auxiliary fuel tank

[reddwar]

We are at Quartzsite az. on the way down here fuel in Blackwell ok 3.55 san Antonio, tx. 3.49 & 3.47 at QT between here & phoenix. Most of the time fuel ran 3.69+ up to a little over $4.00

Thinking of getting an auxiliary fuel tank. been looking at them for years. There is a guy here at the show from lake havasu city who will custom build a 70+/- gal. tank that I can read fuel in both tanks for $1100. I have a bed cover & super glide hitch, don't think that is a bad price. I could save $350 if I were to put a gravity flow switch in cab. Think I would forget to shut it off, no {I know I would}. We full time & I am going to keep my baby a 07 DRW 3500 5.9 as long as I am on the road at least 10 more years I hope.

So sound like an ok good deal.

red

[mdamerell]

Fun tidbits poking around the internet and some loose math.

If you spent $1,000 on an aux fuel tank upgrade, saved 50 cents on every gallon and got 10 mpg towing it would take you 20,000 miles to recoup your investment.

Diesel (according to Mobile and Shell) has a shelf life of 6 months to a year if keep cool and dry. Add biocides and filtration and it will keep longer.

Average weight for a gallon of diesel is 7.0 to 7.3 pounds depending upon blend.

Untreated #2 diesel Gel point is usually around 17.5 °F (?8.1 °C).


Have a great day 🙂

[Cummins12V98]

fj12ryder wrote:
Not a problem, sometimes the nuances of conversation are lost with a keyboard.

I like the replacement tanks too, but I'm just too much of a cheapskate to go that route. 🙂 The only ones I could find for my Dodge were around $900 or so.

Thankfully my wife and I have come to a point in life where we don't have to worry about every dollar we spend like we used to. So we buy what we want even tho it may not make financial sense.

So if I were to buy the stock replacement it would because I would get some benefit from it not to save money.

Hope that came out alright! Just nice not to worry about every little thing like we used to!

[reddwar]

Thanks we have had our 07 5.9 DRW Mega Cab Dodge 6 & a half years & have haul rock a couple of times & took a hutch to western Ks for son-in-law as his AC was not working in his truck. So 99.9% of the time I do not haul anything but our fiver. Both of my son-in-laws have trucks so when home if I need to haul any thing I can use one of there trucks, they have used mine over the years. We full time & have a tonneau cover on the bed & it will only be seen when pulling. We got the Meg Cab with a 6.5 bed as it is our truck to pull our fifth wheel, the mega cab so DW can haul grandkids. Don't plan on using the tank when not pulling. Have thought about it a long time & think I will pay for it in two or three years. Also do not like it when my tank gets under half full as I start looking for fuel. As my uncle used to say it is just as easy to keep your tank on top half as bottom half. This way I will have additional 70 gal. on the top half.

Thank for all of the advice
red

[fj12ryder]

Not a problem, sometimes the nuances of conversation are lost with a keyboard.

I like the replacement tanks too, but I'm just too much of a cheapskate to go that route. 🙂 The only ones I could find for my Dodge were around $900 or so.

[Cummins12V98]

fj12ryder wrote:
You must not have hit the travel centers I've stopped at. The diesel islands are all pretty nasty with spilled diesel, and many trucks idling add to the aroma. 🙂

I've never gotten into a spot that I couldn't get out of, but I've been in several places where it would have been nice to not have to be there in the first place. But if you're off the interstate sometimes you have to fill up when your little tank runs low, not when you want to.

I have an RV so I don't have to eat in a restaurant if I don't wish to, so modern stations with a restaurant are a wash.

Sorry, but I'll take the "waste of time and money", usually a couple bucks and an extra 15 minutes or so, over the hassle of all the above mentioned items.

Don't like an auxiliary tank? Don't buy one. Your choice, but don't denigrate the wise people who do. 🙂

I have not said anything bad about buying an auxiliary tank just reasons why I would not buy one. I did say if I were to buy one it would be a stock replacement. My tank is 35 gallons and re fueling at around 250 miles works well for us and there has been no problem finding fuel.

What I did say that I should not have was about trying to park in a campground and for that I am Sorry!

