I've been thinking about putting an extra fuel tank in the bed of my pickup. However, I do not want to buy the tank because of the high cost. Has anyone ever fabbed up there own in bed tank? I plan to mod it so it will go directly into my front tank. Anyone have any ideas?

 

It can be done, just have to be sure and leak test it, You can make a fitting to air pressurize it, then spray the outside with soapy water like checking a tire for leaks. My recommendation is to just use flat sheets and corner weld it. You can do it true corner to corner, or overlap the sheets a bit and weld it that way. You can bend it some if you wish and have the capability, but if you don't, you can just weld each corner. If you have a tool box, you can build it to fill in the space underneath it.

 

Good deal. So you don't think it will be that hard of a task? I do have a tool box, so theres going to be a little more welding involved.

 

just remember it will be higher than your stock tank, so unless you have some sort of switch to turn the tank on or off, it will gravity feed to the stock tank till it is empty. and if there is not enough room in there, it will empty onto the ground through the fill neck or vent hose.

 

Right, I dont want to buy another pump so I'm just gonna rig up a fitting with a rubber fuel hose and valve into the fill neck.

 

What year are you working with? You could rig up a switch from an 80's Ford or Chevy truck and use a switch.

 

97' Longbed. It would be nice to rig something up so I can throw the switch from the cab. I finally found a L shaped- split tank... however I'm not sure if its in good enough condition. I guess I can bring it home and test it out. It's a little rusty but I can sandblast it and make it look decent again I think. Could you explain on how this switch would work??

 

are you going to be using the bed tank for gas or diesel??
if it is for gas, check with your state laws, because in most states, if you carry more than 50 gallons of gas, or 100 gallons of diesel in a bed tank you need a class "A" cdl, with tanker and haz-mat endorsements.

if for diesel use, just get a tank selector valve, and hook it to the valve.

 

When I made my trip up the Haul road to hunt caribou in Alaska there is only two fuel stops within almost 500 miles of gravel roads one way. The fuel was expensive and was very poor quality. I had a 55 and a 30 gallon polydrum. I ran a fuel line down through the cap in the drum and through the bed into the filler neck of the main tank. I mounted an electric fuel pump to the bed and ran wires with clips to the battery. Have a switch mounted in the dash with a plug on the wire so I can disconnect everything when I am not going to be needing the set up. While I am driving I just hit the switch and it starts pumping fuel in the main tank. Saves having to stop and fuel up. It works good. I don't see a reason why you couldn't do it on a permanent basis. I have built fuel tanks for tractors and farm trucks before. There isn't much to it. If you don't mind spending some money go to www.transferflow.com. They have a really nice system with tool box/tank kits, but very pricy.

 

Is the cdl hazmat a federal, or Jersey DOT law? Out here, is is very common for trucks to be hauling 100 gallon tanks for fueling farm vehicles, like tractors and such. Most don't have CDL's. let alone class A with hazmat... never heard anyone getting in trouble with them either.
Anyway, I converted a 92 gasser to a diesel, and had to set up a tank switch for it, as the gasser used inline check valves instead of an actual switch. The switches on the older diesels use reverse polarity to switch, so I used 2 dual pole relays to be able to actuate the switch. The 83-4 diesels were set up for rubber hose, but if you plan on running biodiesel through it, you will want to rething using rubber hoses, but will need neoprene or such instead. The GM diesels also have the same type switch, and used it for more years. You will need the pigtail with the switch, so a junkyard run would be the best way to get everything you need. The factory location on the older trucks for this switch was right in front of the front tank, but if your tank is behind the axle, it won't be hard to splice in. To set up a switch in the cab, a simple on/off toggle would do. I will have to see about getting the wiring schematic written up and put in my gallery so anyone interested could see how to do it. I got the relays from a 92 Grand Prix, they have weather seal plugs and everything. The relays have the wiring schematic on them, just have to know how to read them... I'll have to go grab one and see how they are set up so I can try to explain it.

 

Ok, I got it written up and put into my gallery. relay wiring Not the greatest drawing, but I never claimed to be an artist...

 

About 20 years ago, I put a 110 gallon Delta tank in the back of my F150 and used it for gas, had it gravity feed into the metal filler neck of the main tank. Worked very well. One day I woke up to the fact that there were only 4 bolts holding the tank to the bed, and it wouldn't take much of a collison to break it loose. ANY severe collison, any type of rollover, and it was all over for me and anyone else around. Gasoline is a very volatile liquid, and the laws governing how much of it you can carry without it being a DOT-approved tank are there for a purpose. Diesel is another matter, it doesn't have the same (I don't think) DOT rules.

Do what you want to, but if something goes wrong--if you're not dead, you will be broke.

 

It will be hauling Diesel so no worries there. I don't believe there are any laws in Iowa that permits one to haul x amount of fuel for farm use. I would like to find a 100 gallon tank but a 50 would do. Can you explain more on this selector valve?

 

what exactly more do you need to know? not sure what more to say, but feel free to ask about anything I didn't make ckear.