Titan Fuel Tanks - Potential for 30+ Gallon Gas Tank for 3rd Gens?

[Sean K.]

Here's why you can't make a 34 gallon tank for the rear.

See how low it sits? And that's AGAINST THE BODY. All the way between the frame rails.

Here's the 45gal I designed, which sits even lower.

And I'm sitting higher in the back than any of you.

You're forgetting your pan hard bar.

I don't have one.

That tank goes from the back of the frame, two feet forward, which, IIRC, is where the next crossmember is.

It's not gonna happen. Not in 30 gallon anyway.

Exactly. I'm only shooting for 15ish gallons....but I'll likely be be just as deep as your 34 gallon mock up b/c a crawler needs a fairly deep tank so when you go to severe angles, the in tank pump can still get fuel. The other option is an external pump with ports on the bottom of the tank, but wiring it could be a nightmare and I'd likely have to do a sight tube rather than a fuel gauge for simplicity....which would suck.

Last option is to cut the floor and raise the tank through it and then replate it all in....which most guys wouldn't be willing to do and you're going to give up a lot of interior space and usability.

***EDIT*** I'm not 100% positive you're really giving up that much rear ground clearance with one of these tanks if you are still running the fullsize 265/70 spare under there anyway....the tire is roughly 10" wide mounted...and therefore hangs 10" under the winch crossmember. So, If you do an 8.5"ish deep tank and a 1 1/4" tubular frame/skid....you're not giving up *that* much clearance....and you can make a deeper sump closer to the rear axle for the in tank pump with little affect on GC since it's closer to the rear tires and rear axle. ****

 

[Sean K.]

the issue with a single large tank and only half filling it is you would need to baffle the tank significantly, other wise you have all that fuel sloshing around in corners and braking/accelerating. -yes most tanks have baffles, but they are typically smaller tanks thus requiring less baffling and less intricacy. i think dual tanks is the way to go here. you have a single aux tank that is say 10 gallons at 15mpg(thats ave for most of us who would like this extended range) thats 150+ miles you add that to 250 mile range you already have and you are at 400 miles. then if you want you can add another 10 gall in jerry cans. another 150 miles for a total of 550 miles. fuel at 7lbs per gallon would be 140lbs for 20 gallons that would be 360lbs of fuel total, plus all the gear you will be taking with you for the trip -tools, food, camping equipment, and then you have all the armor (skids, sliders, bumpers ect). pretty soon you have come to a point of diminishing return. the truck will be so heavy, the motor will be working so hard, your fuel mileage will suffer drastically and you start losing range fast. how much weight to most people take with them? i know for me when i have gone on multi day trips where it would have been nice to have more fuel capacity in the past, i am close to 6000lbs, way over what this truck was ever intended to carry. i really think a smaller tank (15 gallon max) is the best bet and would work wonders -much easier to tuck away, and protect, and it helps keep the weight down while giving people added range.

-toyota never designed this vehicle to be a work horse, or overland vehicle. if you want one of those get a 80 series land cruiser. this was a vehicle made for soccer moms and people who wanted the appearance of a rugged vehicle. not to say it cant be rugged or good off road, but that was never toyotas intent with this truck.

Agreed.

Out of curiosity....does anyone know what a stock 3rd Gen Runner weighs?

I purposefully avoided the D60/14 bolt axle route for my SAS and went FJ80 front and Tundra rear in an attempt to save some weight. Not sure that was wise now....considering my target weight after all the mods was hopefully going to be 4500....but I'm thinking that may well be close to what this thing weighs stock.

 

[geohil]

Exactly. I'm only shooting for 15ish gallons....but I'll likely be be just as deep as your 34 gallon mock up b/c a crawler needs a fairly deep tank so when you go to severe angles, the in tank pump can still get fuel. The other option is an external pump with ports on the bottom of the tank, but wiring it could be a nightmare and I'd likely have to do a sight tube rather than a fuel gauge for simplicity....which would suck.

Last option is to cut the floor and raise the tank through it and then replate it all in....which most guys wouldn't be willing to do and you're going to give up a lot of interior space and usability.

I added a tank from a Ford Focus where the spare tire used to be. It is only an additional 11 gallons but it doesn't change approach and departure angles. Only pic I have is a crummy one before I built a better skid. It shows the initial plate that holds it in place. It uses the existing fuel pump from the ford to transfer the fuel into the vent line of the primary tank. Takes about 40 minutes for total transfer time but it was cheap, easy, and so far (knock on wood) reliable.

 

[Sean K.]

the great him,

OK... that makes sense. Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for it? Did he sell it with everything he had done or did he reverse some of his mods?





Dirty Fingers,

I'm with you, but I would want 29 or more... anything to add to 18.5 would be beneficial, which as I mentioned earlier is really closer to 17 because of the known design flaw that for most owners keeps it from filling all the way up to capacity. The 20-Litre jerry cans that many owners use holds 5.28 gallons of gas, so a gas tank with a useable 29 gallon gas tank equals the 18.5 factory tank plus two 20-Litre jerry cans.

