An easier way to refuel your tractor

[taborekle]

If your looking for another easy way to get that fuel can out of the bed of your pickup truck, I have found that having a shallow ditch next to my drive way can be very helpfull. I just back the truck so the rear wheels are in the ditch. That puts the tail gate just a few inches above my drive way. Easy way to load and unload something heavy into the bed of the truck.

If you get stuck, the ditch is wrong (and don't blame me)!:confused3:

 

[mpsmith60]

My fueling needs are pretty basic so I use two things that make fueling easy. First, I use a self-priming siphon hose and second, I made a transport rack that holds 3 5-gallon fuel cans. Pictures are attached. Also, I have a video showing how I use this setup:

Fueling Your Tractor the Easy Way - YouTube

 

[BarnieTrk]

mpsmith60,
Nice video!
However, (1) I'm concerned about the 'securing bungee cord' holding the 5-gallon containers secure in the event of an automobile accident. If you were to be involved in an auto accident at any speed over 15mph, I'm not convinced that the containers whould stay in play. (2) Most fuel stations require fuel containers be filled ON THE GROUND, not in the back of a pickup, due to the potential of static electricity igniting the vapors generated while filling the containers. So, to illustrate the containers being filled without removing them from the pickup bed is an unsafe practice. Check out YouTube... here is just one: Gas Pump Explosion Caused by Static Electricity - YouTube

Sure, the video fire was when filling a gasoline can. But any hydrocarbon fuel (including diesel fuel) can ignite. Sure, it is less likely when it's 0*F at the pump, because there are less vapors generated in colder conditions, but it's a matter of making safety practices the routine, not just sometimes. I know I would feel terrible if I told someone how to do a particular task and they performed it just as I suggested - and it resulted in serious injury/damage to them. Some of us know better and need to instruct those that don't know the dangers....

BarnieTrk

 

[bcp]

CDC - NIOSH Publications and Products - Fire Hazard from Filling Portable Gas Cans in Pickup Trucks and Cars (98-111)

Bruce

 

[Gordon Gould]

CDC - NIOSH Publications and Products - Fire Hazard from Filling Portable Gas Cans in Pickup Trucks and Cars (98-111)

Bruce

Thanks Bruce. That's good to know. Never realized that hazard was there.

gg

 

[Tomtint]

A couple years ago, I put a 35 gallon transfer tank on a small trailer. May be one of the most convenient things I have ever made.

 

[mpsmith60]

mpsmith60,
Nice video!
However, (1) I'm concerned about the 'securing bungee cord' holding the 5-gallon containers secure in the event of an automobile accident. If you were to be involved in an auto accident at any speed over 15mph, I'm not convinced that the containers whould stay in play. (2) Most fuel stations require fuel containers be filled ON THE GROUND, not in the back of a pickup, due to the potential of static electricity igniting the vapors generated while filling the containers. So, to illustrate the containers being filled without removing them from the pickup bed is an unsafe practice. Check out YouTube... here is just one: Gas Pump Explosion Caused by Static Electricity - YouTube

Sure, the video fire was when filling a gasoline can. But any hydrocarbon fuel (including diesel fuel) can ignite. Sure, it is less likely when it's 0*F at the pump, because there are less vapors generated in colder conditions, but it's a matter of making safety practices the routine, not just sometimes. I know I would feel terrible if I told someone how to do a particular task and they performed it just as I suggested - and it resulted in serious injury/damage to them. Some of us know better and need to instruct those that don't know the dangers....

BarnieTrk

Thanks, BarnieTrk! You bring up valid points. You致e spurred me to come up with a better way to secure the cans to the rack, and the rack to the truck. Also, I could certainly fill the cans on the ground. Thanks for your input!

 

[John_Mc]

mpsmith60,
Nice video!
However, (1) I'm concerned about the 'securing bungee cord' holding the 5-gallon containers secure in the event of an automobile accident. If you were to be involved in an auto accident at any speed over 15mph, I'm not convinced that the containers whould stay in play. (2) Most fuel stations require fuel containers be filled ON THE GROUND, not in the back of a pickup, due to the potential of static electricity igniting the vapors generated while filling the containers. So, to illustrate the containers being filled without removing them from the pickup bed is an unsafe practice. Check out YouTube... here is just one: Gas Pump Explosion Caused by Static Electricity - YouTube

Sure, the video fire was when filling a gasoline can. But any hydrocarbon fuel (including diesel fuel) can ignite. Sure, it is less likely when it's 0*F at the pump, because there are less vapors generated in colder conditions, but it's a matter of making safety practices the routine, not just sometimes. I know I would feel terrible if I told someone how to do a particular task and they performed it just as I suggested - and it resulted in serious injury/damage to them. Some of us know better and need to instruct those that don't know the dangers....

BarnieTrk

Perhaps you could deal with that if you had a ground strap attached to the containers, and just dropped the other end on the ground when filling? (maybe with a small metal weight on the end to keep it in contact with the ground.)

A similar method is used when filling piston aircraft fuel tanks, only in that case, the cable is attached to the ground, and you connect it to the aircraft frame when filling. Most aviation fuel pumps won;t start pumping until you confirm that you have grounded the plane. (Of course, the chance of static build-up is much greater when you are pumping 40 or 50 gallons, than when you are pumping just 5.)

 

[npalen]

Doesn't seem like a ground connection would be present when filling on a paved surface. I remember the bulk fuel trucks delivering to the farm many years ago used to have a short length of chain dragging on the road at all times. Most of the roads were unpaved back then, however.

 

[WranglerX]

Every company's tractor design engineers should have to refuel each of their tractor models using a 5 gallon can, with no ladders, hoses, pumps, or platforms. Even engineers can learn by experience.

Bruce

Engineers don't learn, they just compound the problem.......

Dale