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Any Drawbacks to 33 Gallon Tank?

Bt10

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I think that on many lots whomever orders trucks does NOT tow and you end up with the 3.21's and small gas tanks with the tow package on them. They probably think that if you order the tow package it has everything you need, not realizing that the 3.21 rear end sucks for towing and the 8 miles per gallon you are going to get towing will eat up a 23 gallon gas tank in no time at all. Then they load up all the bells and whistles and the payload is like a thousand lbs and the tow capability is like 7K total... DUH... In reality, I think RAM should include 3.92 gearing and at least the 26 Gallon tank preferably the 33 gallon tank as PART of any tow package.
Honestly, I don't know why they went thru the trouble of developing the 8sp and didn't give a decently wide spread and just build trucks with one axle gear, at max tow rating, with one tank, 33gal. Reduce inventory and part # count, and thereby $. You buy a truck, it pulls "x". Same with Quad, Crew, Mega cabs, but don't get me started...
 

Hasti17

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33 With the diesel is a Whole other ball Game, the nice part about that is it gets 20mpg when i drive hard... on highway i get about 25 mpg non towing so i easily peg 720 miles before i get near 50 miles to empty and the fuel light turns on
The other true benefit is that you can use Semi truck pumps, fill fast and no 100$ limit.
only downside for me is the soft sobbing i do every time i see the diesel prices and the little "I DID THAT" stickers next to the total reminding me how i was irritated diesel was only over 2 bucks last winter... so as long as you've already made peace with the fact that your firstborn will need to be traded in for the new truck just to pay for the gas anyway... then the 33 is a really good upgrade to have.
 

Hasti17

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Honestly, I don't know why they went thru the trouble of developing the 8sp and didn't give a decently wide spread and just build trucks with one axle gear, at max tow rating, with one tank, 33gal. Reduce inventory and part # count, and thereby $. You buy a truck, it pulls "x". Same with Quad, Crew, Mega cabs, but don't get me started...
i actually had no idea there were so many factors when i first ordered, my old canyon was 7700 towing. Leather seats? 7700. Bose sound and navigation? 7700. so having to figure all of that out was a nightmare because its almost deliberately vague.
 

SD Rebel

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As someone with a 26 gallon tank, I wished my truck came with the larger tank, but at 25% off MSRP 3rd quarter special deal, beggars can't be choosers. The only negative I can think of is that filling up will require a double swiping my debit card at certain gas stations, and of course seeing the eye watering total at the end.
 

Redfour5

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Dang, You must have a VERY HEAVT foot. I have a 5.7L HEMI with Etorque, 3.92, and 33g tank and am currently getting ~15.5mpg in town. I typically also have a heavy foot, so usually get about 14.5mpg, but a recent speeding ticket has slowed me down a bit (FOR NOW, hahaha).
Yeah, but you drive downhill with a tailwind both ways... My 2015 was right at 13 for mixed daily driving maybe a bit more with summer gas. That was with the 3.92, Half my drive home/town is about six miles on an 80 mph highway (Montana) and the rest stop and go in town. So, I do 25 miles maybe a day driving around.

The 2021 with the 3.21...??? About 1 mpg better... I'm not a big leadfoot but I'm not a passive get every bit of mpg I can person either.
 

Redfour5

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not a rant but the truth!
Yeah, I'd be looking for on the lot trucks on like cargurus and this was a surprisingly consistent issue. Towing tech packages, mirrors...the works...and 3.21 rear end and 23 or 26 gallon tanks. WTF???

I actually found a dealer who ordered trucks to tow but he was too far away... So, Peterson in Idaho knows how to order a truck for anyone up in the area... They also usually have a few power wagons hanging around. I asked the guy I was talking to there and he said others had commented on this and he thought it was the guy who did the orders...
 

brian42

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The drawbacks are just side effects of having additional capacity, which is always a good thing.

Don’t be complaining about a 33-gallon fill-up at todays prices. Years ago, I had a 45-gallon tank in my HD truck, and gas went over $4/gallon. Back then, limits were even lower (<$75), so I’d have to run 3 credit card transactions!
Must have for me too. ~500 miles to empty when I fill up.

I remember when the limit was $50. I had a diesel F-250 back in 2008 when fuel was $5+/gallon. You'd watch a movie on your phone when you were in line for the pump because you knew everybody in line for the "green handle" was going to be swiping multiple times (plus there are only a couple of those pumps at the station at best). If I ran the tank down to the low fuel light it was at 3 swipes to fill up. I think 2008 is when the limit was upped to $75 and then up to $100 some time after that.

1/4 tank is my breakover point. If I'm above that I should be able to fill up on one swipe. If I'm less that than it's definitely a 2 swipe visit.

I do ~1800 miles/month so I burn through a 33-gallon tank of fuel every week. I'd rather swipe twice once a week than swipe once twice a week. :cool:
 

KY2021Laramie

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I wish my truck had the 33 gallon tank… I do quite a bit of towing and absolutely wish I would’ve found a truck or ordered one with the larger tank.
 

Rau

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Maybe a bit off topic. Did anyone have auxiliary tank on half tons? One of the main reasons I wanted to buy 2500 was a payload which enables installation of auxiliary tank and stay within the limits.
I wish I could install something around 30 or 50 gallon tank on half ton and still be able to tow my 30 ft travel trailer.


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mikeru82

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Maybe a bit off topic. Did anyone have auxiliary tank on half tons? One of the main reasons I wanted to buy 2500 was a payload which enables installation of auxiliary tank and stay within the limits.
I wish I could install something around 30 or 50 gallon tank on half ton and still be able to tow my 30 ft travel trailer.


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Pretty sure that's only legal for diesel, not gasoline.
 

Rau

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Yep, I meant for diesels. My question was mainly about payload limitations when auxiliary tank is installed.


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mikeru82

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Yep, I meant for diesels. My question was mainly about payload limitations when auxiliary tank is installed.


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Sorry. But to be fair, I wouldn't have said anything if your truck details were listed in your sig. Your question was not so much about payload, but literally whether or not anyone has added an aux tank to a half-ton. I know I've read posts, possibly in another forum, where people claim to have added an aux tank to an ecodiesel 1500. It will definitely directly affect payload, if that's what you meant to ask.
 

Redfour5

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Sorry. But to be fair, I wouldn't have said anything if your truck details were listed in your sig. Your question was not so much about payload, but literally whether or not anyone has added an aux tank to a half-ton. I know I've read posts, possibly in another forum, where people claim to have added an aux tank to an ecodiesel 1500. It will definitely directly affect payload, if that's what you meant to ask.
Yep, the American Society of Automotive Engineers standard for towing does NOT calculate anything after market into the determination of towing numbers. And gas is 6 lbs per gallon and the metal (I assume) in an "aux" tank.
 

HemiDude

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I absolutely wish I had the 33 gal tank. I have the 26, which is fine, but have made a couple of trips where the only gas stations to stop at were sketchy at best (think "Wrong Turn"). The great thing about having a larger tank is, just because you have it doesn't mean you have to fill it. If you just do in town driving, there's really no mpg hit for having half a tank of gas.
 

BoudinBall

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I had the smallest tank on my first Ram and hated it. I made sure to get the 33 gallon on the 2021.
 

SnowBlaZR2

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I'm pretty sure I'm alone in this opinion, but I have the 23 gallon tank and don't feel like I'm missing out. I do prefer the additional payload, though.

We just finished up a trip where the computer tells me we averaged 10.2 MPG. We stop every couple of hours and I just fill it up then. No issues for me.

When I was younger and would try to stretch out driving distance, I'd have probably sacrificed the payload for the bigger tank.
 

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