Integrated Spare Fuel Tank

[javajoe79]

Well I have no idea about Peru but the easiest way to get a custom tank is to have a welder make it up for you. Here in the States I'd say look at marine tanks; they come in a huge variety of styles to go in the gunwales, under the floor, etc. so there are lots of shapes. The simplest thing would be to have a transfer tank where you pumped from the aux tank into the main but it'd be easy enough to have a gravity feed into your main tank with an solenoid switched valve. you'd have to vent/open the filler on both tanks then close them when the transfer was complete. Again, the marine industry uses these on transfer tanks; the USCG requires a valve at each end of the transfer line to allow for maintenance but with as short a run as you'd have I'd probably put one electric switched valve and one manual (that I left in the open position) just in case you ever had to service or remove the system.

I think he mentioned just using it to fill the stock tank just like he's filling up at a pump. I like that idea. Simple and effective.

 

[otis24]

Sweet truck and love the name "Running from Monday".

I put an aux tank in my 2003 Tacoma between the frame rails in the rear where the spare tire used to be. Now my spare is in the bed on top my platform. I'm building a flat bed pop up camper at some point and will mount it on the back of the camper. In the meantime that bastard is ALWAYS in the way. I often carry two spares as well. Anyway...I used a 19 gallon aux fuel tank out of a 1991 Ford F150 from a junk yard. I have a switch in the cab to power the tank's stock pump which pumps fuel into the main tank. I also have a guage that works off the stock sending unit in the aux tank. The aux tank is plumbed into the trucks stock EVAP system. If both tanks are empty it'll throw a CEL from time to time when it pulls a vaccum to check for leaks. I just clear them. It's passed California smog twice.

It works amazingly well. I've had it for 3.5 years...3 Baja trips. Thousands of miles of rough dirt roads and no issues. I'm going to add some dry disconnect inline to the transfer hose so I'll be able to refuel other vehicles like motorcycles from the aux tank.

I have an off road range of about 400+ miles off 35 usable gallons of fuel.

See if you can find a stock tank to fit there. Izuzu trooper tanks are kinda cuboid and hold about 12 gallons (I think). Suburban tanks are like 40something gallons.

 

[1stDeuce]

I've considered this a couple of times now. I had a 50 gallon tank/toolbox in my long bed truck, but sold it not long after putting it in the short bed because I needed the bed space...

What I eventually want to do is to weld up a ~4" thick tank that mostly matches front of the bed. This would move the camper back only 3" or so (becuase the top bed rail extends back ~1" from the front of the bed) and give me an extra ~ 20 gallons of fuel, which would be plenty for my needs.

Basically like this one, but ~4" thick instead of 9" thick...

A local welding shop that makes similar tanks swag'd it at about $400 in steel.
With your aluminum welding skillz, you could probably make one yourself out of aluminum for less than that...

For diesel, I've always just had them work off gravity... I would not do that for gasoline... I think I'd install a pump setup instead, with a cheap pulse-type fuel pump. You might have to do a little research into how your fuel tank venting system works, and if you have a leak detection pump or not... I don't think you do, but don't know for sure... If no LDP, the evap system should handle filling from a pulse pump...
Honestly, the easiest way to use it might be just to get a jingler hose and siphon into the main tank when you need fuel...
Good Luck!!

 

[BPD53]

I've considered this a couple of times now. I had a 50 gallon tank/toolbox in my long bed truck, but sold it not long after putting it in the short bed because I needed the bed space...

What I eventually want to do is to weld up a ~4" thick tank that mostly matches front of the bed. This would move the camper back only 3" or so (becuase the top bed rail extends back ~1" from the front of the bed) and give me an extra ~ 20 gallons of fuel, which would be plenty for my needs.

Basically like this one, but ~4" thick instead of 9" thick...

A local welding shop that makes similar tanks swag'd it at about $400 in steel.
With your aluminum welding skillz, you could probably make one yourself out of aluminum for less than that...

For diesel, I've always just had them work off gravity... I would not do that for gasoline... I think I'd install a pump setup instead, with a cheap pulse-type fuel pump. You might have to do a little research into how your fuel tank venting system works, and if you have a leak detection pump or not... I don't think you do, but don't know for sure... If no LDP, the evap system should handle filling from a pulse pump...
Honestly, the easiest way to use it might be just to get a jingler hose and siphon into the main tank when you need fuel...
Good Luck!!

Kinda sounds like my setup.

 

[tacobronco]

When I lived in Arkansas somebody called me a metrosexual because I had all my teeth, owned a decent house, had a real job and did not drive a beat up pickup truck. I assume PDX hipster refers to the Portland dweebs but what is "expo AF"?

AF = as f*@%

as in, "expo as f*@%"

It's an acronym the kids are using a lot these days.

 

[Trikebubble]

Basically imagine as much junk bolted to the outside of your rig as possible. With an effort made to put the heaviest items on the roof, because that's where they look the coolest when parked at Whole Foods. Make sure and install a snorkel, limb risers, as many LED's as will fit, and leave your roof top tent and awning installed for your daily commute to Intel. Oh, and if you don't have a Toyota, you're basically not even in the game.

