LRA: 24 Gallon or 40 Gallon and Why?

[CharlieS]

The fact that the price is the same for a 12 gallon and a 40 is the truly frustrating part

I suspect the skilled labor involved is about the same and the materials cost nearly the same. I don't find in unusual that they cost the same.

12.5 gallons gets you a lot of extra range, and avoids a lot of extra cost associated with spare relocation.

The plumbing and electrical are the same, so you could always upgrade the tank itself later if you found the small tank to be insufficient.

 

[Taco2Cruiser]

I’m really getting into the 40 gallon if between the 24 and 40.
Here is today’s project for something totally different, but it has a 40 gallon. As you can see the tank is pretty up there. But no enough sometimes as there is a nice dent. But I think I will be going for the 40.

 

[WCDAVE]

I’m really getting into the 40 gallon if between the 24 and 40.
Here is today’s project for something totally different, but it has a 40 gallon. As you can see the tank is pretty up there. But no enough sometimes as there is a nice dent. But I think I will be going for the 40.
View attachment 2493068View attachment 2493069

Curious - that truck looks like it has some rust, but the scrape on the tank is not rusted. Is the tank finish that durable or has there not been enough time since the scrape/dent occurred to accrue any rust?

 

[WCDAVE]

Checking in with a 40 gallon on order. In my mind, time at the fuel pump is time wasted. We are going to stop when nature calls whether or not it lines up with a fuel stop. Dogs don't want to know that they need to hold it until we drain the fuel tank a little more (nor does the wife). The wife does, however, support the 40 tank since we have had some nail biting experiences when it comes to range. With every car I have owned, if there was an extended range tank option I checked the box. Not necessarily because I want to make it further between stops on a long trip (although I do want that too), but because I want to spend less time in refueling in general. The time spent purposefully driving to the gas station (especially in areas where they are farther apart and maybe not in the direction you are wanting to go), is time wasted - and especially painful if it is vacation time. While it does take about one and a half minutes longer to fill the 40 versus the 24, that is nothing compared to the time spent traveling to the gas station - even if it's just pulling on/off the highway. I look at it as basically 225 -250 more miles between fuel stops (40 vs. 24) also more peace of mind when you aren't sure if the forest road is going to make you back track 30 miles at a gate or not. My vehicle is not a crawler, but an overlanding vehicle (might look at it differently if I lived in CA). With that purpose in mind, range trumps the weight and clearance concession.

 

[jrmudder92]

I’m really getting into the 40 gallon if between the 24 and 40.
Here is today’s project for something totally different, but it has a 40 gallon. As you can see the tank is pretty up there. But no enough sometimes as there is a nice dent. But I think I will be going for the 40.
View attachment 2493068View attachment 2493069

Don't be showing off my battle scars like that haha. Honestly took me a hot second to realize it's my truck That was a bad line at URE on top of Daniel that did that dent.

Curious - that truck looks like it has some rust, but the scrape on the tank is not rusted. Is the tank finish that durable or has there not been enough time since the scrape/dent occurred to accrue any rust?

They are from my most wheeling trip lost of bumps and scrapes. Its just very light surface stuff can be knocked out with a wire wheel No rot anywhere. Just get the spraypaint and touch it up! That was a bad line at URE on top of Daniel that did that dent. That was all at the same time. so it's just that good of a coating. here are more pictures of some of the damage Builds - 50 shades of gray, 2011 Land Cruiser Bulid Post 7 But with all that said I bought this thing to use not to look pretty.

 

[afgman786]

Don't be showing off my battle scars like that haha. Honestly took me a hot second to realize it's my truck That was a bad line at URE on top of Daniel that did that dent.


They are from my most wheeling trip lost of bumps and scrapes. Its just very light surface stuff can be knocked out with a wire wheel No rot anywhere. Just get the spraypaint and touch it up! That was a bad line at URE on top of Daniel that did that dent. That was all at the same time. so it's just that good of a coating. here are more pictures of some of the damage Builds - 50 shades of gray, 2011 Land Cruiser Bulid Post 7 But with all that said I bought this thing to use not to look pretty.

Did you attempt going up the front of daniel? Or go up the back side to the top and back down?

 

[jrmudder92]

Did you attempt going up the front of daniel? Or go up the backside to the top and back down?

Going up the backside. Got to the top and slipped off a rock and landed right on it. Next year ill do the front!

