Why hasn't anyone thought of this? -Aux Bed Tank
Why hasn't anyone thought of this? -Aux Bed Tank
deminimis |
Feb 9 2010, 01:41 PM
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#1
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Group: Members Posts: 27 Joined: 5-January 10 Member No.: 3,604 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Bigfoot & Okanagan Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Former: 2007.5 Silverado Duramax Dually 4x4 LTZ. Current: 2015 Ram 5500 4x4 Laramie w/ 197 WB and 136 Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: Former: Bigfoot 25c10.6E Current: Okanagan 116ULT |
Perhaps I'm nuts, perhaps mad as a hatter, perhaps a genius! So, I want the best of both worlds, an aux diesel tank and a slide-in camper. But wait, I have a new body style truck. I have to use spacers (3"-4") between my truck's bed and the camper bottom. That's a lot of lost space. Seems to me one could fab an aux tank that fits the bottom of the truck bed, if heavily baffled (meaning reinforced for weigh bearing), that would pull double duty as it would raise the bed height, thus alleviating the need for spacers. Aluminum construction, with a thin rubber bed liner on top. How much fuel could you carry? Let's see, 8' x 4' (which doesn't take into account the actual larger footprint available due the hour glass shape of a bed) x3". So, conservatively, that's 60 gallons. I think I have a potential Summer project.
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SUPERBASH |
Feb 9 2010, 03:53 PM
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#2
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Group: Members Posts: 20 Joined: 15-February 09 From: Long Island NY Member No.: 3,056 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Starcraft 800HS Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2009 Dodge Ram2500 QuadCab Shortbed Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac Truck and Camper Setup: HappiJac TieDowns / Supersprings & Pacbrake Heavy Duty Air Bags |
Sounds Heavy. Sounds Expensive. Sounds Unsafe......
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aqualung |
Feb 10 2010, 08:35 AM
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#3
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Group: Members Posts: 165 Joined: 3-February 10 Member No.: 3,725 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Adventurer 90FWS Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Dodge 3500 Dually Quadcab 4x4 6.7L Cummins Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: 2008 Adventurer 90FWS Torklift Tiedowns with SuperHitch and SuperTruss Firestone Air Bags Torklift Load Stabilizers Fastgun Turnbuckles |
Sounds like a great idea, you can never have enough fuel capacity...... Since you have a diesel truck it will be safe, but its not so clear for a gas engine. There are lots of truck bed auxillary diesel tanks out there, you can tie them into your truck's fuel system too just follow all the safety regulations. As for gas, you can have an auxillary tank but it can't be tied into your truck's fuel system.
60 gal of diesel will add 480lbs then there's the weight of the tank (100lbs??). So close to 600lbs extra weight in the back. If your truck is like mine you'll have plenty of room on the rear GAWR but may sqeak by on the GVWR. I'd goto your local scales and take some measurements with the camper on then factor in the extra 600lbs and see where you stand before starting the project. It sounds like a lot of work to build the tank. FYI, diesel is 8lbs per gallon, water is 8.5lbs/gal. So make sure your fresh water is full when you take the measurements too or factor in the water's weight later. |
SUPERBASH |
Feb 12 2010, 02:23 PM
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#4
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Group: Members Posts: 20 Joined: 15-February 09 From: Long Island NY Member No.: 3,056 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Starcraft 800HS Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2009 Dodge Ram2500 QuadCab Shortbed Type of Tiedowns used: Happijac Truck and Camper Setup: HappiJac TieDowns / Supersprings & Pacbrake Heavy Duty Air Bags |
Supporting a 2000 lb. (+) camper on top of an alumninum tank is NOT a GREAT IDEA...
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deminimis |
May 28 2010, 11:31 AM
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#5
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Group: Members Posts: 27 Joined: 5-January 10 Member No.: 3,604 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Bigfoot & Okanagan Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Former: 2007.5 Silverado Duramax Dually 4x4 LTZ. Current: 2015 Ram 5500 4x4 Laramie w/ 197 WB and 136 Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: Former: Bigfoot 25c10.6E Current: Okanagan 116ULT |
Ended up with a 65 gallon aftermarket tank installed in the factory location. Expensive, but worked fine.
