Saddle Tanks

[Nova70]

Was looking around and I was curious as to why people don't like to use saddle tanks in these trucks?

[OhOneWS6]

Mine has saddle tanks. Since they are fiberglass I don't use them anymore. The ethanol additive in gas around here has been know to dissolve the resin.

[72supermike]

I don't know, I'm getting my saddle tanks all fixed up right now and am definitely going to use them. I have them so they are gonna get used. I don't live in town and this means less trips to the gas pump. But the trips I will take will cost more.

[sharpie1972]

Alot of the tanks "hang down" below the body line and don't look good. The square flaps often cut into the bedsides are usually considered an eyesore as well. I have two trucks that have left and right saddle tanks that fill in the wheel well and I like the extra fuel capacity. Sharpie

[johnechi]

Yep, one of my uncles is giving me his off his 72 C20. He doesn't want the extra weight. I'm going to get them boiled out, then I'll reseal them and put them in. They are the type that has the fuel filler in the wheel well.

[mrein3]

I've noticed that the guys out west have and use the saddle tanks. My truck is from Lander, Wyoming. My friend, the previous owner, used it all the time. After I got the truck he purchased a 63 with only the seat tank. To go elk hunting in that rig we had to bring a 6 gallon jerry can of gas because the seat tank didn't hold enough to get from the last gas stop, up to the trail head, then back to that gas station.

I love my one saddle tank and use it all the time. In the future I'm going to relocate the seat tank to the rear and cut matching fuel doors out of the bone yard and graft them in to my bed side.

[Nova70]

I was thinking of getting one made but I don't think it would be a very big tank. I don't want to be able to see it under the body line either though. I just thought maybe there were issues with them or something. I'm going to look into getting one made because I don't want to notch my bed supports and I don't want the filler in the bed either. I believe doing the '69 camaro gas tank will be very noticable on a lifted truck so I don't want to go that route either.

Thanks for the reply's guys.

[TheSeeker]

I had two saddle tanks on the side of my 70. I tore them out because they were rusted very badly and the lines had been disconnected anyway. I left the filler doors on the side though, I ordered two new ones in powder coated white and I made and installed some storage boxes on the side where the old tanks used to be. Know i throw stuff in there like old shop rags, a quart of oil, jumper cables, etc. Its nice to have a clean cab but still have all the things I need without a utlitly box in the bed.

[crakarjax]

Originally Posted by TheSeeker

I had two saddle tanks on the side of my 70. I tore them out because they were rusted very badly and the lines had been disconnected anyway. I left the filler doors on the side though, I ordered two new ones in powder coated white and I made and installed some storage boxes on the side where the old tanks used to be. Know i throw stuff in there like old shop rags, a quart of oil, jumper cables, etc. Its nice to have a clean cab but still have all the things I need without a utlitly box in the bed.

Good idea! How do you get into the boxes though? Through the wheel-well?

I have two saddles on mine, and they just barely sit below the body line on the side. I didn't realize what they were when looking at them for the first time. I'll post some pics if I get a chance. They fill through the bedsides BTW. Filling through the wheel well seems like a bad idea, esp. if you will be lowering.

[pmpski_1]

I just removed mine. It tucks up under the bedside nicely but since I don't really need the extra fuel capacity it was something I felt I didn't need. I had a fuel issue recently and while cleaning all the lines out I ended up completely removing the lines that were coming from it anyway. So I removed it as well. I may keep it in case I decide to use it in the future.

I did think about removing the in cab tank and just using the saddle tank, but in the end I just took it out.

[Nova70]

Mine isn't lowered... Quite the opposite, lol. I just need to get the in cab tank out so I can start on my blowthrough build. It has a 6" lift so I don't want it to sit below the body line at all, I want it pretty much flush with the bedside. Only thing you can see below my body line is driveline's and T-Case and I want to keep it that way.

[Stocker]

My truck has always been a working truck so the side filler doors don't bother me at all. The twin steel Travel Tanks more than double your range before fueling up -- invaluable on a trip. I have never regretted having them.

Somewhat related side note.... I owned a Dodge maxi-van in the early Seventies and found that a VW bus fuel tank fit underneath perfectly. I think it added 12 gallons capacity which brought it up to around 38 gallons -- great for cross-country trips.

[Shyguy]

Some people think that saddle tanks are a safety concern in a side impact I think. They can be easliy ruptured if a collision happens in that area.

Just something to consider.

[crakarjax]

Originally Posted by Shyguy

Some people think that saddle tanks are a safety concern in a side impact I think. They can be easliy ruptured if a collision happens in that area.

Just something to consider.

This has never been proven, and is based solely on how people "feel" things would go in a side-impact collision.

[crakarjax]

A 1971 study conducted for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proclaimed that
"""
There is ... a particularly hazardous type of fuel system damage that can
occur during a rollover with a pickup truck.

The filler neck and cap generally protrude approximately 1 1/2 inches
beyond the vehicle body structure and, during a slide-on the left side of
the vehicle containing the filler neck and cap, the cap may be torn off or
the filler neck broken, leaving a massive spillage from the fuel tank.

This is particularly hazardous since the sliding of the metal components
on the pavement would generate friction sparks which could easily ignite
this fuel. Since the fuel tank is located in the occupant compartment of
the truck, chances for occupant survival if a fire occurs are very slim.(3)
"""

I'd rather chance saddle tanks.

[pmpski_1]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

This has never been proven, and is based solely on how people "feel" things would go in a side-impact collision.

I don't know how they would 'prove' something like this, but there is enough data out there that shows that there is a higher risk of a fatal fire accident in the case of a side impact with saddle tanks.

You can 'prove' that a side impact will have an effect on a saddle tank. Whether the tank ruptures, leaks gas, the gas catches on fire, and someone gets hurt is a different story when it comes to 'proving'.

Based on my extremely limited knowledge of physics and thermodynamics, I can say that I "feel" there is a greater risk with a saddle tank. That is one of the reasons I decided to eventually go with a fuel tank between the rails instead of just keeping the saddle tank. Obviously there are a lot of people that have never had a problem. This is just my opinion.

[Murphy IRE]

I have two and both are plastic. They come in real handy during hunting and fishing trips. I didn't buy the truck for fuel economy, but I'm glad I have 40+ gallons of capacity.