 

[yonah]

For what it’s worth, we went with the 40 gallon but haven’t taken delivery yet so I have zero input as far as real world use goes but I’m getting a lot out of this thread. We tow a overland trailer that’s just shy of 4K pounds and went with the 40 for the range while remote and/or off road. We likely won’t see anything serious as far as rock crawling goes so clearance isn’t as important to us as not being concerned about hunting a gas station in unfamiliar areas.

Good comment. This is exactly why I would go with the 40 gallon. In my mind, it makes up for the 200-series biggest downfall as a tow rig (when the MPGs really take a hit). Stopping every ~200+ish miles would be tiresome, especially on a long trip.

 

[Artie]

Good comment. This is exactly why I would go with the 40 gallon. In my mind, it makes up for the 200-series biggest downfall as a tow rig (when the MPGs really take a hit). Stopping every ~200+ish miles would be tiresome, especially on a long trip.

Now add a 3 and 4 year old boys in the mix who want to get out at every fuel stop. It’s far easier to let them pee on a tree on the side of a parking lot instead of the hassle at the gas station.

 

[TeCKis300]

Good comment. This is exactly why I would go with the 40 gallon. In my mind, it makes up for the 200-series biggest downfall as a tow rig (when the MPGs really take a hit). Stopping every ~200+ish miles would be tiresome, especially on a long trip.

I don't disagree. The 200-series also has another major downfall, part of which contributes to the poor MPG - weight. It's one of those things where more fuel is great, but goes further down the rabbit hole with potentially less efficiency and performance.

Personally having a 12.5 gallon and a heavier combined rig than most, I find the 12.5 to provide solid range. The 24 gallon would be the sweetheart size in my mind, but both larger tank leads to further slippery slopes in weight with the spare relocation.

Still, a 40 gallon can make sense depending on how one uses their vehicle and understands the trades.

 

[txtrucklvr]

We just got a 40’a few weeks ago and we love it. I love being able to fill up on cheap fuel. The distance is great. Wife loves it because don’t have to stop in unfamiliar places to get gas. My rig is more of a overlanding rig tho not a crawler. Lx570 as well. Have not noticed sloshing of weight issues.

 

[Markuson]

Now add a 3 and 4 year old boys in the mix who want to get out at every fuel stop. It’s far easier to let them pee on a tree on the side of a parking lot instead of the hassle at the gas station.

Tree is cleaner too...
Like... a lot cleaner!

 

[Artie]

Tree is cleaner too...
Like... a lot cleaner!

We did the racetrack bathroom once and that was the moment I realized they weren’t tall enough to clear the rim of the toilet, my youngest tried to rest his you know what on the toilet... thankfully, I caught him in time and out to the parking lot we went to the nearest row of hedges.

 

[Markuson]

We did the racetrack bathroom once and that was the moment I realized they weren’t tall enough to clear the rim of the toilet, my youngest tried to rest his you know what on the toilet... thankfully, I caught him in time and out to the parking lot we went to the nearest row of hedges.

Ya, no giblets should swab that deck... **RUN FOR THE TREEEES!**

 

[shelby95]

Now add a 3 and 4 year old boys in the mix who want to get out at every fuel stop. It’s far easier to let them pee on a tree on the side of a parking lot instead of the hassle at the gas station.

Also something to keep in mind when you hit the 49 second mark after leaving a gas station when a little voice from the back announces that they have to pee. We use the outdoors and only the outdoors 90% of the time.

 

[rlynch356]

Going up the backside. Got to the top and slipped off a rock and landed right on it. Next year ill do the front!

On the front side of Daniel, its a ~4' gate keeper ledge, My D90 sits on the spare tire almost when climbing it. so the longer overhang is going to be something to watch on the 200. The tank looks pretty well up there so should be fine. The next section is pretty off camber, and you'll need a good line though the rock garden. currently the trails are really groomed for this late in the year as well.

 

[jrmudder92]

On the front side of Daniel, its a ~4' gate keeper ledge, My D90 sits on the spare tire almost when climbing it. so the longer overhang is going to be something to watch on the 200. The tank looks pretty well up there so should be fine. The next section is pretty off camber, and you'll need a good line though the rock garden. currently the trails are really groomed for this late in the year as well.

For sure they did a great job. Cleaning and leveling it out. Made it too easy. But they are already rutted out again hahah. DJ is bad going up the shoot again haha.

 

[BlackMammoth]

I would love to see pictures of the Slee rear bumper with the 40 LRA so I can gauge where it sits...

 

[RET2]

I would love to see pictures of the Slee rear bumper with the 40 LRA so I can gauge where it sits...

See if @Markuson can help you out.

 

[Markuson]

See if @Markuson can help you out.

I have the 24 with my Slee rear…