. The free standing tanks (presumably strapped down real tight) sound ideal.

All sorts of variables, ever heard the term: "Analysis paralysis"?. Cap-it said tank mounted gravity fuel tanks are not street legal in Canada, I suspect their wrong. Total cost to buy and install the 52g Titan replacement is about $2k all in (hardware, installation $300ish, shipping, tax). Kind of expensive.

Also, the wife and I are re-thinking the trailer and considering side-grading to a truck camper (Lance 1172) which would require a long bed... And probably a 3500... So probably this will go nowhere as I don't want to spend 2+k on something I may trade in I can't imagine an extended tank will be worth anything on trade-in. I'll probably get a couple of the biggest jerry cans I can legally carry for emergencies...

To completely derail the whole thing my understanding is that the only difference between a 2500 and a 3500 is an extra overload spring. So any long bed 2500 would do... Same axle, same everything else...

Thanks all,

[CoyleJR]

I have a 100 gal. fuel tank/tool box combo and love it. The ability to load up with cheep fuel has saved enough to pay for the fuel tank several times over. The only down side is that you have to pay to haul that extra fuel around. My tank weighs 150-200 lbs and the fuel around 800 lbs so I am looking at 1k # extra weight and that equals about 1 mpg to haul the 100 gal of fuel.
Note: With a bed mounted fuel tank it is easy to mount a 2 micron fuel filter under the bed and let the fuel gravity drain from the tank and into the OEM tank.

John

[AKMark]

If you are worried about capacity, I've used Firestone air bags and they've kicked butt, don't have them on this truck yet, but have had them on all my Suburbans in the past and loved them. Great way to even out the rake of the vehicle, especially when you add a trailer that sags it a bit.

I have loaded my truck with a pallet that weighed in at 2042 lbs, plus 3-55 gallon drums weighing approx 395 lbs a piece.

All of it together equals approx 3225 lbs.

Plus the bumpers on my truck weigh approx 250-300 lbs each.

It wasn't sitting at normal right height, but the rear wasn't sagging. The truck was level if anything and when I load her up like that I don't slip on our icy roads up here.

I always miss the weight when I have to unload. Sometimes I leave some of my pallet on the truck. (Wood pellets to warm the house).

My 2500 kicks tail. If I were towing all the time, I'd look for a 3500 dually, but I'm not towing all the time. It's my daily driver and a CC/LB is fun enough without duals in parking lots.

My refueling system has cost me the following.

1. I have 10-55 gallon drums at the house. Got them for free, typically folks up here ask $20 a piece. I use steel, they've never let me down and not cracked at -65F.

2. http://www.amazon.com/Fill-Rite-Dies...+transfer+pump This is the pump I have. Cost me $180 locally, saw this later and kicked myself. Oh well. I did spend an extra $150 to put a 20' arctic rated fuel hose on it and replaced the plastic fuel filler with a metal ball valve that works a lot better, and won't crack in half at -65 when you try to use the hose. I also spent an extra $40 on a water separator and fuel filter that I installed. I went for this pump instead of the tank mounted ones because I had a tank mounted one and moving it from one tank to the other was messy and I had to unscrew it all the time which was a lot of fun with all the hose. This one, I place the suction hose in the tank, when I'm done, pull it and move to the next.

3. I think I spent $15 for the trailer connector and some extra wiring to make it reach the rear of the truck.

Total I spent approx $385 for my setup. Considering how often I move the tanks out to haul stuff, this worked the best for me. I'd need a forklift if I had an in bed tank so I could remove and install it when I need it.

To me having an in bed that feeds into the main tank is nice, however, typically by the time your main tank needs refilling, you should be stretching your legs anyway if you are road tripping it. Just my opinion of course.

The primary reason I carry drums is for filling the house and my shop's fuel tanks to keep them warm. That's why I have a 20' hose.


You are correct though, I've heard of CHP busting folks for having that sort of setup on the trucks out there. I also saw the Arizona Troopers taking samples out of all Diesel's they saw at a Nascar race testing for BIO diesel and dyed fuel. They busted a bunch of RV's and one of my buddies that has an old Mercedes that he runs on veggie oil. My buddy couldn't prove he's paid taxes on what he produces...sucks as it was a $850 fine if I remember correctly.

[gary_lucas]

Thanks for the info AKMark.

I'm looking into options here, right now I'm considering a tiny tidy tank as they seem to be well priced ($300ish)

I think the logic of a gravity feed is I would have it hooked up but manually feed it so I wouldn't have it keep the tank full all the time.

Couple of other options I'm looking at as well, ideally I'd like to get the tank and pump under 21" so it's not a problem for the bed cover.

[gary_lucas]

Pic of the new tank, 50 gallons. It will be gravity fed. Cost about $400 tax included.

TinyTank.jpg

Going to have my mechanic do the gravity feed portion, the tank just barely clears the tonnea cover by about 1/16th of an inch (1mm about).

Thanks all for your input, I should be able to save about $30-$40 / fill driving out of the GVRD (25minute drive, GVRD has a fuel tax) or about 2x that if I go to the states. I'm hoping to get about 1600 - 2000km of range out of it.

It will come in handy in the drive across the Nevada desert in 2 weeks

Gary

[gary_lucas]

Just following up.

So far it's great, getting about 16-17 mpg in town and paying 2/3's of the fuel price by going down to the states to fill up.

Truck handles better with the extra 200-400lbs in the back.

Lots of room left in the box for the upcoming 5th wheel hitch.

[AKMark]

Good stuff.

I have come across an extended range setup for myself I plan on installing soon.

I have aftermarket bumpers and the rear one makes it impossible to use the factory spare tire location. So my spare is attached to the bed rail on the passenger side at the front of the bed.

I recently acquired a 91 K20 Suburban shell (no motor or trans) to part out. It has a 45 gallon fuel tank tucked up between the frame rails. It was a fuel injected motor so there is an in tank pump in there that I've confirmed works.

My thought is to install this tank where my spare tire used to be. Plum the fuel line to the filler neck to fill the primary tank. Buy an aftermarket fuel gauge and put a switch on that allows me to fill the primary tank whenever I want.

Taking me from 35 gallons on board to 80......Plus whatever barrels I'm carrying when I feel like carrying them.