2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission homemade fuel tank

[Wyomingcowboy]

Has anybody made their own auxillary fuel tank? I am looking to make one for myself and possibly for sale and am looking for some hints/tips from those of you with experience. Steel is going to be my material of choice to to ease of installation. I will paint or powder coat the outside but was wondering if I need to treat the inside somehow. I'll use an external pump and weld lift hooks so I can remove it as necessary. I appreciate any and all advice!

 

[LVJUNIOR]

there is an epoxy type coating that you can put inside the fuel tank. I can't remember the name of it off hand but I have seen it used quite a few times on motorcycle tanks.

 

[LVJUNIOR]

Try this site kbs-coatings.com

 

[WDaniels]

Go to a big rig salvage yard and get one of their circular fuel tanks. I have a 24" diameter tank that holds 80 gallons. You can get a 26" tank by 62" long that holds 150 gallons. They are premade and have all the outlets and vents that you need already installed. You can get the tank brakets and adapt them to use for floor mounts. You don't have to coat the insides or outsides either. They work great.

WD

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

Thanks, but I have no big rig salvage yards nearby and do not want a round modified tank in the bed. Also, I think it might be a tad hard to coat the inside of a tank. I was thinking that as long as I have a filter I wouldn't need to do anyting to the inside. There would be some mill-slag and possible small areas of rust but the filter should stop all that, right? If I coat it on the inside with anything, I would think that the heat of welding would be enough to ruin the coat anyway.

 

[LVJUNIOR]

You put the coating in after all the welding is done and the tank is finished. It fills any pin holes in the welds.

 

[HCannon]

If you build it your self, be sure to put plenty of baffles in it. You will like a lot better if you do. I had one that didnt and at half full, you sure could feel it when you stopped. I had one built with baffles and there was a lot of difference, not wave action when stopping.

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

By baffles, you mean like partitions welded inside to prevent excessive sloshing back and forth and side to side?

 

[jelag]

We've built all our own tanks... we have a metal shop shear the steel for us out of 14 gauge MS and we wire feed weld them... once they are made before the filler cap is cut and installed we install the line to the fuel pump we install on the frame... 120 gal bed high tank is about $120 worth of metal. . we weld all edges, too costly to form...

The bottom plate is on a slant so that when the tank is empty its got less than 2 gals in it. . and we run the output through the cab side of the tank out the plastic plug in the front of the bed...

We use an air pressure regulator set to 2 psi and inflate the tank and repair all leaks... we than cut in the fill spout and later wash and paint the tanks with bed liner... Husky Liner as I remember...

We've done this now for a lot years with each new truck... must be 8-10 by now. .

I've never used a tank liner kit. . but we do run the fuel from the tank, through a 10 micron filter, through a 1/2 lb back check valve to an electric fuel pump into the vent kit we've installed on the factory tank...

We through a dash switch and watch the fuel gauge go up... at 3/4 full we stop... when this process slows, we know the filter is plugged and replace it...

All our trucks have the DOT # on the side, and tow, so we have been inspected more times than I can count and have never had a problem but have had the tanks dipped for red fuel at least 2-3 times a year... .

Oh yea, one officer thought we might be hauling drugs, even though you could see to the bottom of the tank with a flashlight and measure it... . he had a drug dog come down and sniff the truck... we waited 45 min for that... . all the time we laughed at the thought. .

I've got an extra out of a 05 we put a flat bed on... $130 you haul... its about 125 gal. .

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

That sounds easy enough. Got any pics?

I appreciate the offer but I am a LONG way from Spokane still and the shipping would be huge.

 

[HCannon]

Yes, the tank I had without baffles was a 60 gal and the one I had built is 130 gal. When the 60 was half full when you stopped you could feel the movement of the fuel. The 130 gal, you dont feel anything at any time. This may not be important but it is something to thank about. It did bother me.

 

[EKlem]

As stated above, your two biggest enemies will be sloshing fuel and pulling air bubbles (they are really related). Baffles solve the sloshing fuel and a sump or sloped tank solves sucking air prematurely.

To build tanks, I use 304 stainless and weld the bottom and sides together. Then, I make pieces that look like total partitions and cut the corners off and drill a few holes throughout them to be baffles. I like to baffle at least every foot in the tank. These can be welded in and then the top is welded on.

Since I have built tanks for boats which can heel for long periods of time, I have taken to making a sump in the bottom and putting one of the specially made foam things in it to keep the fuel from sloshing as much. Fittings are one of the headaches of tanks and it depends on what you want to do. I have had luck with welding hose barbs right into the tank, welding a block in that can be drilled and tapped for a fitting and brazing brass fittings in.

Make sure that you pressure test the tank before fuel ever hits it. If you fill a spray bottle with soapy liquid and spray the welds while it is under pressure, you will be able to find the leaks. The tank sealant stuff works reasonably well, just don't use it with bio or veggie oil(my roomate found out the hard way).

 

[Wyomingcowboy]

Thanks, EKLEM. What do you use to pressure test?