On verge of buying 2015 5.7L 4x4 Tundra w/tow pkg BUT only 20 gal tank

I'll be towing a Rockwood UltraLite travel trailer with weight-dist hitch approx total weight of trailer is 8200lbs. All I've read is that I'll be lucky to get at best approx 10miles per gal. that only gives me 200mile range we are going to be crusing the entire USA. My question is any other options to add possibly a auxilary tank for emergency in bed of truck?

Extremely difficult to find used Tundra with 38gal tank been looking for months.

Has anyone been in this situation and found a way to have auxilary gas just in case....

Appreciate your thoughts and views....

 

Mistake 26 gal tank

 

I would just deal with extra fuel stops, families love those anyway and maybe take a rotopax outside vehicle for extra piece of mine, sort of iffy on that one since its hard to truely justify since you can find fuel stations from most any area to the next in US closer than 200 miles.....plus the low fuel warning goes on with about 5.5 - 6 gals left, lots of room to find a station....

 

Check around on here for others' experience with the 38 gal tank. I've yet to see anyone say they can ever use more than about 32 of those gallons. But I can run my 26 gal tank down to fumes if I choose. So, it seems like that extra fuel is just dead weight.

 

Just because the low fuel light comes on early doesn't mean you can't use the fuel in the tank...

 

My 6000lb TT was a pain in the ass to tow with my 15DC "26" gal tank. Always looking for a gas station, the range is ok if you run it down to zero but I like to fill around 1/4 full. I was going to go with a 46 gal Transfer Flow but we wanted the bigger cab anyway, got my 38 gal 2017 last year.

 

Do you have the 38?

 

Yup

 

You can use every drop. The light just comes on early to let you know you’re low on fuel.

 

OP, I believe quite a few people have swapped tanks and are running 38 gallon tanks. There’s a few threads about it.

 

Plenty on threads on gas tank experiences but for me with the fuel light on;
21 gallons in the 26
32 gallons in the 38

 

what bugs me is that the warning light comeson when the estimated range is at like 11 miles lol

 

Good to know. First I've heard this. However, now hearing this I used the search feature and find that @Cpl_Punishment has been active recently in setting the record straight with others.

Btw, filling up when the fuel light comes on is not my M/O, either. That light tells me I have another few days of driving before I need to think about filling up.

 

Am I the only one that fills up at half a tank whenever possible? I wanted the bigger tank so I could tow further before filling at the halfway mark, or if I pushed it, the quarter mark.

I don't understand the faux outrage about the 38 gallon tanks setting off the light "early" because I just try to avoid the light.

 

When I bought my 2016, I didn’t know there were 2 size tanks. When I found out there was a 38 gallon option I knew I had to have it. If I had known when looking I probably would have looked for a truck with that tank, but it took long enough to find the one I have.
Anyway I changed mine, I got the tank for $250, I did it myself without a lift and I’m 60 years old. Any younger person with mechanical aptitude can do it. I think it was well worth it.

 

I typically fill up around 1/4 of a tank. Sometimes I let it go lower but not a lot.

 

That's a lot different crusing around town, passing gas stations on E.
OP wants to travel the country pulling a heavy trailer.

 

I’d say it depends on how much you’re paying for the truck. There’s a company that makes a 46 gallon tank. My neighbor just had it installed in his 2015 Pro and loves it. They’re based out of Chico, CA.

here’s the one he got.
https://www.transferflow.com/shop/product/0800114225

 

Lol. I get anxiety and start looking for the next station so I probably am at only 32-34. But, I fill up at half tank usually so it makes it seem like I don’t spend much on gas.

 

I know, I'm playing with fire, I just hate stopping for gas. I ran my previous car (a Honda) out of gas a few times. It would always sputter and lurch before dying, and all but those few times, I could limp it to a station. Not long after buying the Tundra, I had a 40 mile drive to make home from a job site. The fuel light was already on when I started home, and thinking the truck would behave like the Honda, I decided to see how far it would go. My truck is not equipped with a "X miles to Empty feature," so it was a gamble. I made it all the way home, and put 24.xx gallons in it right by my house. After that, I routinely let it go down low. BUT, this has bit me once. I was taking my kids to a sleepover, and the light turned on when I was almost there. I decided to fill up after dropping them off, but then the truck just DIED half a mile after leaving their house. No sputtering or any other warning. And it wouldn't move. After that, I learned fuel injection systems don't like to be run without fuel, so I try not to push my luck that hard.

 

Right on, yeah getting gas is annoying but necessary. Lol
Just throw a 100 gallon tank in the bed and say goodbye to your payload

 

I made a terrible vehicle choice to be someone who hates getting gas

 

I thought I heard it's illegal to modify the fuel tanks in gasoline vehicles these days. That's why the GM guys are bitching so much about the 24 gallons in the 2019+.

 

i have a 2016 with the 38 gallon tank. the low fuel light comes on with 8 gallons left in the tank. that gives me about 110-120 miles. the most that i have ever filled up with is 35 gallons. however, if i was towing, i would never let the tank get that low. i probably would only let it get down to half a tank unless i knew the route and i knew where i could fill up.

you can always add the 46 gallon tank that others have talked about.

 

24? Yikes

 

Just one of the many reasons I didn't buy one. Sure, they get slightly better fuel economy empty than we do but every gas truck gets 10 mpg or less when towing.

 

Are you looking at 2016+? The 38 gallon didn't come out til 16 and the majority of Tundras are 38 gallons. Shouldn't be that difficult to find one. Otherwise, you can swap out the tank to an OEM 38 gallon or get an aftermarket like Transferflow which is 46 gallons. But no way I would get a 26 gallon if I towed.

 

If you can stomach the cost get the transfer flo 46g tank. I love mine.

 

After 2 hours of towing, I'm ready to take a piss! might as well get gas to. Lol

 

There is 0 chance I'd be going for the 26 gallon when towing. Even before I was towing I would use my truck for family trips, and the flexibility of the extra gallons is key. I would be stressing out way more if I had 12 less gallons.