2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Larger Fuel Tanks

[JSawtelle]

Has anyone had any experience with these folks or their products?

Looking at the pro's and cons of doing this as a replacement.

I like not having to stop and get fuel when I am on the road. Thanks.

Dodge pickup replacement tanks

 

[rweis]

I would do a search first, lots of information in threads over years.



Bob Weis

 

[chuckwilson]

Transfer Flow makes very good products. I have installed several like your looking at & in bed tank kits. NEVER a problem & very good directions!!!

 

[JSawtelle]

Thanks Chuck!

That 's the feedback I was looking for.

 

[HBarlow]

Transfer Flow is an excellent company that builds excellent products. I have used one of their 70 gallon UFS Express tanks for about five years and over a half million miles.



Each time I trade trucks I e-mail the TF engineer that designed the tank and its electronics and he advises me whether I need a new control module or just reprogramming for the new truck. I replace the transfer pump each time I move the tank to a new truck and replace the control module if needed.



TF is one of the few companies who manufactures and sells legal highway use tanks. They are impact and rollover tested.



I confidently recommend them.

 

[drag racer]

I could not agree more in recommending Transfer Flow! Absolutely top-notch quality and you are getting an engineered system that meets safety regulations. You get what you pay for with these guys.

 

[Grizzly]

TF system sounds great, but $822 is a bit spendy. What's wrong with stopping when you need fuel. It's always good to stretch your legs out.

 

[HBarlow]

Grizzly,



True but a TF tank allows a driver to drive right through states with high fuel taxes and avoid buying fuel until he gets to a state with less expensive fuel. I could run 1000+ miles on one fillup loaded or almost cross country unloaded. If you run lots of miles the TF tank will

pay for itself in fuel savings not to mention the convenience of fueling only when you want to, not when you have to. In almost 3 years and 400k miles on the road as an RV transporter I never bought $1 worth of fuel in IL, NY, NJ, or New England states and avoided CA, WA, and OR as much as possible. I bought fuel as often as possible in TX, OK, MO, MS, VA, and a couple others.

 

[Grizzly]

Grizzly,



True but a TF tank allows a driver to drive right through states with high fuel taxes and avoid buying fuel until he gets to a state with less expensive fuel. I could run 1000+ miles on one fillup loaded or almost cross country unloaded. If you run lots of miles the TF tank will

pay for itself in fuel savings not to mention the convenience of fueling only when you want to, not when you have to. In almost 3 years and 400k miles on the road as an RV transporter I never bought $1 worth of fuel in IL, NY, NJ, or New England states and avoided CA, WA, and OR as much as possible. I bought fuel as often as possible in TX, OK, MO, MS, VA, and a couple others.

You bring up excellent thoughts. I should reconsider because on our last trip to Alaska two years ago, we were forced to pick up diesel in small remote towns in Canada, which I question their old and small underground tanks. As it was, we had no problems, however diesel in Canada is much more expensive then even WA, CA, OR and UT. It would be nice if I could pick up enough diesel in MT or ID that would get us into Tok, Alaska I have been thinking about getting an external 14. ? gal plastic tank with a pump handle at Costco for about $69, but that wouldn't get us very far. What does the added weight of fuel do to your mileage? I'm only getting 10 mpg with our new 27' 5er. What do you average?

 

[JSawtelle]

See what happens when you don't check your posting for a week! Wow Thanks for the stimulating thoughts about the tank. My thought was to avoid filling up on cruddy podunk fuel stops and take advantage of a low fuel price when possible. I get about 14 MPG if I go easy on the throttle and leave the software and Comp box off. Hard to do though I sure enjoy the SMarty!! Goes down a bit with the Smarty on. I just wish TF was open on weekends. Hard to break away during the week. I hate dealing with fuel tanks and will probably have them install it for me. Just gotta convince the Wife that this is the road to take. Kinda pricey but i think it will be worth the investment!

 

[HBarlow]

You bring up excellent thoughts. I should reconsider because on our last trip to Alaska two years ago, we were forced to pick up diesel in small remote towns in Canada, which I question their old and small underground tanks. As it was, we had no problems, however diesel in Canada is much more expensive then even WA, CA, OR and UT. It would be nice if I could pick up enough diesel in MT or ID that would get us into Tok, Alaska I have been thinking about getting an external 14. ? gal plastic tank with a pump handle at Costco for about $69, but that wouldn't get us very far. What does the added weight of fuel do to your mileage? I'm only getting 10 mpg with our new 27' 5er. What do you average?

