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DWeikert's avatar
DWeikert
Explorer II
Jul 26, 2017

Titan Spare Tire Auxiliary Fuel Tank

Unlike Boatycall this was an install I just wasn't equipped (tools and mentality) to do myself. GM decided a 26 gallon tanks was sufficient for their extended cab 6' bed trucks. I disagree. With the camper I get 13-14 MPG. The low fuel light comes on with around 6 gallons in the tank but I have no idea how much of that is available before I break suction and I don't really have a driving urge to find out. That leaves me a whopping 280 mile range IF it's a good tank and I want to take it to the low fuel light. Off the highway out west I stop for fuel anytime I'm under half a tank because I never know how far the next station is. I've driven with that light on longer than I was comfortable until I finally got to the next station and started carrying a couple 5 gallon diesel cans on the front cargo carrier I fill when I leave the highway. They have gotten me out of tight situations twice. About the only time I'm not worried about looking for fuel is right after I fill up.

I just added 30 gallons and roughly 400 miles to my range.

Titan Spare Tire Auxiliary Fuel Tank







Hangs down a little more than expected but is far from the lowest point of the truck.

The in cab controller...


...shows the fuel level and pressing the power button on the upper right starts a transfer pump that will transfer 5 gallons to the main tank then stop. Or, you can stop the transfer by pressing the button again. The red LED in the far upper right lights when the pump is on.

My only regret is where we located the controller. It looked good in the shop until I went to drive away. Once I pulled the shift lever into Drive I realized our mistake...



Oh well, I can deal with it...

No more range anxiety for me. :)
Truck Campers
  • DWeikert's avatar
    DWeikert
    Explorer II
    Jul 26, 2017
    Kayteg1 wrote:
    Didn't you have spare wheel there?

    Without the camper the spare tire rides in the bed. My next task is going to be removing the back seat and the spare tire will ride back there for now when the camper's loaded.

    When camping my front receiver is occupied with a generator box. I've got some early ideas about adding attachment hardware to that so a spare can ride on front or maybe on top, but haven't so much as taken a tape measure to the idea yet. To regain use of the bed and the back seats I'll probably get a tire carrier for the front receiver. Until I built the carport recently the truck wouldn't have fit in the garage with the spare there.
  • Kayteg1's avatar
    Kayteg1
    Explorer II
    Jul 26, 2017
    I did own at least couple of cars that had 200 miles range on the tank. When this can get annoying, for lot of owners this is normal.
    Heck my father's 1969 Buick Rivera was making 200 miles on 30 gallons tank.
    My new dually gives me 500 miles range with no load or 300+ range with camper so even I would not mind to extend the range for some states that have price gouging on diesel, I am not spending 2 grands for extra tank.
    On other hand I like to carry extra can of fuel. Even I very seldom use it, it gives me "mental reserve"
    Most of vehicles do have generous reserve and I had diesels that would make 100 miles with reserve light on, or 20-30 miles with "0 to empty" but driving with those notifications when you have > 20 miles between gas stations can make your hand shaking. So 2- 5 gallons can in trunk makes you confident to use the reserve fuel in your main tank.
  • cewillis's avatar
    cewillis
    Explorer
    Jul 26, 2017
    I absolutely agree with you about the inadequate size of the stock tank. And I also carry 10 extra gallons in my camper 'generator' compartment.
    What I would like to do is remove the ridiculous, monster stock muffler in favor of a much smaller, but perfectly adequate turbo diesel one, and re-route the exhaust. Then install another 26 gallon stock muffler, or equivalent in that area. More fuel, and better weight balance.
    I also carry two spares, so I don't want to lose the stock spare location - or put extra weight back there.
  • Kayteg1's avatar
    Kayteg1
    Explorer II
    Jul 26, 2017
    Cost? Didn't you have spare wheel there?
    I did something similar on ClassC years ago. The original pickup tank on Toyota chassis would give me less than 200 miles range with house attached, so I pulled big flat tank from older pickup and attached it under the rear. Lighted switch to activate the electric transfer pump. Did not have those electronic timers and gizmos at the time, so had to observe main fuel gauge, but I plumbed it with T on vent pipe as well so main tank overflow would go to aux tank.

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