How much range should you build into an expedition vehicle?

[Nikkormat]

Hey guys, I'm building a 1990 Grand Wagoneer as a back country travel platform as well as a road trip vehicle. I don't want to get too far into the nitty gritty, I just have a few basic questions.

How much range did you build into your expedition vehicle and why?

Is there such thing as too much range? I'm looking at adding a 33 and 23 gallon gas tank to the wagon which should net around 700 miles of range on pavement/improved roads and roughly 400 miles of range in low range struggling along.

 

[SheepnJeep]

Well, you could look at things by the numbers and decide what you would like to do.

Gasoline weighs about 6.2 pounds per gallon give or take. So totally full your gasoline weight would be 347.2 pounds. If you are willing to carry that much weight it could be a benefit to carry so much fuel. For example, if you were driving somewhere that you knew to have more expensive gas, you could fill up completely and save a bit of money. Driving the Alcan for example. If you could carry enough fuel/get good enough mileage to drive all the way through Canada without filling up once you could avoid some $5.00 a gallon gas. If you were just going on a small road trip it might not be worth hauling the extra weight if fuel prices were comparable along the way.

The good part about having a second tank is that you can fill it up and use it any time. No extra jerry cans banging around when not needed, no need to store said cans, etc.

I guess another point is time savings. Every fuel stop on a road trip takes time. Driving cross country every 15 minute stop adds up to a lot of time not moving!

 

[eggman918]

It depends a lot on your planned usage and how well your rig carries weight,fuel is heavy and extra weight decreases your mileage.
In my 4 door 3/4 ton I have 65 gallons of tankage good for 1,100 miles under most conditions. But i also have space/weight dedicated in my camp trailer for 4 5 gallon jerrycans that can either be used for fuel or water cans depending on the trip parameters,and the trailer has a 20 gallon water tank for the kitchen.
My truck is at 8,000 pounds with a full fuel tank,recovery gear and two full size spare tires and the Wife,dog and myself so I don't have a lot of extra payload weight as the GVW is 8,600 putting a fair burden on the trailer it will tend to be at 4,000 loaded for a week long trip.

 

[downhill]

No harm in having capacity, as long as you have the room. You don't have to use any more of it than you need. It's only heavy when you use it. If you need it, then the weight for that period is something you live with.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Another thing to consider is condensation buildup in the fuel tank(s) when not full.
Sure hope you can post up a build thread in the Jeep sub forum. You have a vehicle that is on my "bucket list" to own some day. :beer:

 

[ExplorerTom]

Where are you looking to go? It's tough to go even 250 miles without stumbling across a gas station in this part of the country.

I did Fruita to Moab on the Kokopelli (including Top of the World) and splashed in about 4 gallons while on Rose Garden Hill. I was low enough that while going downhill, the engine was sputtering. My Explorer gas tank was filled to the brim in Fruita and had at least 20 gallons, so the extra splash in was only 24-25 gallons total.

 

[rayra]

capacity, weight distribution, gross weight limitations and room in there for human and other cargo. Convenience vs bugout / extremis. Cost of adding tanks vs 5gal jugs. Lots of factors.
Fitting a factor option tank or higher capacity, straightforward. Spending much more for a custom fuel cell design to use the maximal space, also straightforward while costing far more.
Then there's the whole 'putting all your eggs in one basket.' I'd rather have two tanks or some in fuel cans so a puncture or theft doesn't take all my fuel.
Using a second tank as a transfer tank is well worth looking into. You have the fault tolerance of duel tanks with the convenience of one large tank.

My old C-10 has the 16gal saddle tanks, 32yrs and the tank-switch solenoid is still kicking. I was caught with empty tanks (and many other shortfalls) by the Northridge earthquake. Ever since I have kept one tank full, always. When I run one dry, I switch to the other and stop to refill the empty that day. So I've always got at least one tank full in that truck.

 

[pugslyyy]

We drive a big ol' beast, so weight is not a huge driver in our decision making process. We carry 100 gallons of diesel, 80 gallons of water, 25 gallons of propane, etc. I've never measured the beer and wine, but at least a gallon or two of each.

For overlanding (compared to offroading), we've never regretted having a lot of fuel. I've actually noticed that we can be several days into a remote trip and the folks we are traveling with start making noises about needing to find a gas station while we are still well over half a tank.

On the other hand, when we go wheeling in Moab we just fill up the tank on the Land Rover every morning and don't worry about it.