Further Reading/Sources-
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/expoaf/
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/pdxoverlanders/
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/overlandmemes/

You know, us big-ugly-stepchild Tundra owners could take exception of being lumped into the whole must-have-Toyota-trendy scene.......

I've been looking at the Transfer Flow 46 gallon replacement tank for my Tundra. I only have a 26 gallon tank and I'd like ot be able to extend my range, and be able to take advantage of crossing the line for cheap US gas too. I have 2 5 gallon Scepter MFC's on my Hitchgate to bump me up to 36 gallons...but oh that 46 gallon tank would be nice.

 

[S4railroader]

Check out Titanfueltanks.com they make a bunch of different in bed transfer tanks and other utility tanks. They may even make an upsized fuel tank for your truck.

 

[pawleyk]

Sweet truck and love the name "Running from Monday".

I put an aux tank in my 2003 Tacoma between the frame rails in the rear where the spare tire used to be. Now my spare is in the bed on top my platform. I'm building a flat bed pop up camper at some point and will mount it on the back of the camper. In the meantime that bastard is ALWAYS in the way. I often carry two spares as well. Anyway...I used a 19 gallon aux fuel tank out of a 1991 Ford F150 from a junk yard. I have a switch in the cab to power the tank's stock pump which pumps fuel into the main tank. I also have a guage that works off the stock sending unit in the aux tank. The aux tank is plumbed into the trucks stock EVAP system. If both tanks are empty it'll throw a CEL from time to time when it pulls a vaccum to check for leaks. I just clear them. It's passed California smog twice.

It works amazingly well. I've had it for 3.5 years...3 Baja trips. Thousands of miles of rough dirt roads and no issues. I'm going to add some dry disconnect inline to the transfer hose so I'll be able to refuel other vehicles like motorcycles from the aux tank.

I have an off road range of about 400+ miles off 35 usable gallons of fuel.

See if you can find a stock tank to fit there. Izuzu trooper tanks are kinda cuboid and hold about 12 gallons (I think). Suburban tanks are like 40something gallons.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. The truck was super fun to build and the name just came naturally while I was "working" one day..

I thought about the spare tire tank option, but I'm not ready to move my spare tire, I can fit a full size 35x12.5" under there no sweat. I also don't want to move so much weight behind the rear axle. Yet..

 

[pawleyk]

Check out Titanfueltanks.com they make a bunch of different in bed transfer tanks and other utility tanks. They may even make an upsized fuel tank for your truck.

I did look at Titan and they do make a tank for the Silverado 2500HD's, but only for extended and quad cabs. Nothing for the regular cab rigs, just not enough extra space underneath.

Not to mention they're outrageously expensive.

 

[pawleyk]

I've considered this a couple of times now. I had a 50 gallon tank/toolbox in my long bed truck, but sold it not long after putting it in the short bed because I needed the bed space...

What I eventually want to do is to weld up a ~4" thick tank that mostly matches front of the bed. This would move the camper back only 3" or so (becuase the top bed rail extends back ~1" from the front of the bed) and give me an extra ~ 20 gallons of fuel, which would be plenty for my needs.

Basically like this one, but ~4" thick instead of 9" thick...

A local welding shop that makes similar tanks swag'd it at about $400 in steel.
With your aluminum welding skillz, you could probably make one yourself out of aluminum for less than that...

For diesel, I've always just had them work off gravity... I would not do that for gasoline... I think I'd install a pump setup instead, with a cheap pulse-type fuel pump. You might have to do a little research into how your fuel tank venting system works, and if you have a leak detection pump or not... I don't think you do, but don't know for sure... If no LDP, the evap system should handle filling from a pulse pump...
Honestly, the easiest way to use it might be just to get a jingler hose and siphon into the main tank when you need fuel...
Good Luck!!

This is basically exactly where I'm at. The regular transfer tanks are just way too big for what I need and would rob too much bed space. A box like you want, about 4" - 3.5" wide would be perfect. I was just hoping someone made a HDPE already..

Guess I'll try and have one fabbed or do it myself somewhere here in South America.

 

[pawleyk]

AF = as f*@%

as in, "expo as f*@%"

It's an acronym the kids are using a lot these days.

TacoBronco ******.

 

[TeamDoty]

You might be able to find a factory Auxiliary tank. A lot of the GM chassis had that option in some configuration or another. You might be able to find a donor at a junk yard. Other than that I'd consider the "briefcase" tanks some posted earlier - one manufacturer I know of is called DeeZee. Other than that, there's always NATO cans... that's what I carry. They are strong, seal up perfectly and given they are metal they don't leach moisture into the fuel like plastic containers. I carry a couple in the bed when I go on extended overland trips as an emergency supply that will get me a couple extra hundred miles if needed.

 

[Factoid]

Here is a link to over 1500 differently shaped fuel cells in both plastic and aluminum that you can sort by dimensions. Searching by “fuel cell” will give you better results as the results are universal and not made to fit a specific vehicle. If one of these won't work you will need to find a Peruvian fabricator!

https://www.summitracing.com/search...rder=Ascending&keyword=Fuel cell&kr=Fuel cell