33 gal tank

[Mountain Whiskey]

Well, we did stay at a ******* Barrel Saturday.

"Commuting." Dudes using their trucks out here like minivans.

View attachment 145402

Haha! It's good to see you post!

 

[mikeru82]

You wouldn't know what to do with all that payload.

You're not far off. Fully loaded Limited's are true half/tons with barely over 1k lbs payload. I use ours more like a station wagon than a mini van though.

 

[Rick3478]

You're not far off. Fully loaded Limited's are true half/tons with barely over 1k lbs payload. I use ours more like a station wagon than a mini van though.

My BigHorn is a 4-door sedan so far. The bed is likely to become spare tire storage, since the underside is such a horrible dirty and corrosive place to put anything. I hope someday to tow something.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Haha! It's good to see you post!

Yeah, been a busy couple months for us. We're finally getting back close to home for some appointments so have a bit of time to talk some ****.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

You're not far off. Fully loaded Limited's are true half/tons with barely over 1k lbs payload. I use ours more like a station wagon than a mini van though.

I'm a liar if I don't admit I'd rather have a loaded up Limited with 900 lbs of payload.

Ram needs to get on the updates for the HD trucks.

 

[Wire4money]

23 gallon tank in mine. I tow and haul more than any of these wannabe truck owners like @Mountain Whiskey.

After towing our camper all over the country for the past year, I'll tell you that 33 gallons isn't needed. If you want it, go for it, but if I ordered another 1500, it'd have the 23 gallon tank again.

Anyone who says otherwise should be in a Prius.

23 gallons at 9 mpg is only a little over 200 miles. I live in Vegas. If I had to fill up every 200 miles while towing, I would be stopping at all the expensive gas stations in the middle of nowhere. I want to choose where I fill up.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

23 gallons at 9 mpg is only a little over 200 miles. I live in Vegas. If I had to fill up every 200 miles while towing, I would be stopping at all the expensive gas stations in the middle of nowhere. I want to choose where I fill up.

Another 90 miles and $0.03 per gallon isn't worth the payload I'd lose. I needed about 1500 lbs. The bigger fuel tank has little value to me and was cut for other options I'd rather have.

I just finished up towing through 17 states. Not once did we go under 1/4 tank before we wamted to stop.

Now, when I go up to a 3500 with payload to spare, I'll be installing an auxiliary tank and would be looking at more like 1200 miles of range. That would be worth it.

I'm not telling anyone else how to build their own truck. Just telling you what works for me and what doesn't.

 

[subbedout]

This is for next time. How to put your truck in neutral ...

This is why I can't sleep at night. I read one post and end up going down the rabbit hole...27 different threads later

 

[Wire4money]

Another 90 miles and $0.03 per gallon isn't worth the payload I'd lose. I needed about 1500 lbs. The bigger fuel tank has little value to me and was cut for other options I'd rather have.

I just finished up towing through 17 states. Not once did we go under 1/4 tank before we wamted to stop.

Now, when I go up to a 3500 with payload to spare, I'll be installing an auxiliary tank and would be looking at more like 1200 miles of range. That would be worth it.

I'm not telling anyone else how to build their own truck. Just telling you what works for me and what doesn't.

Some of these towns I would have to stop at are $1.50 more per gallon not $.03. Heading north from Vegas is all tiny towns until you get to Reno.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Some of these towns I would have to stop at are $1.50 more per gallon not $.03. Heading north from Vegas is all tiny towns until you get to Reno.

Vegas: $4.19
Tonopah: $4.19
Done.

Next.

 

[AV8OR]

I ordered the 33 gallon tank because:

(1) When trailering my MPG are almost cut in half and the extra fuel brings my pee range back up to my fuel tank range

(2) It’s a security issue because I can selectively choose my fuel stops with the larger tank bypassing stopping for fuel in less desirable locations or maybe not even have to stop for fuel until I get back home to my well patrolled hood.

(3) During the winter I can refuel on nice days and be in my nice warm cab while others are refueling on cold nasty days

(4) The extra three minutes to pump the additional 10 gallons of fuel means I’m stopping for fuel one less time for every three tanks of fuel.

(5) The extra weight issue can be solved just by not putting on as much fuel…..me I’m topping off every time and wished I had an OEM 40 gallon tank.

(6) Fuel is more expensive along major highways so I can go out and back on one tank of the cheaper fuel found in my hood or once I get to my destination I can refill away from the major highways

(7) On long drives it‘s one less stop to make when it‘s time to eat

 

[tigercat74]

such a horrible dirty and corrosive place to put anything.

Sounds like Twitter

 

[WXman]

This thread should have ended after post #8. But nope, it's still going..........

 

[c3k]

Related to tank size discussion is a question on how much range is left when the truck says "empty" ?
I have the EcoDiesel motor in a Rebel with 33gal tank and I've run it down to single-digits of range left, like 5 or 7 or something before I filled up.
However, I only got 30 gals back into it before the pump shut off. Do I really have 3 gallons of reserve after the truck says I'm empty ? That would be around 22x3 = 66 miles of mixed driving range or 26 x3 = 78 miles of highway range left for me typically.
I guess I need to put a 5 gallon can in the bed of the truck and drive till I run out to prove how much is really left.