Why can't something be designed for our 4Runners that is similar to the saddle-shaped 18.5 gallon gas tank in the 5th Generation Corvette? There is some type of tube or return that ensures that the two "sides" of this tank function as one. Could a replacement tank in the stock tank location have a return or tube like this that connected to another tank in the void left by removing the spare? The key is to have these two tanks function seamlessly as one tank. If this were possible what type of capacity are we taking about here?

To calculate gallons....simply take your cubic inches of space and divide it by 231 to get the number of gallons.

So if you have a tank in the spare area that's inside frame rail to inside frame rail ~37" X front to back length (in my case 17" since I'm moving the rear axle back 6-7") X a depth of roughly 8" and you get 5032 in^3 divided by 231= 21.78 gallons.

 

[Falonious]

Agreed.

Out of curiosity....does anyone know what a stock 3rd Gen Runner weighs?

From about #3400 to #4000 ish ....stock depending on options.

 

[Sean K.]

I added a tank from a Ford Focus where the spare tire used to be. It is only an additional 11 gallons but it doesn't change approach and departure angles. Only pic I have is a crummy one before I built a better skid. It shows the initial plate that holds it in place. It uses the existing fuel pump from the ford to transfer the fuel into the vent line of the primary tank. Takes about 40 minutes for total transfer time but it was cheap, easy, and so far (knock on wood) reliable.

Great way to get extra capacity for an expo vehicle....but if that was the sole tank (as in my case), you'd have very little range and you'd definitely have to run an external pump.

 

[Scramble]

I remember in '95 when my friend bought his F150 new it had an aux tank.
A small aux tank is the way to go but not with the stock rear bumper.
If it's going in place of the spare, a fabbed bumper should be mandatory unless you want to be burned alive in a rear end collision. See 1970's Ford Pinto.

This article shows 3 ways Ford could have kept the tank from leaking & catching fire in a collision.
The Pinto Fire Controversy - 1971-1980 Ford Pinto | HowStuffWorks

 

[Sean K.]

From about #3400 to #4000 ish ....stock depending on options.

Wow....600 lbs in options? What options bump it that high? I'm assuming adding the tow package, possibly the SC, the 3.4 vs. the 2.7, 4wd and an auto (though the manual may be heavier).

I'm running the N/A 3.4L, manual trans, 4wd, no tow package from the factory, '99 SR5...and idea where I can find the actual weight on that?


****EDIT**** 1999 Toyota 4Runner Technical Specifications Looks like mine should be at the upper end of that spectrum....3930 lbs. Bet I end up close to 5K when all's said and done. Probably shoulda gone tons. ***

 

[Scramble]

Wow....600 lbs in options? What options bump it that high? I'm assuming adding the tow package, possibly the SC, the 3.4 vs. the 2.7, 4wd and an auto (though the manual may be heavier).

I'm running the N/A 3.4L, manual trans, 4wd, no tow package from the factory, '99 SR5...and idea where I can find the actual weight on that?


****EDIT**** 1999 Toyota 4Runner Technical Specifications Looks like mine should be at the upper end of that spectrum....3930 lbs. Bet I end up close to 5K when all's said and done.

Leather over cloth, sun roof, chrome bumpers, no flares to full flares, sport hood, 16" wheels over 15"...

 

[gamefreakgc]

Wow....600 lbs in options? What options bump it that high? I'm assuming adding the tow package, possibly the SC, the 3.4 vs. the 2.7, 4wd and an auto (though the manual may be heavier).

I'm running the N/A 3.4L, manual trans, 4wd, no tow package from the factory, '99 SR5...and idea where I can find the actual weight on that?


****EDIT**** 1999 Toyota 4Runner Technical Specifications Looks like mine should be at the upper end of that spectrum....3930 lbs. Bet I end up close to 5K when all's said and done. Probably shoulda gone tons. ***

4WD adds the most weight. You have a beefier front end with extra drive shaft, etc. More gears & moving parts. Also why 4x4's get a bump down in gas mileage.

3400 would a dry measurement I think as well. Meaning no fuel, oil, etc.

 

[Sean K.]

4WD adds the most weight. You have a beefier front end with extra drive shaft, etc. More gears & moving parts. Also why 4x4's get a bump down in gas mileage.

3400 would a dry measurement I think as well. Meaning no fuel, oil, etc.

Agreed. Several hundred pounds just in the tcase and front diff. I just didn't realize that the 3400# figure was including 2wds. Don't see very many of those around here so I don't normally even think of 4Runners as having that option.

 

[Roc Doc]

Wow....600 lbs in options? What options bump it that high? I'm assuming adding the tow package, possibly the SC, the 3.4 vs. the 2.7, 4wd and an auto (though the manual may be heavier).

I'm running the N/A 3.4L, manual trans, 4wd, no tow package from the factory, '99 SR5...and idea where I can find the actual weight on that?


****EDIT**** 1999 Toyota 4Runner Technical Specifications Looks like mine should be at the upper end of that spectrum....3930 lbs. Bet I end up close to 5K when all's said and done. Probably shoulda gone tons. ***

I like the idea of FJ80 front end, Hellfire knuckles and 30sp. I think you're going to give up some ultimate strength to a D60/14b combo, but you're going to have a lot more ground clearance, and save a few hundred pounds.