 

[Nikkormat]

Weight is definitely a concern, however the 30 gallon tank would be replacing the OE 20 gallon tank so really I'm only adding around 220 lbs. Well within the capacity of a big ol wagon. That's only the weight of one friend!

As far as where I want to go... I want to go every where. Prudhoe bay, canadian rockies, baja, darien gap, southernmost point, all over the western united states, and I expect to live and work out of the thing for months doing wildlife biology field work.

I'm starting with a pretty good base, I've had quite a few other full size jeeps and have been parting them out for a while. I lost a job I was really excited about a few months ago and used my last paycheck to buy this wagoneer. It was a great deal, sitting for ten years after the owner died. A highschool friend bought it from his estate sale and quickly realized she was in over her head. Even selling it to me for a profit I got the best deal I feel I've gotten on a running driving wagoneer. I even got it to pass emissions! I've never had a wagoneer that would pass emissions. Unfortunately it's going to need an engine, but other than that I'm about done fixing it up for the time being. Since these were taken I've replaced the crunched body work, front bumper, and tailgate.

Buddy's first time on slickrock in my wagoneer.
Front bumper eating sand on Fin's N Thing's. For the uninitiated, wagoneers have fantastic approach angles. So this is REALLY steep. But the carburetor didn't care, it idled like this for a long time during the photo op. Fuel injection is for suckers!

Hoping to end up with a 90's version of Marn's wagoneer:

With a little different suspension setup, shackle reverse and deavers in the front, deavers in the rear. I drive like a ************** so having a suspension setup that can take a little bit of air is essential. Tire size goal is 33x10.50 (or thereabout in metric) just like Marn's wag.

 

[Martinjmpr]

For an old-iron gas hog like that I think the old aviator's saying applies:
.
"The only time you have 'too much fuel' is when you're on fire." :sombrero:

 

[dumprat]

If you plan on going anywhere off the main highways in the Canadian north you won't have enough fuel. Nor do you have anywhere to put it without pulling a trailer. An SUV sounds like a good idea but only if you stay in the states or on the pavement.

On one of my last trips in the north in an F250 super duty that likely got better mileage than you wagoner(not being rude but they are known for being thirsty) we carried 14 five gallon Jerry cans. After a ten hour trip by logging road and a weeks exploring we had 1/4 tank of fuel left in the truck when we got back to the nearest town.

 

[rruff]

I'm looking at adding a 33 and 23 gallon gas tank to the wagon

Just wondering about your "extra" tank, and how that works. I have space under my truck where I could stick an auxiliary tank but haven't had any luck finding one for this purpose.

 

[tenoverthenose]

I'm curious what you decide to do. I recently picked up an '81 Wagoneer that came with an extra tank in place of the standard spare tire (I think it's about 25-30 gallons). Originally I liked the idea of extra fuel on board, but this required the spare to be mounted inside the cab - unless I fab a custom rear bumper. For my purposes of building an expedition rig, the extra space inside is more valuable to me than the extra fuel. Of course, since you're planning on stepping up to 33's, your problem is different than mine.

 

[doug720]

The only time you can have too much gas...is when you're on fire! ***Did not see this was already posted, worth repeating though!

Range depends on the person and their travels. An extra five gallons works for some, and others need more, much more. Carry what you think you need, and plan for the unexpected.

Recently, due to un-crossable wash outs, we had to make a detour of over a hundred miles with no chance to refuel. Yes we could have gone back the way we came, but with the extra range, we continued on and found another great area to explore on the way.

I added a saddle tank to my FJ60 that holds 18 gallons. Combined with the stock tank and diesel engine, I have well over 800 miles range. Do we always need it - no, but I use the range all the time. We tow our 60 behind our RV when we travel, and we stay in some remote areas for a couple of weeks at a time. Many of these areas can be quite a distance to a a fuel station, so the extra fuel/range is important to us.

If you have a choice, a separate tank is preferred IMHO, for the option of always having a second source of fuel due to leaks, contamination, etc. Plus, if possible, a saddle tank helps keeps the fuel weight in center of the vehicle, as a saddle tank mounts parallel to the frame rails between the rear axle and transmission.

 

[BPD53]

I added a 35 gallon auxiliary tank in the bed of my truck. It was one of my best mods. The extra weight is a concern of course, but you don't have to keep it full. I refer to gasoline as "perishable" weight. My truck gets lighter as the trip progresses.

I totally understand that gas stations are very common, but they are often times out of the way. I hate driving 30 miles or more in a different direction to get fuel. I typically fill up at the house and again after I return.

I recommend more fuel and think it's worth the weight/space penalty.