Fuel Transfer Tank?

rangerdanger

TreeHouser
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Apr 25, 2008
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Lexington, KY
Wondering if anyone on here uses a fuel transfer tank on the back of their truck at all. We're looking at getting one to put on the back of our 3500 possibly. I like the idea of not having to mess with 5 gallon cans of diesel anymore, or having too drive the machinery up to a gas station to fill 'er up. I'm thinking maybe a 60ish gallon size would work best. Also looking at the combo's, the tank and tool box in one. Anyone have experience with those?
 
I know a thing or two about transfer tanks. Ive filled and emptied many of them into skidders and such. In a one ton truck, put whatever size you like. In a half ton truck, 100 gallon tanks do nothing but wear your truck out if hauling fuel to the job everyday. 100 gallons is nice, its less trips to go get off road fuel. Less trips=fuel and time saved. Im putting one in my 350. I don't need a 500 gallon tank at my yard. 100 gallons at a time is better suited to the volume of fuel my chipper uses. Transfer tanks are great because you don't get diesel baths like you do when filling from jugs. Plus if you have a burn pile, its sweet to just pull up next to it and give it a squirt.
 
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I thought about a 100 gallon tank, didn't know if that'd be too much to put on our 3500. Always thought it was a great idea, we've had a few times where we've had to leave the job just to go get fuel for something, be it the chipper or grinder or whatever. And of course its at the end of the day, when the nearest gas station is 10-15 minutes away. Any particular brand to purchase or stay away from?
 
100 gallons is fine on that truck. Its a bit over a thousand pounds full usually. The brakes and springs can handle that fine. The truck wont handle any differently if the tank is right behind the cab. I believe its a great idea. For me, offroad diesel is 15 miles out of my way. Ive put way too much highway diesel in my gear over time because its right there where I fuel up. This year Im going to make the journey as needed outside of working hours to grab 100 gallons of offroad.
 
When my dad retired in 1980 he had a 1973 Ford F-250 with a 120 gallon transfer tank in the bed that was used as an auxillary gas tank .In addition to the factory frame mount he also had a behind the seat 20 gallon so he was carrying 160 gallons of gasoline .

He and my mother went to Alaska in the summer of 1980 and he was concerned about the availablity of fuel but with that much on board he never had a problem .Over the road even pulling a 26 foot travel trailer that 360 cubic inch V8 engine got about 13 miles per gallon so he could cross several states before he needed fuel .It would go from Ohio to central Florida and never need a fuel up .
 
i drove 2 differnt ford 350's with a 100 gal tank, it was the notched kind, that a toolbox mounted over and the pump was on the back near the cab window,
had a smaller one in my 1500 chevy same set up
both worked great, filled many chippers, on several occasions when running low on fuel, id pull oer and fuel myself up
when i worked west hollywood id fill the chippers and boom truck up each day to keep the guys on the road, the dump and foremans rigs filled up in the yard as needed.

get one tis worth the investment, and dont go cheap, get the electric pump, i got 1 from napa, and 2 from white cap
 
Picked up a 96 gallon tank off Craigslist a few months ago but the pump was bad. Finally picked up a new pump off Amazon last month and set the tank in my small bucket truck. Two reasons, it fit best in that truck and that truck only has about 32 gallon fuel capacity and will run out in 2-3 days. Now I can fill my chipper at the yard and have 'emergency' fuel for the trucks just in case I run out.

I have always carried a 5 gallon can of diesel in every work truck just for emergencies and may still continue to do so, but it's nice filling up one big tank once a week instead of driving multiple trucks to the gas station every other day after work.
 
Off road deisel is usually a little cheaper because of the Highway Taxes. Different colors as there is a fine if DOT finds off road fuel running OTR rigs
 
I am kind of torn between a transfer tank and more jerry cans.
Fuel delivery is not available unless it's 500 gallons or more per delivery with a tank to store it all on site.
 
I have a 50l fuel tank on my 25hp chipper, I was thinking of using as some storage. I don't go through too much chipping....yet.
 
The other upside to Transfer Tank w Pump and Swivel Nozzle is ZERO spillages. Guy I worked for five gallon bucketed the excavator , made a mess every time plus the plain stupid accident hazard spilling on the machine where your feet walk , a slip and fall away the Emergency Room.
 
I would think so for the average small machinery most would use. The longer ones come into play when you are refuelling massive excavators and such, or special applications. I was on a job last year where the guy needed about 100' to get inside the building to where we were.
 
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