Fitting a long range fuel tank - do I need a lift?

Submitted: Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 13:04

ThreadID: 84816 Views:4513 Replies:6 FollowUps:3

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Long Range Fuel Tanks

A large number of outback treks involve long distances between fuel outlets. Jerry cans are dangerous, difficult to store and not as convenient as a long range fuel tank.

Frances

I am getting a Brown Davis long range fuel tank fitted to my stock standard 2008 Nissan Patrol. Interested in anyone's opinion on whether or not I need to get a lift? Opposite Lock say that I should. We are doing the Simpson Desert with 6 people in the car and our gear on the roof rack.

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Reply By: CSeaJay - Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 13:33

Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 13:33

Frances

If you are doing the Simpson you need a good suspension upgrade, notwithstanding wether you have a tank or not.

CJ

AnswerID: 447448

Reply By: nick b - Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 14:12

Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 14:12

If you want to keep the same hight or higher ,you will have to compensate for the extra weight + tank + fuel + vehicle load !!

Cheers Nick b

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Follow Up By: Baz&Pud (Tassie) - Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 15:25

Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 15:25

We did the Simpson a couple of years back in a stock Landcruiser, 2 people and our gear, but if you have extra four people plus plus, i would be having a lift done, plus suspension up grade.
Cheers
Baz

Go caravaning, life is so much shorter than death.

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Reply By: Member - Michael P (QLD) - Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 15:51

Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 15:51

Frances,
The Qld government have banned roof racks from hire vehicles, There is a lot of things that this government does that I disagree with but on this one I don't.
Mainly because foreign tourists were loading the vehicle with as many passengers as they could and then putting all their gear on the roof racks.
This was after numerous roll-overs & a few deaths.Mainly on Fraser Is, They don't have any control over private vehicles unless you go over manufacturers specs for roof loading or GVM.
I have only ever travelled The Simpson with Two on board. Maybe I should learn to travel lighter.
Mike.

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Follow Up By: Member - Mark E (VIC) - Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 16:33

Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 16:33

Given the amount of fuel, water and food you will need for a trip like this, I agree with the above, that it will be too much weight for plonking everything up on the roof.

I think you will struggle and at the minimum have vehicle problems or potentially an accident in an extremely remote area if you choose to travel like this.

Not worth trying to travel with too many in the car.

Cheers,

Mark

FollowupID: 719767

Reply By: gbc - Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 18:04

Sunday, Mar 06, 2011 at 18:04

There are two types of lift with the topic you have raised

1. Are you talking about a body lift to fit the extra long range tank? If so it is mandatory if you want THAT much extra fuel. The tank won't fit until the body lift is done. There are plenty of long range tanks which don't require body lifts though, just not as much capacity.

2. A suspension upgrade to cope with the weight. Six people in a patrol is ambitious for a simpson crossing unless you live like you're hiking and carry bugger all spares. I'd say a suspension upgrade (not necessarily a lift) would be in order depending on what you've got at the moment.

AnswerID: 447480

Reply By: Robin Miller - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 09:10

Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 09:10

Hi Frances

Not much info in your post - is it petrol / diesel auto/manual, do you need a long range tank ? is it main or sub-tank that is being changed.

Suspension upgrades are not without issues, and should be done depending on load.
Six people and all the bits sounds like your car will be overloaded.

Either way I'd replace the Nissan shocks.

Overloading is one of the best ways to kill a car, and long range tank may add un-necessary weight.

I always weigh my cars and ensure they never exceed GVM loaded, have 2 petrol 4800 patrols one with 75lt sub and on the other a 145lt main (138lt actual).

Have driven that dessert many times, also just on the main 138lt tank (towing a bike trailer once).

I prefer the more complaint standard Nissan springs to keep shock loadings down but needed some height so fitted the 30mm spacers and use taller tyres (255/85/16) not fatties.

Robin Miller

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Reply By: Frances - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:46

Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:46

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. We have no choice about the number of people in the car - as it is we are leaving one kid at home! Secondly, the car is a 3.0 ltr diesel 2008 model. We only travel with 2 sets of clothes (and 7 pairs of undies) and are used to travelling like this because of the numbers we have in the car so that's no big deal but we figured the best way to do the crossing was to add a long range fuel tank rather than carry jerry cans and also we plan to have a 75ltr water bladder behind the back seat of the car hence keeping the weight in the lower half of the vehicle.

AnswerID: 447551

Follow Up By: cycadcenter - Tuesday, Mar 08, 2011 at 01:35

Tuesday, Mar 08, 2011 at 01:35

Wow,

A family of 6 in a Patrol doing the Simpson, I just hope that you are fully prepared as you will not be able to put much on a roof rack and be safe.

Actually how many people you put in a car is always a choice especially when it comes to safety.

If you do a lift the C of G will be higher making it more unstable.

Just a couple of other questions?

What recovery gear are you taking or do you expect to borrow other travellers as it may still be wet out there for a long time. Look at some of the blogs from last year and it's even wetter this year.

Are you taking any extra spare tyres with the necessary repair equipment, just remember you will need a compressor if you have to let your tyres down for sand.

What other spares and tools are you taking.

75 liters of water seems a lot but for 6 people for 10 days (emergency) it is the very bare minimum. What shelter, sleeping bags, tents, swags, food, cooking etc are you taking as it will all probably have to go on the roof.

Do you have a Spot, UHF and EPIRB with you and possibly a Sat Phone.

I realise that the Simpson is not as remote as it used to be but one wrong turn, put a wheel down a hole and roll the Patrol and you may become a pretty terrible statistic for the Outback.

Bruce

FollowupID: 719954