auxiliary fuel tank

[tvanwave]

My TV is an F250 CC 4x4 V10 with factory tow pkg. I'm thinking of adding an aux fuel tank in the 50-60 gallon range. Pulling a 34' AS I get 10mpg so with the extra fuel I could easily go 600+ miles before needing to find a fuel station that I can access. Most of the tanks I've seen on 'the net' are for diesel, not gasoline. Gas weighs about 6.2 pounds per gallon so the few extra hundred pounds of fuel should not be a big factor for the TV. Who makes a good tank and what are the +/- of installing and using this kind of system? Tanks in advance

[fltlevel510]

Transfer Flow has a good reputation for aux fuel tanks. In addition to large tanks that mount in the bed of the PU they also make replacement tanks up to 60 gal that fit within the frame of the truck. Check them out at:

Ford pickup replacement tanks

[Bluto]

Transfer Flow out of Chino, CA makes several nice tanks and several options. They make tanks for both diesel or gas.
The phone number there is:1-800-442-0056
web address is: transferflow.com

I have a 30 gal. cross the bed tank for diesel and the Trax II computer monitoring system.
I installed it myself in a few hours. ( I needed help to lift the tank into position).
I also opted for their kit that allows you to fill the tank thru a camper top.
Pros: Very good products. Good instructions, help support available by phone if you have a question.
Cons: $$

[tvanwave]

Originally Posted by Bluto

Transfer Flow out of Chino, CA makes several nice tanks and several options. They make tanks for both diesel or gas.
The phone number there is:1-800-442-0056
web address is: transferflow.com

I have a 30 gal. cross the bed tank for diesel and the Trax II computer monitoring system.
I installed it myself in a few hours. ( I needed help to lift the tank into position).
I also opted for their kit that allows you to fill the tank thru a camper top.
Pros: Very good products. Good instructions, help support available by phone if you have a question.
Cons: $$

Yikes! About $1000 for either a replacement 50/75 gallon tank or in-the-bed tank. Anything less expensive that has safely been done?

[fltlevel510]

A lot of people still use these.

[Jammer]

Federal regulations have driven costs up and availability and innovation down for aux tanks. Transfer flow are one of the only places still standing and the prices they charge reflect the compliance costs.

There are cheap cross-bed tanks for fueling diesel equipment. The manufacturers state that they aren't safe enough for gasoline. Some people run gasoline in them anyway and self-refuel. I looked into that and decided it was a bad idea for a bunch of reasons, but it is the only cheap option that is out there.

The traditional jerry cans fl510 posts photos of have also become hard to find due to EPA and CARB regulations. And, fuel purity becomes a problem with any manual pour system. With a modern truck with a fuel pump in the tank contamination is costly, you have to drop the tank and replace the fuel pump/filter/float gauge assembly all at once.

Bottom line for me is I live with the capacity I got from GM.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by tvanwave

My TV is an F250 CC 4x4 V10... so the few extra hundred pounds of fuel should not be a big factor for the TV...

i disagree, unless u r travelin' LIGHT in that truck.

what is the gvwr listed on the b pillar or door?

check the specs, weigh the truck and sort out how MUCH the tongue/trailer is gonna weigh...

while the v10 is lighter than the 7.3 diesel from those years and THAT increases the payload some...

it is still a big heavy truck.

check the specs, weigh it, then check again.
________

with people, gear, a shell, options, camping STUFF and so on...

it's very possible to be at or OVER the gvwr, axle/spring rating and so on...

The TheDieselStop.Com 1999-up FAQ

while there is ROOM for a lotta stuff in a 250 AND your 34 was originally lighter than recent 34s...

check the specs, weight it and do the figures...

the rear LEAF stack on my 2005 250, which has HIGHER ratings than the 2000s...

started to fatigue after 1-2 years of towing a 34,

which lead to ADDING 1 leaf to the stack.
________

the aux fuel thing is WELL COVERED in old threads,

including pictures, ideas and crazy diy fireball'n suggestions...

cheers
2air'

[EuroAir]

I saw one at Costco for about 100 bucks. Its basically a large bucket on wheels with a hose. Check it out

[tvanwave]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

i disagree, unless u r travelin' LIGHT in that truck.

what is the gvwr listed on the b pillar or door?

check the specs, weigh the truck and sort out how MUCH the tongue/trailer is gonna weigh...

while the v10 is lighter than the 7.3 diesel from those years and THAT increases the payload some...

it is still a big heavy truck.

check the specs, weigh it, then check again.
________

with people, gear, a shell, options, camping STUFF and so on...

it's very possible to be at or OVER the gvwr, axle/spring rating and so on...

The TheDieselStop.Com 1999-up FAQ

while there is ROOM for a lotta stuff in a 250 AND your 34 was originally lighter than recent 34s...

check the specs, weight it and do the figures...

the rear LEAF stack on my 2005 250, which has HIGHER ratings than the 2000s...

started to fatigue after 1-2 years of towing a 34,

which lead to ADDING 1 leaf to the stack.
________

the aux fuel thing is WELL COVERED in old threads,

including pictures, ideas and crazy diy fireball'n suggestions...

cheers
2air'

The PO of my TV kindly peeled the door spec sheet off. I have the build sheet for my TV. Between that and some time searching the net I find: GVW 8800lb; tow rating 10,000lb; payload 3000 lb; rear axle capacity 6084lb; curb weight 5300lb;front axle 4400 lb; final drive ratio 3.73. I do not use a bed cover/ topper and the most i carry in the bed is three bicycles. 3 adults traveling = #500. So if the AS tounge weight is estiamted at 900 pounds I should have 1600 pounds capacity left. I should be able to add a reserve tank and fuel and still have about 1000 pounds capacity left. Once I get things weighed I can be more precise. Or am I missing some other factor (probabaly) in figuring this out?

