How do you fuel your tractor (logistics, not finding the cap to the tank)?

[Whitnel]

I found a 50 Gal tank that looks like a tool box that came with a 12v pump off of Craigslist for a good price. The bottom is the tank and there is about a 12" deep box on top to store the pump and hoses. Put on a auto stop handle from northern tool and it works good. I also plumbed in a filter / water separator. Made a skid for it so i could get the forks under it. Need to get it filled up, emptied it yesterday.

 

[flusher]

You're wasting time and money on 200-300 gal tanks for the piddly number of hours you plan to put on your tractor each month . Your tractor probably will burn around 1 gal per hour doing what you need to do around your place.
Two 5-gallon yellow diesel containers are all you need.
Get yourself a tractor fuel funnel and a 1 gallon plastic pitcher. Fill the pitcher from the 5 gal container and dump it into the funnel. No need to put a strain on your back muscling that 5 gallon container around just to refuel your tractor.

Good luck and be careful out there.

 

[gunmonkeyintl]

Someone should make 5 gallon potable water jugs in, say, red and yellow with old fashioned vents and spouts. They could sell them in the auto-parts store, right next to the gas and diesel cans. That way you could take care of all of your road-trip jug needs in one stop.

That's a million dollar idea right there.


I don't understand the problem with using the 5 gallon cans to pour directly into the tank. They're not that heavy, and the extra steps of pouring it into a seperate, smaller container multiple times seems tedious. Thanks for telling us all, with authority, that that is what we need to do, though.

 

[newbury]

They do.
I just bought 2 five gallon jerry cans.
/edit -
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=904142

< $30 @ metal

 

[gunmonkeyintl]

I just noticed that the easy spout site linked to earlier has a notice that if you live in CA, DC, OH, CN, VA etc., you can't buy the fuel spout, but that you can buy the "water" spout instead.

I like the spirit of that company and intend to do business with them very soon.

 

[Sysop]

They're not that heavy, and the extra steps of pouring it into a seperate, smaller container multiple times seems tedious. Thanks for telling us all, with authority, that that is what we need to do, though.

Says you for now. The gentleman in post #6 who initially said they were too heavy explained he's not a very big 80 year old. I'm not a very big half-that-old and if I had to fill my tractor over the hood, I'd be finding something besides holding a 5 gallon jug in the air. :thumbsup:

 

[IndyIan]

I doubt it was by design, but maybe? On the DK you can start filling the tank and then sit the 5 gallon jug on top of the loader. All I have to do is hold it to balance it. I should add a little plate there to steady the jug so I can just leave it there and do some greasing while I wait.
If you can get a flexible spout for your jug, you might find you can sit it down while it's draining.

 

[Bubbanewf]

Picked up my new Kubota L3200 this Saturday & logged just over 8 hours running the rotary cutter. Finished up with a quarter tank to spare (probably 1gal per hour), so it's almost out of commission until I figure out a fueling strategy. Not exactly unexpected, but I just hadn't gotten around to it as it's not particularly urgent & had other stuff to do. My tractor is going to be a weekend warrior, so not getting a lot of work, maybe 10-20 hours a month, maybe.

I have a Shell station under a 2 mile drive away (quarter mile as the crow flies) & they sell off-road diesel. I had been planning on getting a 55 gallon drum ($10-20 for a decent plastic one) & manual or 12v pump, filling it at the local station & schlepping it home in my truck. Unload the barrel & leave it in the shop to fuel the tractor as necessary. Other thoughts were spending $300ish & getting a decent used 200-300gal tank (maybe just a couple 55 gal drums ) & having fuel delivered. My least exciting option would just be driving the tractor to the station to fuel it up.

Is getting delivery going to be price competitive with filling up a few 55gal drums?

Dont know what you decided to do. I didnt see any replies but I dont think its a good idea to store that much diesel outside. They only deliver quite a large amount. Diesel will break down pretty quickly in long term storage.
I got a metal drum from a dealer who sells off road diesel. Bought a push/pull hand pump from him and take the drum in once per season to fill it. I dont get a lot of use in a season either. I am playing with a backhoe digging some stumps but still dont burn a whole lot of fuel. I wouldnt want to store a lot of fuel over the winter. As it is, I add some slime preventor/winter additive to keep what is in the drum from going bad. The less in there for winter months probably the better.
I had some trouble lifting the drum and pallet off my pickup truck and banged the pump handle up pretty badly. Fixed it and got it working but next fill up I will take it on my trailer instead of lifting it five feet in the air. I had it strapped down to the pallet but **** happens
The pump cost me about 100 bucks. He said some dont work with diesel because oil rots rubber . He mentioned some have ceramic parts for that reason. I had inquired about a crank type pump like I used on a gasoline pump. He said it was not good for diesel. It only takes about five minutes to fill my tank so I doubt an electric pump would be cost effective.
The drum and pump have a regular six foot hose and nozzle. lifting gas cans up to fill the tractor did not work out therefore, the pump and drum idea!
Hope you made out Ok.

bubbanewf

 

[TruckinFool]

If your ok with spending all that money for 5 gallon tanks I'd just pickup a 36 gallon fuel transfer tank. Better Built 36 Gallon Steel Liquid Transfer Tank-29224166 at The Home Depot

You can get that one from $230-$300 depending where you shop but its a very nice HD tank. You can mount in your truck, use electric of siphon pump etc. If you dont want to mount it its light enough empty to put in and out of your truck when needed. Also has hooks so you can take it out with the loader when full and store somewhere safe. I paid $250 plus $10 for a siphon pump which works great for now. Certainly beats messing with 12 plastic cans IMHO and I'll mount it and get a electric pump down the road.

 

[namyessam]

Picked up my new Kubota L3200 this Saturday & logged just over 8 hours running the rotary cutter. Finished up with a quarter tank to spare (probably 1gal per hour), so it's almost out of commission until I figure out a fueling strategy. Not exactly unexpected, but I just hadn't gotten around to it as it's not particularly urgent & had other stuff to do. My tractor is going to be a weekend warrior, so not getting a lot of work, maybe 10-20 hours a month, maybe.

I have a Shell station under a 2 mile drive away (quarter mile as the crow flies) & they sell off-road diesel. I had been planning on getting a 55 gallon drum ($10-20 for a decent plastic one) & manual or 12v pump, filling it at the local station & schlepping it home in my truck. Unload the barrel & leave it in the shop to fuel the tractor as necessary. Other thoughts were spending $300ish & getting a decent used 200-300gal tank (maybe just a couple 55 gal drums ) & having fuel delivered. My least exciting option would just be driving the tractor to the station to fuel it up.

Is getting delivery going to be price competitive with filling up a few 55gal drums?

don't own a diesel but I thought I have read other posts about concern for fresh fuel that does not sit around and collect moisture and break down with time. I have not seen any mention of that. If you are going to use that little and have a station that close either drive it down the road or get some cans. Fresh fuel is two miles away. Thats my vote. Just refreshed and saw bubba's post