We’ve got a model TC35D New Holland 4x4 tractor that we use almost daily either on the ranch, on the construction site, or sometimes both. Although the tractor’s 3-cylinder diesel engine is extremely fuel-efficient, we still need to refuel too often to make hoisting 5-gallon containers anything but a chore. After some research we decided that a transfer tank and a gas station type nozzle mounted in the bed of our Ford Crew Cab test mule, Project ‘F-Soup’, would be just the ticket for trouble free refueling and to keep our lower lumbar discs aligned and happy.
We’re lucky to have a Tractor Supply Company pretty close to our digs, so we headed on down for a look-see to check out what was available. TCS carries a full line of Delta tanks ranging from 36 to 105 gallon capacity, and a variety of pumps that will fit the bill (and the bed) of almost any truck.
Installing the Tank
We chose Delta’s model 486, 36-gal. heavy-duty, steel reinforced, vertical style tank which is equipped with full center baffles, lift rings and a lockable cap for our application along with the tank mounting kit supplies by TCS. Your needs may vary, but we chose this particular tank for several reasons.
First of all our tractor’s fuel tank capacity is just 13 gallons, so we have almost three fill-ups at our disposal. That’s enough to run the tractor for over 3 days at about 8-hours a day. Secondly, the tank only takes up 9” of bed length – although we did leave 3” between the tank and the front of the bed to store a pair of mud boots and keep a single-jack hammer close at hand. Thirdly, the tank is narrower then the bed and when shifted as far to the passenger side as possible still allows the full use of the 8’ bed so we can haul a few sticks of 8’-10’ lumber without tie-downs. And finally, we wanted to keep as much of the tank below the top of the bed to match the low profile, single lid tool chest. Our disc-o-meter tells us that the toolbox is just the right height for sitting on when we attach the gooseneck trailer-hitch to the ball and connect the safety chains.
Project 'F-Soup': Work Truck Tech
"Have Fuel - Will Travel" by John Buell
Installing the Hose & Nozzle
We wanted to install a removable filter before the hose to discourage contaminants from jumping from tank to tank. Fill-Rite Filter Head Kit which includes a pipe nipple to move the filter away from the pump housing. First apply Teflon tape to the pipe’s threads and then tighten the pipe and filter head while being very careful not to overtighten and crack the pump housing. Then apply Teflon tape to the threads of the filler hose and thread the hose onto the filter head and the nozzle.
Installing the Filter
We chose a Goldenrod Water-Block Fuel Filter available from TSC to complete our installation. Any screw on type filter will work, but make sure that it’s designed for the fuel that you’ll be transferring.
Now head on over to your favorite fuel stop, top off your new tank and pump combo using what’s left of your last two paychecks and give it a try. The pump will make odd noises when you fire it up, but it is self-priming even with dry gears the first time out.
Even though some of you picky folks will want to add a pipe nipple and coupling between the pump and the tank so that your filter hangs plumb, we love the low profile look and the performance of this setup.
Conclusion
Not only is this refueling combo real handy for filling up our tractor, but it also gives us the option of saving a few bucks using red dye diesel. (In the tractor – not the truck). For us, one of the best features is our not having to lift multiple 35+ pounds of diesel cans every week to fill up the tractor, which has proven to be a real back-saver.
We discovered a couple of added bonuses to having this tank in the bed of our truck. You see we’ve found that when traveling with a diesel truck, the amount of restroom breaks easily outnumbers the amount of fuel stops. Now, with thirty-six gallons of additional fuel on board, we can refuel the truck in a few minutes at rest stops along the way while we stretch our legs. It’s also saved us a few bucks by being able to top off both tanks when we spot diesel for a decent price.
We Rate It
The instruction sheets provided were all excellent and easy to follow. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being most difficult, we’d rate this one at around a 3. The installation of the tank, pump, hose, nozzle and the filter should be a snap for any shade tree, barnyard mechanic.
Follow Up
We discovered after the installation that comparable tanks and nozzles are also available from Northern Tool & Equipment, so shop around.