Grizzly,



I have never checked and monitored my fuel mileage because I knew I couldn't change it whatever it was and didn't want any bad news. I suppose an additional 400+ lbs. of fuel and tank probably consume a tiny bit more fuel to get the load rolling but I wouldn't think it would be more than 0. 10 mpg.



The convenience and fuel savings provided certainly would more than compensate for it.

 

[rweis]

I put in a bed tank and enjoy driving slower and going further per day without that fuel stop. One fuel stop a day sure is nice. Also do not have the pucker factor of "can I make it to xxxx". I can run 750 miles towing (1200 empty) and that is further than I want to drive in a day anyway.



Highly recommend it.



Bob Weis

 

[charlessmith]

I've run an AeroTanks 60 Gal replacement tank for about the last 4 years. It was somewhere around $750 installed in their shop. The Transfer flow is only 54 gallons, and costs $1189 plus installation. Aero Tank gets my strong vote, and their D60 tank is going into my '96 this summer.

 

[charlessmith]

Speaking of your trip to Alaska. I head that way every year, with a 11' Lance truck camper in the bed. Driving out last October, I filled up in Whitehorse, YT, and with the 60 gallon tank made it all the way to Ft. St. John. As you said the small places in between have fuel maybe 15 or 17 cents/Liter more expensive. That makes it 60+ cents per gallon more to buy it in between. Running the Alcan highway with the Lance, I get 14+ MPG most of the time.

 

[Grizzly]

Speaking of your trip to Alaska. I head that way every year, with a 11' Lance truck camper in the bed. Driving out last October, I filled up in Whitehorse, YT, and with the 60 gallon tank made it all the way to Ft. St. John. As you said the small places in between have fuel maybe 15 or 17 cents/Liter more expensive. That makes it 60+ cents per gallon more to buy it in between. Running the Alcan highway with the Lance, I get 14+ MPG most of the time.

I also got 13. 5/14 mpg with my then 11' 3' Lance camper. Most expensive places were Whitehorse, Valdez and Skagway. We drove the Alcan going and the Cassier back. We liked the Cassier better and will take it both ways next time.

 

[JSawtelle]

Turns out I am SOL on tha transfer Flow Tank. Something about 2WD not having the proper ground clearance and thier Engineers not want ing the liability. I am going to look at other options.

 

[rweis]

I use a bed tank (50 gal) for primary fuel storage and use the OEM (24 gal) as a large sump. If I were going LONG distances between fuel stops I would go the distance of the bed tank (to empty) and use the OEM as the "reserve".



How far in distance between the fuel stops YOU want to use? I tow 13k 5er and plan on 10 mpg (actually get a little more than that (12 mpg) for planning purposes. Are your fuel stops more than 500 miles apart? At the end of the bed tank I still have 150 miles comfortable reserve (650 miles), 250 miles (750 miles total) if I push it right to the extreme limit.



Maybe a bigger bed tank than my 50 gallon is in order. Depends on your "comfort" level. You could get 10 gallons at the higher cost fuel stop as a safety margin (adds 100 miles to the 500 miles, still would have the full OEM "reserve").



Bob Weis

 

[charlessmith]

Turns out I am SOL on tha transfer Flow Tank. Something about 2WD not having the proper ground clearance and thier Engineers not want ing the liability. I am going to look at other options.

I just talked to AeroTanks-we specialize in auxiliary fuel tanks. about their D-60 tank. This is a 60 gallon replacement that only requires an extended cab truck. It will work in a 2WD truck.



They said the price installed, tax included, is $880. 15 - there is about a week scheduling backlog on installations right now.



When they installed the D-60 tank in my '97 in 2004, it only took 2 or 3 hours while I waited. I'm going to have one put in my '96 this June when I get to the west coast.

 

[pgleavitt]

I have 5 years and 160,000 miles on my D-60 Aerotank and have never had any problems. I also had them install it while I waited.

 

[Matthysse]

I've run an AeroTanks 60 Gal replacement tank for about the last 4 years. It was somewhere around $750 installed in their shop. The Transfer flow is only 54 gallons, and costs $1189 plus installation. Aero Tank gets my strong vote, and their D60 tank is going into my '96 this summer.

I had my 60 gal Aerotanks shipped to Fla and installed them my self very straight forward and simple install. Several times i've filled up at different gas stations and pumped 67 gal into the tank. Once i decided to see how big the tank actually is and how much fuel was still in the tank before running dry so i drained it before fill-up measured 2. 3 gall poured it back in and proceeded to fill an additional 66. 89 gal, Jacob at Aerotank says there actually closer to 65 gal and the Dodge lift pump will suck the tank dry. I also think the gas station has their hand in the cookie jar ripping me off the other couple of gal. All in all it's an excellent tank. James.