Spare / Extra Fuel - Worth Carrying? (East Coast)
- Thread starter SnoViking
- Start date
DaveNay
Adventurer
Time of day makes a difference too....we used to carry 10 gallons when we were driving from Winnipeg MB to Ponton MB from approx 1am to 7am. There were no 24 hour gas stations along the route and it was just barely further than my F-I-L's truck (fully loaded with cabin supplies, food for four for a week, two large adults and towing a boat).
My suburban with 42 gallon tank can make it, plus now there is a 24 hour station near the half way point.
My suburban with 42 gallon tank can make it, plus now there is a 24 hour station near the half way point.
Kerensky97
Xterra101
The majority of the time that's the biggest problem. Most backcountry trips I do fine on one tank.
The times I've come closest to running out of gas are always in the city because I was trying to get to a station with cheaper gas or just putting off filling up until the last minute.
Having that one gallon to get you to the next offramp seems to be the most useful extra fuel has ever been for me.
B
BPD53
Guest
Well spoken. I agree
East Coast Overland
Adventurer
I always take extra fuel on multi day trips. It is very easy to come across something unexpected, a closed gate with no bypass and no means of getting through, or a bridge no longer in service or simply a road that has completely grown over. Having to turn around and get back to or take a bypass to the next town with service can become an issue. I'm mostly talking about traveling in New Brunswick. On the last trip I did #nbexpedition we used all our spare fuel that we carried, which was 2x 5 gallons each.
It is always better to be prepared for the worst. The one time you need it is the time you don't have it.
It is always better to be prepared for the worst. The one time you need it is the time you don't have it.
rayra
Expedition Leader
I carry fuel (and water!) cans here in our desert southwest. And our trucks have 32gal tanks, at least a 400mi range, and I try to pay attention to such things in my route planning. Such that turning around or doubling back isn't a run-out-of-gas proposition. But if there's some disaster or route issue and I HAVE to go thru a certain way, I'm not letting a locked gate stop me. And I carry the gear to see that it doesn't.
If I'm heading into a huge empty area, I typically try to tank up at the 2nd-to-last station / town. Usually not as expensive there. Even on a regular highway road trip I'll try and tank up before I'm below 1/4 tank. My fuel 'reserve' is IN my tank.
I was caught flat-footed by the Northridge earthquake, both tanks in my pickup empty, no stored gas, no water in the house. House was wrecked. My knee busted by a skiing accident 8 days earlier. Had a hard time of it for a couple days. Ever since - 22yrs+ - I've made damned sure to keep some reserves. Of everything.
Running out of gas in the crowded northeast is just stupid. Poor choices. Out west, well the map I posted earlier says plenty.
If I'm heading into a huge empty area, I typically try to tank up at the 2nd-to-last station / town. Usually not as expensive there. Even on a regular highway road trip I'll try and tank up before I'm below 1/4 tank. My fuel 'reserve' is IN my tank.
I was caught flat-footed by the Northridge earthquake, both tanks in my pickup empty, no stored gas, no water in the house. House was wrecked. My knee busted by a skiing accident 8 days earlier. Had a hard time of it for a couple days. Ever since - 22yrs+ - I've made damned sure to keep some reserves. Of everything.
Running out of gas in the crowded northeast is just stupid. Poor choices. Out west, well the map I posted earlier says plenty.
Stryder106
Explorer
Agree with Rayra. My Av also has the 32 gallon tank. I was carrying 7 gals of water and 4 gals extra fuel. With the new dual-swing out I carry 9 extra gallons of both water and fuel wherever we go. A friend of mine with a 1/2 tank of gas in the middle of Death Valley - cracked his gas tank on a rock and lost all of the fuel in his tank. He was able to do a slap-dash trail repair on it, poor in 2 gallons at a time (he carried 10 extra) and was able to get back to civilization.
rayra
Expedition Leader
Yep, and that is a good reason for carrying extra fuel, anywhere. Tank puncture / fuel loss, or helping someone else in a bind.
/speaking of which I'm in the doodle-sketch stage of making an aluminum plate bottom guard for my Sub. That huge expanse of unguarded poly tank makes me nervous.
