Burban 40gal tank in a K5?

[four_by_ken]

i can't imagine 31 hours of my truck running on a trail without going back to a base camp. that's insane. i can see being stuck and being out there for over 24 hours, but not with the engine running for 31 hours before returning to some sort of base camp.... yowza!

Well, when you are the biggest one out there and everyone else is busted or has a burnt up winch... it can happen. Trust me. Think 12 vehicles... and a trail that took more than 26 hours to get everyone out of. Oh, and there were vehicles with 6 cyl running out of gas. Camp wa about 40 miles away. Ended up needing a skidder to get the last of the wounded out. Oh... and the trail was about 2 miles long.

I like to be prepared. Now, I am not saying I would be driving all around with 40 gallons of fuel all the time. But, I want the option if I can have it.

And, I would try to mount the tank no lower than a stock tank... just move the rear floor section up to accommodate the increased size.

 

[Speedo]

if it's off-road only, why do you want such a big tank? that means MAJOR extra weight for fuel on the trail. most of us wish we could get a 15 gallon tank that fits flush with the bottom of the frame rails... less weight, no clearance issues, no dangers w/ departure angles. i bet you'll regret doing this modification if you do any wheeling that requires a decent departure angle.

Some people actually travel quite a distance off road, my wifes buggy has 2 31 gal. tanks and she is redoing it this winter to go with 2 40 gal. tanks. In addition we carry 5 15 gal. fuel cubes on our longest trip of the year. I'm doing the same thing with the buggy that I'm building this winter and I'm going with a 5.3 to hopefully pick up a little mileage over the 350 that my wife is running.

Gus

 

[colbystephens]

i also travel quite a distance offroad - often i might do about 300 miles of trail on a trip, course i have the luxury of a diesel and can easily do that on 2/3 a tank of fuel or less. you guys are welcome to do what you need to do on your rigs, but it just seems WAY overkill, super heavy, and without major modification a huge PITA for departure angles.

 

[Speedo]

How about more than 3 weeks off road without returning to the trail head. How about a base camp that is around 100 trail miles from the start of the trail and using the rig nearly every day.

Gus

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

Gus,

I understand your point and wish I had that much open wheeling land avalible, most of us do not. That being said, if I needed or planned on building a rig to carry 42+ gallons of fuel, I wouldn't waste much energy in making a tank not well suited to the application fit. I would go out and get a tank built to my specs that suited my needs and fit they way I want it to.

The original poster want to go from stock to 42 gallons, why not swap in the 31 gal tank mentioned and run an aux 15 fuel cell in the back where cutting the floor and cross members is not required, it could be setup on a switch or to feed in to the main tank. Just my .02

 

[colbystephens]

How about more than 3 weeks off road without returning to the trail head. How about a base camp that is around 100 trail miles from the start of the trail and using the rig nearly every day.

Gus

woah! that's pretty cool. pics from these runs? you are definitely not the "norm".

 

[jms]

...ut it just seems WAY overkill, super heavy, and without major modification a huge PITA for departure angles.

I agree. But I think that the 15 gal fuel cell advocated earlier in the thread might be cutting it a bit to close for my taste.

I'd rather not be out on a trail for 31 hours. But I think mileage as obtained on the highway is a poor indicator for fuel mileage on the trail.

The gang I run with thinks I'm paranoid, but my thinking is "What if we get hit by bad weather, or we can't make it through and have to turn around after having already done 80% of the trail?"

The part about the Sub tank that would make it objectionable is the requirement to move the rear axle forward. A K5 wheelbase is short enough as is, and K5s typically benefit from making the wheelbase longer. No way I'd make is shorter...

 

[Speedo]

On the way home from one trip, notice the empty fuel cubes on the roof. This is our annual hunting trip to put meat in the freezer and we also get to enjoy a nice off road adventure along with the hunt.

Gus

 

[colbystephens]

that's awesome!! more pics!! time for me to go on an arctic circle road trip...

 

[4X4HIGH]

swap in the 31 gal tank mentioned and run an aux 15 fuel cell in the back where cutting the floor and cross members is not required

He said AUX 15 gallon fuel cell so he would have 46 gallons in total.

 

[jms]

He said AUX 15 gallon fuel cell so he would have 46 gallons in total.

Nope. Not those 15 gallons.

if it's off-road only, why do you want such a big tank? that means MAJOR extra weight for fuel on the trail. most of us wish we could get a 15 gallon tank that fits flush with the bottom of the frame rails... less weight...

 

[Metrodps]

Well, when you are the biggest one out there and everyone else is busted or has a burnt up winch... it can happen. Trust me. Think 12 vehicles... and a trail that took more than 26 hours to get everyone out of. Oh, and there were vehicles with 6 cyl running out of gas. Camp was about 40 miles away. Ended up needing a skidder to get the last of the wounded out. Oh... and the trail was about 2 miles long.

I like to be prepared. Now, I am not saying I would be driving all around with 40 gallons of fuel all the time. But, I want the option if I can have it.

And, I would try to mount the tank no lower than a stock tank... just move the rear floor section up to accommodate the increased size.

Sounds to me like

a. inexperienced wheelers or not knowing their limitations. Being on a 5 rated trail with 3 rated experience.

b. lack of planning or adequately maintained or built rigs for the trail they were on.

I am not trying to insult you. My view is you have to know your limits. When I was in Ouray I started up Black Bear road (it was closed) and when the snow started to get deeper I weighed to go on or turn around. I decided being by myself if I got stuck I was screwed because I could not walk far to get out and no cell service for 911.

Even major expeditions take extra fuel to base camp. If you took the 31 gl and four Blitz cans (20 gl) you have 51 gl. Do any of your mates bring extra fuel cans?