I havn't looked into it but if your considering doing this Ken have you looked around for a Long Ranger tank? I'm not sure if there still being built or not but if I was gonna add an aux tank to my truck I would want it to hold more than 13 gallons. Just 02.
I used to import the higher capacity replacement for the oem or the aux long ranger with all the hardware related pieces from OZ to my country but it ended to be up to $1000 to the buyer, which is a lot of money here, so some handy people on metal and welding shops started to manufacture them here. Even made of stainless steel they got cheaper than importing the aussie LRA model. Also many FJ-80 owners source the very common OEM FJ-70 23 gal gas tank with it´s shield plate and adapt them as the aux, with a universal electric transfer pump.
In short; if in a third world country like ours it is possible to manufacture them , why not in the states ?
I am not a big fan of adding the OEM aux tank on gas powered FJ-80. Too much money for such a short amount of gas. It make sense when it´s a diesel powered because it will allow a long range but is not cost efective on gas guzzler like ours !!!!
Also you will notice that when you compare the on stock location of the spare tire overhang against a Long Ranger aux tank plus a rear bumper slide out tire carrier, the last combo allows a better departure angle.
But if you have the $$$ and like to keep the stock look on your cruiser and hate to carry jerry cans, the OEM aux tank is an option to go. You will need to replace your rear stock coils to either the same heavy duty stock which came with the diesel or any other heavy duty you got in the states which keep the stock height but will allow you carry the extra 100 lb of added weight.
The higher capacity stock location Long Ranger replacement tank is also an option if you are not a die hard four wheeler because it will overhang more than the stock.
I am still researching which avenue to go. The 24 Gal from MF would be almost $1100 shipped to my door. Plus I would have to modify my Slee Receiver for the rear bumper. The extra weight would likely require me to swap out the 863Js and likely do 864's
If I can get the aux tank for less than $500 and increase my range by 50%, I would also not have to change my rear springs based on the rake I currently have and it would fit above the Slee Receiver. My range towing would be about 340 miles and not towing would be over 500 miles. That would be good enough for me.
The Aux tank at SOR would be about $850 to my door and it is not complete, I would have to spend another $100 -$200 to finish it. At this price, I would go with the MF larger tank.
The price is exactly the reason we stopped doing it. When we installed the larger aux tank, a complete install was around $1500. People just don't want to pay that. We get calls on a daily basis for tanks. Romer, close your eyes and install the 15 gallon tank. I have one in my 100 series and I love it. The little extra is just enough to give you piece of mind, yet it does not hang down to far and you don't have to change your springs. I had a big one in my old truck, the huge range would only be of benefit in OZ or Baja or some place where you are not sure on the fuel supply.
The sub tanks are also considerably lighter then the aftermarket ones when not filled.
Every 6 months or so I send a container load of cars to Seattle from Melbourne Australia. If you all start making a list of parts that you require I could pretty much get them to the Seattle with no shipping cost. Had half a container of free space numerous times. Obviously no problems with fuel tanks as the cars have tanks in them anyway and alot of other spare parts.
I bet you could sell as many of them as you could scrape together ... I know I'd be in for a reasonable price. I assume you have somebody in Seattle who could re-ship them from there?
All diesel aux (over the spare tire) tank equiped FJ-80´s sold around the world came with a OEM higher load capacity but same lenght rear coil !!!!!
Also because of the added weight of the diesel motor, they came with higher load capacity front coils.
And if you ordered the diesel with the winch option then part number of the front coils changed, to provide the required higher load capacity (of course keeping the same lenght).
I Checked into this issue also and found more than a few wreckers across Australia that had complete take out subtanks for 350-400. The shipping was about the same to a little more so I couldn't rationalize the $$$. If I remember correctly there were issues with customs but someone who has already shipped one could probably clear that up.
Bhaines-
When is your next shipment??? and can I hijack some space?
Here in Oz 1FZ 80 series have their sub tanks removed and an LPG tank is installed in it's place on a daily basis. The Govt even offers significant rebates to have petrol powered cars converted to LPG as it's a cleaner and cheaper fuel.
With this in mind getting hold of 1FZ sub tanks wont be hard, even on e-bay people are lucky to get US$40 for them and the LPG installation places can't even give them away.
All Oz spec 80's come with a sub tank.
I concure with a couple of posters who suggested larger capacity sub tanks are better. An extra 50 litres is nothing on a thursty 1FZ. Better to go a 100ltr tank. In Oz we tend to install 170ltr long range sub tanks behind the rear axle with no impact on departure angle. Of course we also install heavy duty rear springs to allow for the extra weight.
I bet you could sell as many of them as you could scrape together ... I know I'd be in for a reasonable price. I assume you have somebody in Seattle who could re-ship them from there?
If the cost was reasonable on the tank i might be willing to drive down to seattle (hour away from me) pick them up and re distribute them from here? (i.e. boxing up and sending to the respective addresses. as long as shipping costs and packaging was taken care of by the buyers.
I'd be in for one of the sub tanks from OZ.... I would think if you were able to bring over as few as 10 to 15 they would sell very quickly. Sounds like with the price that they are going for in AU they would be very reasonably priced here if the shipping method previously mentioned could be used.
That's my thing, getting or building a tank is the easy part. The filler neck is the tough and hard to duplicate part, plus it has to be the restricted neck for smog testing. I've got a couple of feelers out for the filler neck and I'll either build or have built a tank that fits my needs/wants. If someone can find a source for the filler neck, then they would be onto something. Everything else is gravy.
I will let you guys know when my next container is leaving. I have put many different things in the containers, all sorts of automotive parts. As long as they are car parts and listed on the container inventory I have no problems with coustoms at all. My partner is in Seattle and could probably distribute them all. Check out our website at www.madmaxcars.com to see what I mean.
Here in Oz 1FZ 80 series have their sub tanks removed and an LPG tank is installed in it's place on a daily basis. The Govt even offers significant rebates to have petrol powered cars converted to LPG as it's a cleaner and cheaper fuel.
With this in mind getting hold of 1FZ sub tanks wont be hard, even on e-bay people are lucky to get US$40 for them and the LPG installation places can't even give them away.
All Oz spec 80's come with a sub tank.
I concure with a couple of posters who suggested larger capacity sub tanks are better. An extra 50 litres is nothing on a thursty 1FZ. Better to go a 100ltr tank. In Oz we tend to install 170ltr long range sub tanks behind the rear axle with no impact on departure angle. Of course we also install heavy duty rear springs to allow for the extra weight.