My LC had Toy axles and 35" tires. My buggy had 39" stickies and tons, ground clearance under the diff was actually less in the buggy.

I bet you'll be close to 5k once you're done.

 

[Sean K.]

I like the idea of FJ80 front end, Hellfire knuckles and 30sp. I think you're going to give up some ultimate strength to a D60/14b combo, but you're going to have a lot more ground clearance, and save a few hundred pounds.

My LC had Toy axles and 35" tires. My buggy had 39" stickies and tons, ground clearance under the diff was actually less in the buggy.

I bet you'll be close to 5k once you're done.

Ya, I have the Hellfire knuckles and RCVs with the 300M inners for the FJ80 front now.

Not too worried about the clearance. Since I have a buggy...that's more reserved for the really hardcore stuff. About the hardest trail I'll likely do in the Runner (once it's built) is Highway to Hell or Collateral Damage....maybe Die Hard.

My whole thought process for this build was to keep it light but still be able to wheel some decently difficult trails and also still DD it. I think the gas mileage will be bad enough with what I've got planned....with a 60/14 and 40's, it would likely be untenable.

 

[IBallEngineer]

I had a 1994 LC, on 35's, 5.29's,linked front end, plate bumper, etc., and it pulled no better than 13mpg, usually more like 11. I had to fill it up every other day. At least with this runner I can get 300+ miles out of a tank, instead of the 200 I'd get to 1/4 tank with the FZJ80.

The LC was pretty awesome for a 5600lb vehicle, but it didn't make sense to me as far as an expo vehicle. There are guys on mud and the expo that have added the ROW aux tank, but it's an ordeal and it's not cheap. The way these rigs work best is with a turbo diesel, but you better not be in a hurry to get somewhere. :sleepy:

#5600? Amatuer, Try #6900. I have #3600 on the rear axle! I get 10.5 mostly, 11 if there is some downhill and a tailwind. Of course I am Chevy powered, but I don't drive it hard.

I also have a custom built 40 Gallon fuel tank with a GM fuel module that has it's own baffling. On a good day I can go over 400 miles. I rarely fill it though, since I think I have a small leak at the sender, shinks like stit if I go to top off point. Here are some OLD pics inspired by your snow shot.

 

[Makitso]

4th gen 4runners have 23 gallon tanks, and the frames are very similar to 3rd gens, has anybody investigated this as a possible donor tank? not a big difference in capacity, but if it is a bolt in swap it would the worth considering.

 

[IBallEngineer]

Agreed. Several hundred pounds just in the tcase and front diff. I just didn't realize that the 3400# figure was including 2wds. Don't see very many of those around here so I don't normally even think of 4Runners as having that option.

I think you just don't realize MOST are 2wd. Just did a CL search for Phoenix, for 1999-2000 runners and had 23 hits. Changed it to 4wd only and had 6 hits. I don't have empirical data, but mostly, 3rd gens are 2wd. I think even your #4500 number may be low. Stated dry weights are the sum of parts, not real world weight. Easiest thing to do is drive in to a truck scale though.

 

[Sean K.]

I think you just don't realize MOST are 2wd. Just did a CL search for Phoenix, for 1999-2000 runners and had 23 hits. Changed it to 4wd only and had 6 hits. I don't have empirical data, but mostly, 3rd gens are 2wd. I think even your #4500 number may be low. Stated dry weights are the sum of parts, not real world weight. Easiest thing to do is drive in to a truck scale though.

That just means no one wants the 2wds, LOL. You can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting a 4Runner of some type.

 

[Scramble]

I think you just don't realize MOST are 2wd. Just did a CL search for Phoenix, for 1999-2000 runners and had 23 hits. Changed it to 4wd only and had 6 hits. I don't have empirical data, but mostly, 3rd gens are 2wd. I think even your #4500 number may be low. Stated dry weights are the sum of parts, not real world weight. Easiest thing to do is drive in to a truck scale though.

2WD was only sold in the south & maybe some other parts of the country, there were no 2wd's sold in the Northeast. At least when I was at the dealer in 1999.

 

[euser]

I wish someone would remedy this gas tank issue. I use almost a quarter of a tank to drive 30 miles to the base of the mountains and then 15 miles 9,000' up the side of a mountain. I wouldn't even want the 4Runner as an expedition vehicle if I'm going to burn half my gas trying to get up the mountains. I also need a supercharger, this thing was so damn slow chugging up the incline.

Also, 2wd are a very common model. I bought my 2wd in California back in '02 and it was the majority of what they had.

 

[Roc Doc]

#5600? Amatuer, Try #6900. I have #3600 on the rear axle! I get 10.5 mostly, 11 if there is some downhill and a tailwind. Of course I am Chevy powered, but I don't drive it hard.

5600 empty. Put in a couple blood bags, supplies, recovery gear, ARB fridge, etc. and I'm sure I could add a grand to that. (I also removed the rear jump seats.

Nice 62, bTW.