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rickf |
Jun 17 2010, 11:48 AM
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#6
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Group: Members Posts: 34 Joined: 14-June 10 Member No.: 4,417 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Fleetwood Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 1996 Ford F-250 Diesel 4X4 Type of Tiedowns used: Custom Truck and Camper Setup: Ford F-250, Heavy duty leafs, Fleetwood 11 foot with custom made tie downs |
QUOTE(deminimis @ May 28 2010, 11:31 AM) Ended up with a 65 gallon aftermarket tank installed in the factory location. Expensive, but worked fine. Another thing you would have to keep in mind, no matter how well baffled it would have to let fuel move. If you had half a tank then when accelerating or going up hills you would have 30 gallons of fuel going all to the back adding 240 lbs. behind the rear axle. That could cause some strange handling as it unloads the front end. Rick |
Parts Jimmy |
May 14 2011, 10:51 PM
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#7
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Group: Members Posts: 3 Joined: 4-May 10 Member No.: 4,185 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Northstar Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2000 Ford F350 Super Cab SRW Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: I will do it later |
Auxiliary fuel tanks must be DOT certified. You may never have a legal issue but if you were involved in an accident your insurance company may refuse to pay the claim.
-------------------- 2000 Ford F350 Superduty SC LWB
2005 Northstar Adventurer 2007 Sea Pro 195 FS |
deminimis |
May 16 2011, 06:01 PM
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#8
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Group: Members Posts: 27 Joined: 5-January 10 Member No.: 3,604 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Bigfoot & Okanagan Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Former: 2007.5 Silverado Duramax Dually 4x4 LTZ. Current: 2015 Ram 5500 4x4 Laramie w/ 197 WB and 136 Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: Former: Bigfoot 25c10.6E Current: Okanagan 116ULT |
Wow, back from the dead. Went wituh a 65+ gal Aero underneath.
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DirtyMaxx1 |
Sep 17 2011, 04:12 PM
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#9
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Group: Members Posts: 2 Joined: 17-September 11 Member No.: 5,622 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Palomino Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: Chev 3500HD Crew Cab 4X4 Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift front, Custom rear Truck and Camper Setup: 2011 Chev Dually 3500HD CC w/Palomino Maverick 1000SL |
QUOTE(deminimis @ Feb 9 2010, 11:41 AM) Perhaps I'm nuts, perhaps mad as a hatter, perhaps a genius! So, I want the best of both worlds, an aux diesel tank and a slide-in camper. But wait, I have a new body style truck. I have to use spacers (3"-4") between my truck's bed and the camper bottom. That's a lot of lost space. Seems to me one could fab an aux tank that fits the bottom of the truck bed, if heavily baffled (meaning reinforced for weigh bearing), that would pull double duty as it would raise the bed height, thus alleviating the need for spacers. Aluminum construction, with a thin rubber bed liner on top. How much fuel could you carry? Let's see, 8' x 4' (which doesn't take into account the actual larger footprint available due the hour glass shape of a bed) x3". So, conservatively, that's 60 gallons. I think I have a potential Summer project. why do u have to space it up 3-4 inches?? |
Parts Jimmy |
Sep 17 2011, 06:47 PM
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#10
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Group: Members Posts: 3 Joined: 4-May 10 Member No.: 4,185 Favorite Truck Camper(s): Northstar Type and Brand of Truck(s) Owned: 2000 Ford F350 Super Cab SRW Type of Tiedowns used: Torklift Truck and Camper Setup: I will do it later |
QUOTE(DirtyMaxx1 @ Sep 17 2011, 05:12 PM) The camper will hit the top of the cab on a Ford due to the height of the cab. -------------------- 2000 Ford F350 Superduty SC LWB
2005 Northstar Adventurer 2007 Sea Pro 195 FS |
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