Preparing for the long haul

[mulescj8]

I thought I would share a build I’ve been trying to put together since spring. I’m going to break this down and explain why I did what:

The project has been something I’ve wanted to do for awhile and I decided at the first of the year I was going to move forward with it. So I started getting my stuff figured out, got my ordered placed and got my materials rounded up, Then the pipeline hack happened and there was virtually no fuel for weeks here.

The project- Auxiliary Diesel tank for the truck.

 

[mulescj8]

The first step after I ordered the tank was to design a mounting system that I could still slide 2x4s and plywood under the tank and not loose all my useable bed floor. I came up with a design using 2x2x1/4” wall square tube and 3x3 angle iron.

I measured, drilled and tapped the square tube.

 

[mulescj8]

The next step was to set it up and do a simple mock up

 

[mulescj8]

I forgot to mention that the tank was on back order for 12-14 weeks. Which I was fine with me.
Once the tank finally came in it was time finally get everything measured, mocked up and welded up for the base

 

[mulescj8]

Next was another dry fit before preceding with paint and drilling holes

 

[mulescj8]

Will update and hopefully finish post tomorrow. Phone is dying and power is off until 4am.

 

[mulescj8]

I will add this part the tank I ordered has insets on the bottom. After several discussions with the builder I settled on this tank because the other tank I was considering wouldn’t fit a late model Ford truck if at some point I trade for something newer in the future. The tank I picked is a fully baffled 43 gallon tank. I had it powder coated black, I had the fill neck centered on the driver side of the tank, had a fuel gauge install between the fill neck and the vent. I also ordered a pair of locking fuel caps to fit my truck and tank so I only need one key.

 

[Tootsie]

Very nice!

 

[Bacpacker]

Nice work Mule

 

[mulescj8]

After I got the base welded and painted it was time to start drilling and taping the holes for the tank to mount to the base.

 

[mulescj8]

It was tight getting into some of the stuff to mark it so I came up with away to mark everything to keep the holes aligned and precise.

 

[mulescj8]

I wanted the tank to sit on a rubber pad and allow it to drain the moisture away. So I cut some aluminum diamond plate I had laying around and used a wash mat for a stall that I picked up from tractor supply. It’s a 1/2” thick so it matched the 1/2” solid rubber mat that I used on the ends for the tank to sit on.

 

[mulescj8]

Next I used 3/8 bolts with rubber bushings that are snug enough to hold the tank but still allow for movement so it doesn’t stress the welds on the tank and also absorb some of the bouncing on the interstate. In the bottom picture you can see I’ve run a ground from the tank to the frame on the base. It probably wasn’t necessary but easier to do while I was building than to try and do it later if I did needed to add it later.

 

[mulescj8]

Here’s the tank mounted and bolted down to the truck. I used 4 3/8x32 with grade 8 washers from the bottom side of the bed. Two more bolts that are 7/16” bolts that go through the bed crossmember up into the tank support. Total of six bolts that bolt the tank mount to the truck bed.

 

[Bacpacker]

Is it gonna be tied to you truck's tank?

 

[mulescj8]

The headache rack was a $75 yard sale find that I cleaned up, wired and added LED lights that are tail, stop and turn lights plus two LED scene lights that I can operate for lighting up a work area.

 

[mulescj8]

In this picture you can see the manual valve that is the on/off for the tank.

 

[mulescj8]

The tank came with a kit that is called a hotshotz that fits into the fill neck on the truck. It T’s a 3/8” fuel line into the factory fill neck to allow the tank in the bed to fill the factory tank. I used a threaded pvc fitting to run my fuel through to the fill neck.

 

[mulescj8]

I wanted to have more control over the fuel flow so I found a company that makes brass 12 volt valves that are off when there is no power and open to allow diesel to flow when 12 volts are applied. I ran a circuit from the valve to the dash with a rocker switch. I can now control when I want to add fuel to the factory tank.

 

[mulescj8]

The ty wraps on the valve above are there as a tether incase my Ubolt ever breaks. The mounting bracket is a gate latch lol

I now have roughly 75 gallons of diesel on board my truck. Diesel typically is a $1 a gallon more on the interstate when I travel so I can fill up here for less and not loose so much time and money when I’m traveling.

 

[mulescj8]

I wanted to keep my crossover tool box so I have it mounted behind my tank. It’s mounted with four 3/8 bolts. Best part I reused all the existing holes. I only had to drill two new holes.

 

[mulescj8]

My truck has a gooseneck hitch and it would be iffy on clearance but I rarely use the gooseneck on this truck it is mostly bumper pull trailers. I have a F350 dually that I use for my gooseneck.

 

[mulescj8]

I don’t have pictures but I also have a chest tool box that mounts against the tailgate for more out of the weather storage when I need it.

I did a test run on the fuel from the auxiliary tank to the main tank and it filled my truck tank from a quarter of a tank to full in about an hour. Roughly 20 gallons an hour with no pump so I’m happy about that.

 

[Bacpacker]

Well you do nice work. Do you know if it'll drain enough to keep up with what u consume while driving?
Gravity is a great thing

 

[mulescj8]

Is it gonna be tied to you truck's tank?

Yes it runs from the auxiliary tank in the bed through a 12volt on/off valve into the factory tank.

 

[mulescj8]

Well you do nice work. Do you know if it'll drain enough to keep up with what u consume while driving?
Gravity is a great thing

It should first tank it flowed roughly 22 gallons in about an hour and ten minutes. Once my truck gets below 3/4 of a tank I will open the valve and let it start fueling my tank. If worse comes to worse I planned ahead just incase I needed to add a fuel pump later.

 

[mulescj8]

I know there has been tons of discussions on the legal aspects of gravity flow with diesel. According to everything I’ve read diesel is the only fuel that you can legally gravity flow from and an auxiliary tank to a main tank.

 

[mulescj8]

Well you do nice work. Do you know if it'll drain enough to keep up with what u consume while driving?
Gravity is a great thing

Thank you. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.

 

[Caribou]

Very impressive.

 

[Neb]

I know there has been tons of discussions on the legal aspects of gravity flow with diesel. According to everything I’ve read diesel is the only fuel that you can legally gravity flow from and an auxiliary tank to a main tank.

Nice.

Is there a chance you could over fill the main tank?

Ben