Auxiliary Fuel Tank Options

[RVRunners]

Hello everyone. Hoping to get some direction on an auxiliary fuel tank or fuel tank upgrade. Have done some looking online and have seen both. The fuel capacity in our 2011 F-350 diesel SB CC 4x4 truck is not that great. I feel like I don't know enough about how the auxiliary tanks work and what accessories are needed. I have concern about the tank upgrade I found as it says it protrudes 6" below the frame of the truck. Also what about installation? DIY or professional? If professional what type of shops do this type of thing? Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Big Mike]

Contact Dually Depot in Elkhart. Great folks, Great prices, professional install.

Big Mike

[minnow101]

I elected to go with a replacement undermount TransferFlow tank on my Ram. It gives me an additional 20 gallons which allows me to not have to fuel up when towing. I also have a bed mount tool box which sits below the bed rails as at some point I'll be adding a bed topper. Most of the combo fuel tank/tool chests thst mount in the bed of the truck sit higher than the top of the bed rails. Additionally, those tanks work on gravity with a mechanical flap installed in the fuel filler tube assembly and although it appears that works, was not what I wanted. The upside to the tank/tool combos is that you can get tanks that hold more fuel. Some of these ranks hold 90 gallons.
What I went with will allow me to tow 500 miles before refilling. I hope never to need to tow that many miles in a single day. 300-400 is all I want to do.

[Bob/OlallaWA]

If you add another tank to the underside of the truck even if you have to carry the spare in the truck bed you don't get the diesel smell in the truck bed from overfilling or other fuel spills. If you don't plan on any type of cover for the bed I guess it doesn't matter.

[TucsonJim]

I installed a replacement tank in my 2013 Ford F350, and just finished putting one in my 2016 Ford F350 diesel. I purchased both of them from Transfer Flow. The OEM tank was only 26 gallons which gave me a maximum cruising range of 286 miles at 11mpg. Of course, I'd stop to fill up at around 200 miles so I didn't run too low. With the new 50 gallon tank, my cruising range while towing is 550 miles which exceeds how far I want to drive in a day. It's nice to be able to disconnect the trailer in camp, and head to the nearest station for a fill up without the hassle of pulling the trailer.

I installed it myself. The directions were clear, and there were several YouTube videos with instructions. It took me about four hours to do the job. If you do it yourself, make sure you burn as much fuel out of the original tank as possible to keep the weight and mess down. If you go to the Transfer Flow website, they will provide you with a list of certified installers in your area.

Here's a picture of the Ford and Transfer Flow tanks side by side.



Here is a side view of my 2013 F350 so you can see that the new tank does not stick down very far.



If you elect to go with a replacement tank, you can take your truck to your Ford dealer and they can reprogram it to recognize the new tank capacity. That way your distance to empty calculation will be more accurate.

Jim

[minnow101]

Nice Job TusconJim ! I had a local Transflow dealer do mine. I didn't have my ECM reprogrammed at the Ram dealer as I read that with the Ram's that can't be done regarding a larger fuel tank. But as it turns out, the gauge reads full until I burn those extra 20 gallons off that the new tank holds and the ECM then correctly reads the miles to empty from then on. Basically, the gauge stays on "F" for 200 miles and then drops accordingly.
This was one of the best things I've done.

[TxSkull]

I had 4Wheel World install a Titan 50gal tank under my 2011 F250 in 2012. It only hangs an inch or two lower than stock and I keep my bed open. 140000 miles and I have not had any issues with this tank or the installation. My dealer modified my ECM so the "distance to empty" reads correctly. I long for the days of dual tanks. The mod is pricey though.

[Paul & Deb]

I added a Transfer Flow in bed combo in my previous truck because the OEM tank was only 23 gallons! I ended up with about 66 gallons and I loved it so much. The new truck holds 37 from the factory so I'm now debating whether I will be happy with that or not. If not, this time I will go with the replacement tank like Jim did. The 60 gallon tank costs $1,350. Not too bad.

[Chuckles]

I researched the aux issue awhile ago for my GMC 3500 Denali. The dealer wanted about $1200 for a 55 gallon tank to replace the factory tank, plus $300 to install.
Too much money and not enough capacity as I travel to Mexico which does not, as yet, have ULSD. I found the ideal solution for me with a company in North Dakota which manufactures many size diesel tanks with an integral 12 volt pump, automatic nozzle, and battery clamps that easily reach either my engine compartment or the battery in the RV. I chose a 75 gallon tank, giving me 110 gallons of fuel. Endurplas Inc is the company and they make 25, 50, 75, and 100 gallon tanks, primarily for the ag and construction industry, whose operators have diesel equipment in the field and a need to fuel them. The tank is "portable", and when empty, it takes two of us to remove it as it is large. But as I also use B&W hitches, I can tow my horses, tow my RV, or have the long bed clean! Plus as my Kroger sponsored grocery sells diesel and gives a 10 cent a gallon discount for each $100 spent, I can load up on fuel and save! Just filled up at $2.19!!! The 75 gallon tank easily fits against the cab and in front of the hitch, but is tall so I had to eliminate the bed cover. But many of the tanks are not tall, and depending on your bed and hitch configuration, may be flatter and below the bed rails. I have photos but have yet to figure out how to load them to this site.

[Devinh2]

I went with the Titan tank for my Ram. It added 22 gallons and sits about 2 inches lower, which is hardly noticeable. I bought it when I was waiting for my truck to arrive. When mine was delivered a guy on the lot wanted my truck but the sales manager told him it was a custom order. The guy met me at the dealership and asked me a ton of questions and we went for a test drive and a beer where more questions ensued. Long story short, he went to the sales manager and ordered a duplicate of my truck. The sales manager knew I had that tank, so he said he would install it and warranty its install for me for free for selling a truck for him. Worked for me and it hasn't fallen out yet.

I didn't want to give up bed space and I didn't want fuel in the bed of my truck. My $.02 and good luck.