[tvfrfireman]

larry barnhart wrote:
I feel different because we had our 55 gal fuel tank built in Havasu in March of 05 for $1000.00 and really enjoy having the extra fuel so we can fill when we want and not have to. the 55 gal tank was a nice fit between the tool box and the air hitch. I would go for it.
chevman

X2 The convenience of having extra fuel and not having to find fuel daily while traveling in great for us. One of the best things we have done.

[deltabravo]

If I were to change my capacity I would get a stock tank replacement from http://www.titanfueltanks.com/. You loose no room and your fuel gauge will still work.

I want my bed to be clear if I want to use it as a pickup, AND haul my truck camper

[fj12ryder]

You must not have hit the travel centers I've stopped at. The diesel islands are all pretty nasty with spilled diesel, and many trucks idling add to the aroma. 🙂

I've never gotten into a spot that I couldn't get out of, but I've been in several places where it would have been nice to not have to be there in the first place. But if you're off the interstate sometimes you have to fill up when your little tank runs low, not when you want to.

I have an RV so I don't have to eat in a restaurant if I don't wish to, so modern stations with a restaurant are a wash.

Sorry, but I'll take the "waste of time and money", usually a couple bucks and an extra 15 minutes or so, over the hassle of all the above mentioned items.

Don't like an auxiliary tank? Don't buy one. Your choice, but don't denigrate the wise people who do. 🙂

[Cummins12V98]

edatlanta wrote:
Per my signature line I have a Titan OEM replacement tank and absolutely love it. It increased my capacity from 26 gallon to 52 and doesn't take up any bed space. 26 gallons when you are towing just isn't enough.

Would I do it again? You Bet!

IMHO this is what makes sense!

We stop at Travel Centers like Loves, Flying J and so on they are not stinky or smelly. Or other modern stations that usually have some type of restaurant.

If you can't maneuver your 40' RV into a fuel station I hate to see what it looks like trying to park in some of these camp grounds.

Another wast of time and money is to drive to town just to fuel up.

As usual all JMHO

[retispcsi]

I have a 60 gal RDS and it is great. The trick is to find a happy medium with how many gallons extra you want to carry. My last big trip of a month and over 5,000 miles allowed me to buy fuel when and where I wanted. On the interstates you may apay 10 to 40 cents a gallon or more. Also it is really nice not looking for a station every 300 miles or so. My RDS was under $700 dollars and I installed it myself not very hard. Anyway good luck.

[Gemstone]

"I have a 45 gal in bed aux tank. I found it on Craigslist".....me too...$100, forget that $1100 tank, and you can get a quicker payback .

Regards
Gemstone

[msjdbman]

I have a 45 gal in bed aux tank. I found it on Craigslist complete with pump, hose, filter, and nozzle for $150.

My wife has asthma, plus chemical sensitivities, so this setup allows me to avoid subjecting her to stinky fuel stations with her on board. I just fill up where and when it's convenient for us, and I only spent $150 to get a full days fuel range.

[edatlanta]

Per my signature line I have a Titan OEM replacement tank and absolutely love it. It increased my capacity from 26 gallon to 52 and doesn't take up any bed space. 26 gallons when you are towing just isn't enough.

Would I do it again? You Bet!

[Led_67]

OK custom tanks aside...The thing that I have seen is take the fuel tank off of a semi along with the frame cradles and fuel tank straps and mount them in the bed of your pickup and use a stock diverter valve to switch over to the bed tank.
I have seen one that the guy actually stopped using his factory tanks and ran a 120 gallon semi tank in the bed of his pickup and never complained about anything other than how much it cost to fill his tank.
Also it has been awhile so deisel weighs in at 7 lbs per gallon, If I am wrong please excuse me, considering that the 120 tank ,and using 110 gallons each fillup, would be mounted at the front of the bed center, these are rough figures ok, Fuel would be 110 glns=770 lbs so split that in half for a standard cab gets 385lbs per axle apprx. for a crew cab since it is closer to the rear 513.3 lbs rear axle 256.6 lbs front axle apprx.
Lastly let me say this is your truck and your decision and you should consider the choices and opinions of others however you have to live with it so it is your decision to make.
Good luck

[DirtyOil]

How about one of these, for short beds and long beds

https://titanfueltanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Price-and-Specification-List-Full-Illustration...