Fuel tank size?

[KARNUT]

I’m a very experienced road tripper. It sure is nice being able to just pull into a rest area instead of a fueling event every 200-300 miles. It saves an hour a day at least. Whenever I pulled I had a tank in the bed, mostly tied into the main tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DcN484]

The new Sierra trucks are beautiful. I love them.  I am in the market for a new truck and I’m here doing my research.  

 

I am currently driving a ‘15 F150 loaded Lariat with the 3.5 EB.  It’s a company truck as I am typically a GM guy. The truck has been surprisingly great and best of all is the 36 gallon tank since I drive so much. 

 

I was pretty much set on an AT4. So awesome. However, the tank size is a huge disappointment. Perhaps even a deal breaker. I’m sad about it. 

[diyer2]

The size of the gas tank would not influence my buying choices. 

  

 

[f8l vnm]

Why not just give the buyer the option ? This is my main gripe. You bring out all this new Towing tech, even go as far as simplifying the window sticker for weights , etc but make the tank even smaller then before. 

[DcN484]

Exactly. There should at least be options. 

 

For me its not even completely about towing. I drive 190 miles every single week day for my job. I can’t use a damn Prius to haul things, and a 3/4 ton would be overkill. 

 

I would spend more time standing at a gas pump than I am willing to do.  Even now with the F-150 getting 19mpg with the 36 gal tank I’m fueling up every 4 days or so. 

 

I dont want another Ford

[f8l vnm]

Dont the Rams also now have a 30+ gallon tank option ? 

[DcN484]

19 minutes ago, f8l vnm said:

Dont the Rams also now have a 30+ gallon tank option ? 

 

Yep. 33 Gallon option. 

[flowbytwo]

So I am enjoying my new AT4 but I have noticed the small tank (extra small with the satisfying roar of the 6.2).  This evening I looked under my truck at the tank and noticed there is about 2 feet of clear space in front of the current tank that could easily be used to hold a larger tank. 

 

Depending on on how bad things are towing our travel trailer this summer  I might have a stainless or aluminum tank fabbed that runs that full length.  I suspect it could fit at least 35 gallon maybe 40 in there.  Unfortunately i suspect the computer will go ape shit crazy when the gallon capacity doesn’t match what it expects.

 

Given all the space I wonder if we will get a reasonable fuel tank size option when they ship the 60lb lighter carbon bed...

[fishingtruck]

Any update on whether the factory will start offering a larger tank?

[DcN484]

It’s been a while since I posted in this thread and test drive the awesome AT4.

 

I ended up going back to a Ford with the 36 gallon tank. 

 

I still didn’t buy new though, I’m holding out to see if GM pulls their head out.  I will trade this Ford in on an AT4 in a heartbeat if they do. I’m really hoping that the model year 2020 will fix a slew of issues with the new gen trucks.  The tank size being the biggest one for sure. I’m also hoping for tow mirrors and adaptive cruise.... Like Ford has had since 2015. 

[SierraHD17]

Puny fuel tank and pathetic axle ratios.  A couple good reasons I don't need to look at GM half tons for a very long time.  

[flatlander]

I was a GM guy for years,  not saying that I would never buy one again but since I began towing a travel trailer I switched to Ford for two reasons: 1) a bigger gas tank, and 2) better choice of axle ratios.  As the gas mileage while towing seems to be about 10 mpg the range was just too short and since I was planning on a trip to Alaska the range would have been way too short.  Then found that the 3.42 axle ratio left me short on power as it resulted in a lot of shifting and high RPM's while towing.  Got to hating the engine revving way up and the shifting between gears.  Am not wanting to get into a Ford vs. Chevy argument but if GM would have had options more conducive  to towing I would probably still be driving a GM.

[flowbytwo]

I don’t disagree on the tank size but on the axle ratio thing I am not convinced. These deep gears on the new 10 speed change the game significantly.

 

After watching the IKE towing test from TFL where they ran a 9000lbs trailer up the pass at a consistent 60 mph (the speed limit) despite the high elevation and the naturally aspirated nature of the 6.2L. They noted the truck held around 4500 rpm which seems good. Compare that to the poor dodge hemi that was wound tight at 6000 something. 

 

That same test showed the Ecoboost doing a fine job pulling as expected with the turbos giving a massive advantage at elevation. What they didn’t spend enough time on in my opinion was talking about how the trucks handled the trailer from a stability perspective. I am pretty sure I saw some serious sway on the ford in the couple seconds they showed from the chase car. Also not surprising given the heavy squat on the Ford and what that does to unload the front. 

 

With the ford being top of the heap and a game changer for a half ton tow vehicle 3 years ago and now being last in the comparison it seems to me that all these trucks are getting damn good. If you have typical towing needs of less than 10k lbs and tow less than half time it seems like there is hardly any justification for a 3/4 ton anymore. 

[flowbytwo]

One more thing... I just crawled under my truck and measured the size of the current tank and the clear space in front of it. The current tank is about 48” long and there are 28” of clear space to the front cross member. With some quick volume calculations it would seem that a 36 gallon tank would fit in there without going any wider or deeper than the current one. 

 

Given that is about what all the rest of these trucks are offering I wouldn’t be surprised to see that option show up in the 2020 trucks. Even if it doesn’t I’m going to TIG up a stainless replacement that is full size for my truck this spring. 

[DTB]

Is the shorter tank to accommodate for the upcoming def tank on the diesel?