Getting Diesel Home

[Texasmark]

I have an old trailer made from the "box/rear axle of a Chevy P/U into which I loaded 3ea 55 gallon drums with a TSC fuel pump sitting in one of them. I park it under a cover and have it where I can pull up to it, and fill my tractors. When empty, just hook the trailer to my truck and go to town. Don't have to carry around all that baggage in my truck when it's not needed......If I were a BTO and used a lot of diesel on a daily basis I would have a farm truck or so and at least 1 would be equipped with a tank....but I'm a STO and go about twice a year.

 

[jmc]

Learned some things here:

"Davit" per Wagtail. (For light loads, seems like something mounted in a PU's corner stake pocket might work.)

2x2x2 per Rebeldad1 holds about as much as a 55 gal drum. (But much more stable for transport.)

Downsizingnow48, good idea putting more usefully sized clevices thru those rinky-dink stamped metal PU bed tie downs. (My plain ones dig into the rope making it hard to cinch up.)

Thanks, all.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I do the same in the dump trailer. The D rings are useless for 90% of the cargo I need to carry. With the chains I can tie down anything anywhere.

 

[WoodDuck]

I went cheap. I bought a set of barrel lifting chains that clamp onto the top lip of a 55 gallon barrel.(around $50) When I need fuel, I place the empty barrel in the truck bed, strap it against the front of the bed so it can't move, and drive to my local fuel company where I can get dyed ag diesel. Its much cheaper than the taxed road diesel I have to buy for my diesel pickup. They just pump it into the barrel for me. This may not be an option for everyone though, depending on location/situation. When I get home with the barrel, I hook the drum lifting chains onto the bucket hook of my tractor, lift it out of the truck and onto a barrel dolly inside the shop. The dolly allows for easily rolling it out to fuel the tractor, then roll it back out of the way when done. I just use a manual transfer pump that threads into the barrel bung to pump the fuel into the tractor. My fuel usage is pretty low compared to some; a barrel lasts me a long time. If I was going through large amounts of fuel, I'd just have my local fuel company set me a diesel tank by the shop, and let them haul the fuel to me when I called for it. I already do gasoline this way; they supplied the tank, electric pump, filters, etc.... All I had to pay for was the gasoline they pumped into it. They mentioned at that time they could set a diesel tank for me as well, but 300 gallons of diesel would take me years to use up. I try not to store more than 6-12 months of any fuel myself. I'd rather get fresher fuel more often than pump anything old and questionable into one of my expensive engines. Not saying my method is the way for everyone to do it, its just what works for me!

 

[shooterdon]

I got tired of the 5 gal containers as well and got a 50 gallon reefer tank for free. Built a frame for it with scrap lumber, and use pallet forks to lift it on and off the bed of the truck. Has a 12v pump I got from Amazon for $120 and it works well. The pump has alligator clips so I can attach it to the tractor battery or a power pack...might set up a small battery on the tank frame with a trickle charger.

I will need to set up a grounding cable as I overlooked that.

I use off road diesel and save $.50/gal.

I find it simpler to add my additives to one 50 gallon container than a few 5 gallon ones.

 

[mikester]

Hi Guys,
So, due to medical issues, I can't lift a five gallon fuel container when full. I also don't want a transfer tank setup in my truck "permanently."
What is the best way to get diesel from the gas station to my house? I know you shouldn't fill gas containers in the back of your truck; they need to be grounded (on the ground) when filling. How about diesel? Is that safe? If not, what do you'all recommend... I really don't want to fill a bunch of 2 gallon containers on the ground and lift them into my truck...

I'd like a small (maybe 30 gallon) poly transfer tank and a storage tank of the same size. I'd like to be able to load the empty poly tank into my truck bed, fill it at the gas station in the back of my truck (not on the ground), then (when I get to my barn) hand pump the diesel out of the transfer tank into the storage tank, and then remove the transfer tank so I'd have my whole truck bed for other stuff. Then I could fill my tractor and UTV from the storage tank (preferably with a hand pump.) Is that a crazy idea?
Thanks!

If you have a pickup truck Id suggest one of these
Fuel Transfer Tanks | WEATHER GUARD

You can add a manual or electric pump. Ive seen small ones that you can park near the tailgate and easily remove.

 

[shooterdon]

If you have a pickup truck Id suggest one of these
Fuel Transfer Tanks | WEATHER GUARD

You can add a manual or electric pump. Ive seen small ones that you can park near the tailgate and easily remove.

New tanks are pricey...maybe too pricey for a hobby tractor owner that uses less than 200 gallons a year. At least that is what I concluded. I was lucky to get a free 50 gallon tank, but a steel or plastic drum would have been my other option. They are affordable and can be handled safely with a bit of ingenuity.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I compared the 100 gal weatherguard tank with the 100 gal TSC betterbuilt tank when I was looking at these. The weight is the same, so has the same gauge sheet metal and internal construction. Cap is the same. Welds are the same. Mounting tabs are the same. Paint is the same. Weatherguard has 4 lifting loops vs 2 for TSC but the material, construction and weld was all the same. Weatherguard was $750 vs $400 for TSC. Now maybe the weatherguard is twice as good as the TSC but I went with the TSC.

 

[TnAndy]

 

[jmc]

I compared the 100 gal weatherguard tank with the 100 gal TSC betterbuilt tank when I was looking at these. The weight is the same, so has the same gauge sheet metal and internal construction. Cap is the same. Welds are the same. Mounting tabs are the same. Paint is the same. Weatherguard has 4 lifting loops vs 2 for TSC but the material, construction and weld was all the same. Weatherguard was $750 vs $400 for TSC. Now maybe the weatherguard is twice as good as the TSC but I went with the TSC.

I found a 2x2x2' 50 gallon online and the description said that the lifting hooks are for when the tank is EMPTY. What a halfazzed feature!