Fuel tank on trailer

[chasew27]

Has anyone ever put a fuel tank under a trailer. I am building a tag-a-long equipment trailer that is almost done, I built a 53 gallon tank in the tongue of it. Now I need to plumb it for the fuel pump. Any pump ideas, I did slant the tank to one side so it would be deeper for the pump.

[metalmeltr]

I have similar delima,I need a tank on a trailer for welder gas.

[Broccoli1]

My Toyhauler Trailer has a Fuel tank for the on board Genset and a Pump Station for filling up the Toys.


I don't know the brand of Fuel Pump they used but I imagine a quick trip to a Trailer dealer in Richmond would give you a good idea on how it is set up.

[pyro2]

Northern tool has some inexpensive fuel transfer pumps for 12vdc and 120vac... i like the idea of the fuel tank on the trailer, are there any D.O.T. rules against it?

[turboglenn]

If the things that will be feeding from the fuel system are mounted to the trailer you could do any of the following. And if it's not, you could always run a tap off a fuel pump with a valve for a "dispenser" to fill bobcats and such

If you are making it like a car's fuel system to feed onbaord welder, generators and such, one thing you want to try and avoid is the pump having to push the fuel too far uphill and you don't want it to have to "pull" the fuel uphill to it's self at all if possible. Both of these (the latter more so) can burn up a pump pretty fast.

Pushing 2-3 feet uphill through a line that's about -8 to -10 would be okay, but you really don't want much more than that. Depending on what your fuel requiremetns will be you can use a smaller line and push uphill a little further (say go -6 feed and 5 foot vertical pumping should be fine)

But for the pulling, you want the pump to be no higher than 1/4th the tank height unless you always keep it full.

Check the northern tools stuff out ( i haven't) And if there's nothing there that will suit you Aeromotive, a rather large fuel components maufacturer sells low and high pressure external pumps that are incredible for flow rates and very durable. They can also be taken apart and serviced. YOu would need to weld a sump into the bottom of the tank or place fittings at the bottom of one of the sides for this type of fuel system.

Then you could use one of their (aeromotive) fuel pressure regulators (they have low and high pressure springs with most of them for a wide range of applications. Though if you run a returnless system (like feeding a standard carb) then you will need more specialty pumps and regualtors, but it's so easy to run one extra ine back to the tank that it's worth doing because with a return based system you have a wider range of pressure control and are less liekly to ever get vapour lock.

Also, you could piece together a really cheap electric setup (12v DC) by using a car fuel pump and then get an aeromotive return style regulator and use the low pressure spring... a few rubber hoses (or SS braided if you're like me) and you've got a complete fuel system with enough taps off the regualtor to feed at least 2 seperate machines (if each one has a deidcated line...more if 2 or more machines share each line) Your typical cheapo car fuel pump will support up to about 150 horsepower's worth of cumulative fuel consumption and is probably more than enough for any genorator or stuff like that.

If you're just susing it as a "fill station" for equipment then you've got it even easier.. Pick a pump. run some lines with a valve and an "on/off" switch and you're set

As far as DOT regulation, how it would effect the trailer and such i have no clue on.

Hopefully this is the type of fuel system you're talking about, if not you at least know what to do should you need to make a system for a vehicle LOL It wasn't until i was done typing that I thought about the fact that you are most likely meaning a tank to fill heavy equipment from :P

[Flyingpig]

Every refrigerated trailer on the road has a fuel tank. They have a DOT tag but no other special regs that I know of. I doubt it will be an issue since its "part" of the trailer itself.