Whereas I’d have no problem running a gas engine to empty, for the love of all that’s holy in Herr Diesel’s world, do NOT run a Diesel dry.

That HPFP really needs fuel in it to cool and lubricate. And, some Diesels are a royal ***** to bleed air out of them…that has to be done if they are run dry.

(All modern in-tank lift pumps also rely on being bathed in fuel for cooling. If you habitually run to a low level such that the fuel pump is uncovered, you will be putting added stress and wear on it. Likely leading to an eventual fuel pump failure.)

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

This thread should have ended after post #8.

If that were remotely true, the 33 gallon tank wouldn't be an optional add on.

 

[TSL]

Whereas I’d have no problem running a gas engine to empty, for the love of all that’s holy in Herr Diesel’s world, do NOT run a Diesel dry.

That HPFP really needs fuel in it to cool and lubricate. And, some Diesels are a royal ***** to bleed air out of them…that has to be done if they are run dry.

(All modern in-tank lift pumps also rely on being bathed in fuel for cooling. If you habitually run to a low level such that the fuel pump is uncovered, you will be putting added stress and wear on it. Likely leading to an eventual fuel pump failure.)

I grew up on a farm where the folks had an older tractor. The fuel gauge had long since stopped working. You checked the fuel by dipping a stick in the tank. More than once it ran dry. Yep, it was a major pain then, you had to bleed it. First open the output lines from the pump and crank until a steady stream of fuel came. Tighten that up, then loosen a couple of injectors and do the same. If you were lucky you didn't have to bleed all 4 injectors. But eitherways you were looking at 30+ mins of downtime, and fuel all over your hands etc. What a mess. Then they got a newer tractor with a self-priming pump that didn't need bleeding and life was so much better whenever the fuel gauge stopped working on that one
I didn't want to run out of diesel of course, but wasn't worried about having to bleed the fuel lines if I did, but I didn't know and have now learned about the lubrication issues for the lift pump and fuel pump. It's funny because I have read about the issues with the exhaust system and how a lot of short trips can clog up the DPF / EGR etc and how they prefer to run hot to stay clean, and I try not to use the truck much for short trips at all for that reason, except occasionally. It's not my "grocery getter" vehicle! And yet I'm OK running it super low on fuel apparently ! Well, I was up till now, I think I've learned my lesson and hopefully haven't done damage ! The dang range meter in the EVIC lulled me into a false sense of security though, it claimed I had 16 miles of range left when it died ( again, without being aware of the lubrication issues, and thinking range / running out was my only concern )

 

[AV8OR]

Depending on your MPG is how many gallons are sloshing around back there in that tank.

When the range computer says I’m down to where my MPG equals three gallons left in the tank is about as low as I would ever want to go.

One day a woman was late for work so we were all twiddling our thumbs because nothing was going to happen until all hands were present and accounted for.

She apologized profusely to everyone about running out of gas on the way to work, again.

Nothing was said as we all went to work.

Later she asked me how many times I have run out of gas in my life time?

I told her I have never run out of gas and once the gas gauge hits a quarter tank left I start looking for a gas station.

It’s a frame of mind, the hassles of running out of gas over the hassles of stopping for gas.

Me, I ordered the 33 gallon tank to mitigate both.

 

[Threesuns1]

Depending on your MPG is how many gallons are sloshing around back there in that tank.

When the range computer says I’m down to where my MPG equals three gallons left in the tank is about as low as I would ever want to go.

I like to guestimate how much fuel I will be putting in my 33-gal tank. I usually come up 3 gals was in tank beyond what my range said.

Example: I've driven 539 miles @ 20.51 mpg I've burned 26.28 gals and my range is at 80. Range of 80 divided by 20.51=3.90. Burned 26.28 gal adding my range 3.90 gal=30.18, so 2.82 was left in 33-gal tank, about a 3-gal "reserve".

I've calculated this several times and always come close to the 3-gal "reserve". With this said I usually fill up when I between 1/4 and 1/2 tank.

 

[AV8OR]

I like to guestimate how much fuel I will be putting in my 33-gal tank. I usually come up 3 gals was in tank beyond what my range said.

Example: I've driven 539 miles @ 20.51 mpg I've burned 26.28 gals and my range is at 80. Range of 80 divided by 20.51=3.90. Burned 26.28 gal adding my range 3.90 gal=30.18, so 2.82 was left in 33-gal tank, about a 3-gal "reserve".

I've calculated this several times and always come close to the 3-gal "reserve". With this said I usually fill up when I between 1/4 and 1/2 tank.

I guesstimate the amount of gallons going in before I fill up to ensure the accuracy of that little gauge.

That said I’ve never had a fuel gauge failure to justify my suspicion of anything mechanical or electrical.

I haven’t kept the records but I do cross check the range computer against miles driven / gallons pumped about every third or fourth fill up.

As they say, “Only the paranoid survive.”

 

[Rick3478]

As they say, “Only the paranoid survive.”

The way I heard was "just because I'm paranoid, doesn't prove they're not out to get me".