Aux fuel tank for gasoline pickup?

[AZRedhawk44]

My truck has a 26 gallon tank and averages about 17mpg... Highway is a bit better, almost 20mpg if I'm not climbing mountains.  I have a 400-450 mile range, typically.

I'd like to have a 1000 mile or greater total range.  Why?  Long camping or hunting trips in the AZ back country can take me 2+ hours from the nearest gas station, and I've run into situations where I've had to ration gas while driving forest roads during those trips.  I have a pair of 5gal gerry cans for trips like that which I typically use, but I'd like something a bit more graceful than that... and just 10 gal makes me nervous... I ran pretty low on gas last time I used this technique and was HAPPY to pay the high markups at Hannigan Meadow (probably the most expensive gas in the State of AZ) when I pulled in on fumes.  I'd also like to be able to drive all the way through AZ and rural NV to friends in northern CA or central OR if I wanted to, independent of gas concerns.  The SHTF-value of 1000-1500 mile range in a truck, or the budgetary value of a month's worth of gas to ward off price fluctuations, also has value to me.

Been looking into aux tanks.  Seems to be a predominantly diesel product.  There are a few gasoline ones.  I'd prefer not to have a "transfer" tank.  Much rather have a true aux tank, with its own fuel pump and fuel filter independent from the main tank's fuel pump and filter, plumbed into the truck's fuel intake system.

One that is also camouflaged as a tool box would be nice.

My caveat:  I have a camper shell over the top of my truck bed.  This greatly complicates refueling and makes a transfer-type tank (the ones with the gas pump handles and hoses for filling bikes/ATVs/other vehicles) impossible anyways, even if I wanted one.  It complicates refueling because the tanks are typically mounted against the back wall of the truck cab in the bed, and gas station filling hoses aren't long enough to go inside the enclosed truck bed to fill the aux tank.

Is it legal to put an aux tank in an enclosed truck bed with a camper shell?

Can the fiberglass be cut and a locking door fashioned, to give easier access to the filling port on a bed mounted aux tank?

[roo_ster]

DIdn't most trucks & vans used to come with two tanks?

[Brad Johnson]

http://www.aerotanks.com/

Some diesel only, some gas & diesel.  Check their fitment guide for your applicaiton.

Brad

[Jamisjockey]

http://www.marinefuelbladders.com/
 

Transfer flow has replacement tanks

http://www.transferflow.com/

Not for all models.  Of course, you're looking at a grand plus.

Another option is to talk to a local hot rod shop and have a custom tank built.  Again, you're going to be into it a grand or more.

[Triphammer]

What make/ model truck? Most models have, at one time or another, have been offered w/ dual tanks. In the 70's Ford  fitted their aux tank trucks with a changeover valve between the driver's door & the seat & a dash mounted switch to choose fuel gauges. Once fuel injection became the norm, the dash switch controlled both the gauges & the in tank low pressure pumps & the solenoid valves, either of which feeds to the chassis mounted high pressure pump. "Some" usued, adaptable tank can be found that will mount under the body can can be retrofited as an aux tank. Personally, I would shy away from any transfer type setup within an enclose shell.

[AZRedhawk44]

2005 Ram.  4.7L V8.  6 foot bed. Standard cab.

[Triphammer]

PM sent

[41magsnub]

That transfer flow one with the camper option looks like the ticket if you can pony up for it.  This assumes your 6' bed is really a 6.5'.

er...  wait, that says diesel only.  Maybe not...  they are probably worried about fumes from a gasoline tank under a camper shell for good reason.

[birdman]

Two of these:
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayPopup?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&productId=837886&itemId=807449&langId=-1&showValue=1
With a transfer pump (fuel pump), and routing the vent hoses and filler hose to a bulkhead connector on the outside of the cap.  The cells are $250 each, and with all the hoses, electric pump, etc, you could easily setup for well under a grand, Could be covered with a tool box looking thing, fully sealed so no fumes inside the cap (route the vents to an external breather), and only occupy 18" of the bed length.  64 gallons, plus your normal tank, is 90 gallons...which achieves your 1500 mile range requirement at 17mpg

[Jamisjockey]

Thinking outside the box, but for hunting and camping trips, have you thought about going with a small trailer?  Maybe a modified pickup truck trailer?  Add the transfer tank to it, and then you have additional storage to boot. 

I noticed with most of the tanks, they don't come with the transfer pumps.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&N=0&Ntk=All&Ntt=aux+fuel&Nty=1&D=aux+fuel&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchallpartial

[Tallpine]

I noticed with most of the tanks, they don't come with the transfer pumps.

Six foot length of 1/2" plastic hose 

[birdman]

If you don't have one...or two, or three of them already, get a shake siphon...

[Jamisjockey]

If you don't have one...or two, or three of them already, get a shake siphon...

Are the commercials nearly as erotic as "shakeweight"?

[birdman]

Are the commercials nearly as erotic as "shakeweight"?

Kind of, but it really sucks.