Long Range Tanks: I want to have my cake and eat it too

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Steve1

Joined
Nov 29, 2018
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But I'll settle for just not having a swing out on the bumper for the spare. Another part of the mission profile is long trips every couple of months, some up to 1000 or more miles. It seems a long range tank is going to be very helpful here, but the only tanks that allow the spare to remain in place are 16 gallons. Helpful, but only just.

My HJ60 had barn doors, and it was incredibly useful to be able to open the small door to get stuff in and out. I realise that this isn't an option in the USA, but are there any other options for the spare and a larger tank? I thought about the roof rack, but that would a PITA and reduce clearance. Perhaps a carrier that allows the upper part of the hatch to open with the spare mounted on the bumper? Does such a thing exist?
 
Steve1 said:
Perhaps a carrier that allows the upper part of the hatch to open with the spare mounted on the bumper? Does such a thing exist?
Click to expand...

Seems like that would be pretty tough to do without being really awkward. To miss your spare as the hatch opens would need a tire stuckbig waaaaaaaay out rearward somehow. Wouldn’t that also make accessing the rear interior tough anyway?

Maybe consider mounting your spare in place of one folded-up, third-row seat?

Just a thot:
Swing-outs really aren’t as big a pain as some assume. I timed it once, and even going at a leisurely pace, opening or closing & latching my two swingouts only adds 11 seconds. Faster if I hurry...
 
I couldn't think of any way to make the spare work either without being really awkward, but thought it worth asking to see if anyone had anything clever. With any idea I came up with, I may as well go with the swing out. Good point about the inside mount, since I'll probably do away with the third row anyway. A nice cover over it and it may not be too bad.
 
Here's a random idea, and you'd have to fabricate it, but here's my idea:

Build a slide out in the rear cargo area that you can attach the tire to it flat/horizontally; much like a wide version of a fridge slide. Cover it with a flat shelf, so functionally it works like a drawer platform. You could even build some bins on the sides around the tire for gear storage.

You could even do it without the sliding part of that was too much hassle. Same idea.
 
That linked design is clever.

I'd think hard about whether whatever you use is enough to keep the tire from becoming a missile in a wreck. Any way you do it, you'll want to make sure it is securely fastened. These tire/rims have a lot of mass...

The idea I had above comes loosely from how we mounted spares in our rally car (albeit bolted to the cage in that case). We would have it bolted down through the hole in the middle of the rim, with a threaded nut/handle (imagine a giant wing nut made with steel tubing).
 
Steve1 said:
But I'll settle for just not having a swing out on the bumper for the spare. Another part of the mission profile is long trips every couple of months, some up to 1000 or more miles. It seems a long range tank is going to be very helpful here, but the only tanks that allow the spare to remain in place are 16 gallons. Helpful, but only just.

My HJ60 had barn doors, and it was incredibly useful to be able to open the small door to get stuff in and out. I realise that this isn't an option in the USA, but are there any other options for the spare and a larger tank? I thought about the roof rack, but that would a PITA and reduce clearance. Perhaps a carrier that allows the upper part of the hatch to open with the spare mounted on the bumper? Does such a thing exist?
Click to expand...

yes...Detours Off Road Hardware makes a spare hitch mount carrier that can drop or swing. I chose to have them make one with the swing function. KnuckleBone is the name of the carrier. Tire Carrier Solutions & Truck Accessories
 
Why not get a hitch mounted tire carrier. Just use it when you need t for a trip. That is what I do with my Porsche. When not on a trip I remove the swing out arm and store it . I use a Wilco.

www.wilcooffroad.com
 
I’m in the same dilemma. even the 16 is interesting to me, but I’m not sure a rock warrior with 285s will fit there with that tank, so I’ve been thinking through just Going for the largest tank I can fit and doing a hitch swing out.

for a temporary swing out, my BiL turned me to these guys:
westcottdesigns.net

Aftermarket Truck Accessories Online - Westcott Designs

If you’re looking for a large selection of durable, high-quality aftermarket truck accessories, look no further. Browse our selection today.
westcottdesigns.net westcottdesigns.net

ive not seen one in person, but I know the owner has a 200, so I assume they’d fit the drop down tailgate.
 
I'm having a 40 gallon aux fitted to my 2013 200 Series . I'm going with a hitch mounted tire carrier. Cheaper than a new bumper.

This Westcott looks very promising. I spoke to the owner and he said the towing capacity is the same as the host vehicle. His pricing is good considering the included features.

I think this is the one I'm going to get
 
Maybe it's just because I have a trailer tailer rear bumper, but the swing arms haven't been an issue. I coach two travel softball teams and I have practice 5 days a week (sometimes 6) with those things being opened and closed probably half a dozen times a day. Is everyone just really that lazy or is @TRAIL TAILOR's product just that much better?
 
mep1811 said:
I'm having a 40 gallon aux fitted to my 2013 200 Series . I'm going with a hitch mounted tire carrier. Cheaper than a new bumper.

This Westcott looks very promising. I spoke to the owner and he said the towing capacity is the same as the host vehicle. His pricing is good considering the included features.

I think this is the one I'm going to get
Click to expand...

looks cool...but you're really just a few hundred bucks from a full on bumper at that point?
 
PhiloCruiser said:
looks cool...but you're really just a few hundred bucks from a full on bumper at that point?
Click to expand...

A Slee Rear bumper is over 4K , ARB over 3K , Trail Taylor over 2.5K plus build time. All not including installation costs.

This tire carrier is complete at $1570.00 with no installation or lead time.

There is a Wilco Solo that is under 1K that is just a tire carrier without any options.
 
mep1811 said:
A Slee Rear bumper is over 4K , ARB over 3K , Trail Taylor over 2.5K plus build time. All not including installation costs.

This tire carrier is complete at $1570.00 with no installation or lead time.

There is a Wilco Solo that is under 1K that is just a tire carrier without any options.
Click to expand...
fair...I guess if I was going to drop a couple thousand, I'd save or spring for the whole deal. To each their own.

I paid 1/2 of what the Wilco goes for...
 
PhiloCruiser said:
fair...I guess if I was going to drop a couple thousand, I'd save or spring for the whole deal. To each their own.

I paid 1/2 of what the Wilco goes for...
Click to expand...

Was that for a swing out carrier?
 
There are bumper options around $1.5k, Rlc for example.
 
Steve1 said:
But I'll settle for just not having a swing out on the bumper for the spare. Another part of the mission profile is long trips every couple of months, some up to 1000 or more miles. It seems a long range tank is going to be very helpful here, but the only tanks that allow the spare to remain in place are 16 gallons. Helpful, but only just.
Click to expand...

I know you're saying you do 1000 miles trips. I'm assuming it's not to Alaska and there's generally fuel stations around? It's a question of how much cake do you want? Just thinking from another angle, but after a certain amount, even the best cake might not be worth another bite?

I have the small LRA tank for a combined ~36 gallons. I use it in both long freeway trips lightly loaded with 33s, and towing a trailer with rig over 14k combined vehicle weight. This puts me at both extremes of consumption from 16 mpg to sometimes 9 mpg towing with headwind.

Without a trailer in tow, I easily see over 500 miles of range. For long trips, that's a very comfortable range in my mind and needing to get gas is few and far between enough that it barely feels like a chore. Towing, minimum range is right under 300 miles which is still reasonable.

Is the goal to never get gas on a 1000 mile trip? Or minimize getting gas enough that it gives great freedom? It's going to be different for every person, but the small aux tank absolutely does the latter for me. While adding minimal weight so I can still tow the weight I need to haul.
 
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