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by tvanwave

...Once I get things weighed I can be more precise. Or am I missing some other factor (probabaly) in figuring this out?...

nope, that looks about right.

the curb weight seems low but that's a result of the v10 vs 7.3.

so the payload goes UP 500 lbs or so.

keep in mind the 'tow capacity' goes DOWN for every pound of payload IN/on da truck.

there are some other bits/pieces to include like the HITCH...

and the curb weight doesn't include truck options, fuel or driver...

but that will all be clarified at the scale.

i just recently weighed a naked new truck which was ~900 lbs over the supposedly official curb weight...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...tml#post873363
__________

another issue is extended holding time for 10%+ ethanol fuels.

keeping gasoline 4 longer intervals is more problematic now, than 10 years ago.
__________

the issue that prompts many of us dragging LONG streams,

to explore aux fuel tank options is ...

"can we get into a fuel station when necessary"

this seems like a big issue initially but after a few trips and some practice,

station selection and wiggling IN are not big problems.

i carried a 5 gal diesel jug for several years...

withOUT ever 'needing' the contents, so it was ditched last year.

and the options for finding gasoline are MUCH better still than diesel.

there is ALWAYS the option to drop the trailer when conditions dictate,

and fill da'truck solo.

cheers
2air'

[tvanwave]

the issue that prompts many of us dragging LONG streams is...

"can we get into a fuel station when necessary"

this seems like a big issue initially but after a few trips and some practice,

station selection and wiggling IN are not big problems...

i carried a 5 gal diesel jug for several years withOUT ever 'needing' the contents, so it was ditched last year.

and the options for finding gasoline are MUCH better still than diesel.

cheers


You are correct about the basis for my thinking. I figure in worst case scenario I can drop the AS, fuel, and reconnect. My wife is very stressed at the prospect of getting trapped w/o fuel or at the filling station. Maybe the best option is to carry two 5 gallon cans and get the practice & experience. We have had our rig out 1X so far so not a lot of on-hands experience. Thanks!
2air'[/QUOTE]

[2airishuman]

yep, carry a couple of jugs with gasoline for a few trips,

that's the great thing about having a truck.

Originally Posted by tvanwave

...My wife is very stressed at the prospect of getting trapped w/o fuel or at the filling station....

give your gal a CHILL PILL.

besides if THAT issue stresses her,

wait till she finds out about these...

((posted by another brave rocky topper))

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161...tch-56769.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...-ok-57267.html

and start reading at posts #11 here bout being TRAPPED inside ...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...tml#post512426

and this one should make for restful sleeping...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f161...eam-53997.html

rv'n is very very dangerous...

cheers
2air'

[Bluto]

If your still thinking about an extra tank on a Ford you might have some luck just getting a bigger tank to replace a smaller one already in place.
My story: I had an 84 diesel pickup that had 2 fuel tanks on it an 19 and an 18gal . I was able to go to J.C Whitney and buy a larger 36gal tank and replaced the small 18 in the rear of the truck. The truck already had all the hoses and hookups needed for the swap. The cost was about $300 back then for a new bigger tank. Even the transfer switch worked with the larger tank.
The only thing I lost in the exchange was being able to store my spare tire under the truck and it had to be mounted in the bed.
Maybe something like that might be an option for you.

Originally Posted by tvanwave

Yikes! About $1000 for either a replacement 50/75 gallon tank or in-the-bed tank. Anything less expensive that has safely been done?

[wagnerda]

In my opinion, hard to have too much fuel... Many places out west are 100+ miles between stations.

On my 2008 F350 I swapped the 38 gal factory main tank for a 60 gal tank from Transfer Tanks, and then added a 40 gal tool box / fuel tank combo in the bed so I now carry 100 gals (diesel). They are a very nice company to deal with so I highly recommend them.

One of my better moves in my opinion. I love the freedom big tanks give you so I highly recommend upping your fuel capacities to whatever max you can get. My range is now 1,750 miles empty, and 1,300 miles when towing Airstream so I can pick and choose when and where to stop for fuel (Flying J is still the best for RV's in my opinion).

And perhaps most interesting item is even though I can easily go 1,000 + miles between fuelings I still tend to stop every morning at a station (Flying J if available) just to clean the bugs off the windshield... But it is really nice to have Bugs as the driving factor for a stop - not the low-fuel warning light...

Best regards...

[slowmover]

Flying J just got sold to Pilot (bummer, drag, etc). Loves got a few of them I think. Not nearly as sad as when T/A vacuumed up Rip Griffin locations, but . . . .

Use the AMBEST directory if you want to avoid chains (I like old truck stops, but then, I'm an old [relatively] truck driver).

AMBest Home

Individually-owned and operated. Get a paper directory and keep notes about good ones (there are some VERY good ones), and note, too, the ones that are just zany (as in southern Louisiana at Frog City).

A big fuel tank is worth spending the money for, but keep fuel treated with PRI-G, LC-20 FUEL POWER or another high quality product.

Good luck

.