Swap Stock Gas Tank for Long Range Tank Questions/Thoughts

[yellowdog]

If you could swap your stock size gas tank for a long range tank to use in-lieu of, or in-conjunction with Jerry Cans or the Rotopax, would you do it? Let's use the Tacoma as the example: Stock size tank is 21 gallons and a replacement long range tank is 37 gallons.

1) What benefits does the long range tank provide over the stock size tank for overlanding?
2) Any drawbacks to this mod?
3) Share ideas or thoughts not covered in the two questions above?

 

[Cort]

The benefits are fewer stops between fill ups and it takes up space you normally wouldn’t use instead of filling your truck bed with fuel cans. I travel in places that filling stations can be sparse so my range is important. My F150 has a stock extended range tank which holds 35 gallons and I love it. I get 600 miles between fill ups on average.

The downside is cost, extra weight when not needed. You will lose mileage with the addition weight if you fill it all the time.

 

[dblack]

I’ve done it twice now... Well once and a half really.

2013 tundra I put a transfer flow tank in it and increased fuel capacity to 175L (45gallons). It’s the best/worst mod ever.

Best in that I can drive around 700 or 800km (500ish miles) on a tank. That’s roughly double what I could do before. On road trips and back country bush trips that capacity is awesome.

Worst in that the tank now hangs below the frame an inch or 2. Makes me nervous in the rocks and rough stuff. I avoid dragging it across anything and with such a long wheel base... Well it’s not easy to avoid.

The second time is still a work in progress. I’m adding a genright safari tank to my Jeep LJ. It’ll increase fuel capacity by 50% in the Jeep that’ll help immensely.

As a point of reference I like taking a weekend and going to a remote waterfall west of me. In my truck I can do it stopping for fuel 3 times. In the Jeep... I would have to stop for fuel 7 times. Add to that the fact that one stretch is 600km with no fuel in sight and I can almost carry that much fuel on my bumper... Almost.

I did run with just the bumper fuel cans for a while for the Jeep. Definite benefit having the fuel with you, but in terms of convenience it’s a pain if you need it regularly.