Installation of the tank was straightforward and only took us a half-hour or so to complete. Before mounting the tank, check that the tank is free from any dirt or other foreign material and apply the Shopvac if needed.
First position the tank where you want it in the bed of the truck and then slide under your truck and make sure the general area where you have positioned the tank is free of fuel lines, brake lines and electrical wiring. We had to move the tank over a smidge to clear a bed-stiffener rib. Mark the location for the mounting bolts and drill 4-7/16” holes. Reposition the tank over the holes and insert the 3/8” diameter bolts included in the mounting kit. Once again slide under your rig and install the flat washers, lock washers and nuts. Recheck the position of the tank and then tighten everything down.
Now you can install the 2” NPT adapter for the filler and vented cap in either of the provided threaded holes. Both of the threaded openings in the tank feature 2 ½” tall tubes mounted inside the tank to prevent overfilling and provide a 6% expansion zone. We chose to mount the filler on the driver’s side so that we can fill the truck and the tank without having to turn the truck around. Anyone that’s owned a 60’s or 70’s full-size with dual tanks knows what a hassle that can be. Be sure to first wrap the adapter’s threads with 3 or 4 turns of Teflon tape before threading it into the tank and tightening securely.
Last but not least, apply the “Combustible” decal to the tank in a visible location. Delta transfer tanks are DOT approved for combustible fuels like diesel. This tank is not designed to transfer flammable fuels such as gasoline, and shouldn’t be used as an auxiliary tank when plumbed into your truck’s OEM fuel system.
Installing the Pump
There are tons of options for transferring fuel from your new tank. TCS offers everything from a simple hand pump to a 25 Gallon per minute (GPM) electric pump with an auto shut-off nozzle. Discuss your options with your pocketbook before deciding on which nozzle is right for you.
For our application we chose a Great Plains Industries M150S-MU 12-volt electric gear-pump kit which delivers 15 GPM and is paired with a GPI manual nozzle. The kit also includes a suction pipe to draw fuel from the bottom of the tank, an electrical power cord to draw 12-volt power from your vehicle’s battery, and 12 feet of filler hose.
The directions said to first extend the telescoping suction pipe at its full length into the tank opening. The suction pipe is then designed to self-adjust to the length needed to rest on the bottom of the tank. The problem is that the shortest length that the supplied suction pipe can reduce to is 22”, and our tank is only 19” deep. We overcame this little foopah by removing the telescoping pipe length and installing the remaining pipe end into the pump housing. Then we inserted the whole shebang into the tank and estimated that we would have to baloney cut approximately 2” from the tank end of the suction pipe. We then removed the pipe and pump and shortened the pipe by about 2”, copying the original suction pipe end’s baloney cut. The pipe is made of a high strength plastic so it’s an easy cut.
Now the pump can be threaded onto the tank’s NPT bung adapter and tightened using the union ring. Be sure to once again wrap the threads using 3 to 4 layers of Teflon tape before installing.
Next in the installation process is to connect the pump to a 12-volt power source using the provided power cord. We started threading the power cord along our frame towards our underhood battery using tie-wraps along the way to keep the cord secure. After leaving a few extra inches near the battery to allow for a trouble free hookup we headed on back to the pump end to complete our electrical connection there.
We removed the coverplate from the pump housing which revealed the pumps red (power) and black (ground) wires inside the electrical cavity. Then we once again allowed for a few extra inches of power cord before cutting to length and carefully stripping 3 to 4 inches of outer insulation from the cord. Next, slip the plastic strain relief grip over the power cord making sure that the threaded end of the grip faces the end of the power cord. Now strip about a half inch of insulation from the ends of the red and black power cord and insert them through the inlet on the back of the pump. Using the supplied wire nuts, connect the wires black to black and red to red and then position the wires inside the cavity until flush. You can now thread the strain relief grip into the back of the pump housing taking care not to overtighten, and then reinstall the coverplate.
Now head on back under the hood and complete the connection of the wires to the battery or your other chosen power source keeping in mind that red is positive…duh.