/speaking of which I'm in the doodle-sketch stage of making an aluminum plate bottom guard for my Sub. That huge expanse of unguarded poly tank makes me nervous.
ducktapeguy
Adventurer
What is the gas situation on the east coast? I've only driven around in rental cars on paved roads back there so I never really worried about fuel. Is running out of fuel a huge concern when you're travelling? What are the consequences if you do run out? I know in some of the deserts in the southwest, it can be days before you see other people, and cost in the thousands to get towed out if you're stranded, so carrying more fuel is cheap insurance.
I was in a similar situation a while ago. 40 year old FJ40 + 12 gallon tank @ 10-15 miles a gallon = horrible range. I also hated carrying jerry cans because I didn't have a place to store them outside, and they took up too much room inside. My solution was to go back to a stock 16 gallon tank and an auxiliary 22 gallon tank for a total of 38 gallons, and it's probably the best mod I ever did. Now I don't have to plan my trips around gas stations, so I have much more freedom to explore. Realistically while I could go up to 120-160 miles on a tank under ideal conditions, I was always looking for a gas station after about 100 miles, sooner if I was going off road. If I didn't know where the next gas station was along the route by the time i hit a quarter tank, i'd have to divert to a main road early hoping to find one and pray that it wasn't closed. That was always the worst feeling, sitting at the start of some dirt road and wondering if I had enough fuel to make it, or having to turn around and backtrack, or worse just continue on the highway to a gas station. Having a huge reserve supply of gas is a lot less stressful, not only because I have more range, but if something happens I know I can leave my engine idling all night for heat, or to charge the battery if I need to use the winch. It just take a lot of the worry out of things that you don't really think about until you are running on empty.
So I'd say there no harm in carrying extra gas if you have the room, and it's always more comforting to have it in case something happens. But if you've never needed it in 10 years and the worst thing that happens is you have to call a friend to bring you some, then maybe it's not a huge priority.
I was in a similar situation a while ago. 40 year old FJ40 + 12 gallon tank @ 10-15 miles a gallon = horrible range. I also hated carrying jerry cans because I didn't have a place to store them outside, and they took up too much room inside. My solution was to go back to a stock 16 gallon tank and an auxiliary 22 gallon tank for a total of 38 gallons, and it's probably the best mod I ever did. Now I don't have to plan my trips around gas stations, so I have much more freedom to explore. Realistically while I could go up to 120-160 miles on a tank under ideal conditions, I was always looking for a gas station after about 100 miles, sooner if I was going off road. If I didn't know where the next gas station was along the route by the time i hit a quarter tank, i'd have to divert to a main road early hoping to find one and pray that it wasn't closed. That was always the worst feeling, sitting at the start of some dirt road and wondering if I had enough fuel to make it, or having to turn around and backtrack, or worse just continue on the highway to a gas station. Having a huge reserve supply of gas is a lot less stressful, not only because I have more range, but if something happens I know I can leave my engine idling all night for heat, or to charge the battery if I need to use the winch. It just take a lot of the worry out of things that you don't really think about until you are running on empty.
So I'd say there no harm in carrying extra gas if you have the room, and it's always more comforting to have it in case something happens. But if you've never needed it in 10 years and the worst thing that happens is you have to call a friend to bring you some, then maybe it's not a huge priority.
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Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
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I could actually get 300+ miles on my 1999 4runner by driving it like an old lady. :sombrero: But I hear where you're coming from.
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:iagree:
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The way I would think of it is not so much do you "need" extra gas, because 10 years of experience have shown you that the answer is "no."
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Instead, I would put it like this: Would carrying extra gas give you the ability to go on a longer or different route without having to constantly be worried about fuel? I think the answer to THAT question is "Yes."
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As far as carrying extra fuel on a 4runner, I had 2 x 3 gallon RotoPax cans strapped to a Yakima Basket on the roof. They did very well even during extremes of temperature. "Needed?" Maybe not but they gave me more peace of mind and kept me from having to watch my gas gauge constantly.
bigskypylot
Explorer
That's what us pilots say lol
DaveNay
Adventurer
I thought your motto was "Take-off is optional; landing is mandatory?"
East Coast Overland
Adventurer
The American east coast is extremely populated and running out of gas is not likely. However not being dependent on towns for gas gives you more freedom. That being said, the Canadian east coast is a different story. Central New Brunswick has very little in terms on population and townships. Keep heading north and you will cross QC into Labrador, you most certainly don't want to go there without gas. The Translabrador Highway is a gravel road. You can probably count the gas stations in Labrador on one hand. (I exaggerate of course) but you get the idea.
Bottom line, even on the east coast, it's a good idea to carry extra.
