I am in the middle of building a lightweight fuel trailer. It's been a project I've been casually working on over the last 2 years, but without a flying airplane, obviously the motivation to finish it is low. Motivation is still low, but that's beside the point.

My use case is mainly for having a supply of fuel at my home dock, and also being able to retrieve mogas from the local station. I live in a part of the world where non-ethanol gasoline is readily available for off-road vehicles, but not at airports.

I started with a Northern Tool aluminum utility trailer kit, which is just an undecked frame. I purchased a 55 gallon RDS aluminum transfer tank, but have since realized this is a silly undersized volume. I'm going to pick up the 110 gallon version ASAP.

The next steps, which I don't have a good guide for, are laying out my pump, hose, battery, fire extinguisher, etc.

Anyone have examples of their homebrew fuel trailers?

Zzz, I’m sitting in KDEN waiting for the early evening United flight to PANC in order to help a friend fly a C170B back to CONUS, so I can’t help you right now. When I get back home, I’ll post a couple snapshots of the 110 gal tank I use, which came with a pump and hose/nozzle. Added a hose extension, solar panel, a Odyssey AGM clone, and a 1A Battery tender and it’s been in use for over 10 years. Some FBO’s offer a discount for Sat fuel, so in my locale you can save $50 a fillup. Tractor Supply even stocks the pump if it ever goes out. I did have to replace the ON OFF Reverse switch once, and swap out the tires for age, as well.

Ron

FWIW… 119 g (edit) is the DOT limit.

Something like this is quick and easy.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/transfer-flow-inc-109-gal-refueling-tank-system

Hi Zane-

You'll remember this one that I built up. Per Bigrenna's comment, this tank is 108 gallons. The trailer is sold as a lawn-mower trailer for groundskeepers. Couple things I like about it: The static reel/ bonding cable is a two-into-one, so I can clamp the airframe, and either a ground rod, or whatever 12V power source I'm using. The Anderson power plug matches the one on the winch bumper of my Land Rover Defender, for easy 12V power. (Also runs the winch). The hose connects with cam locks, and the nozzle has one of those GPI inline flow meters. I recently upgraded the hose from regular black rubber to Arctic Super Flex Blue Lite, and it is way more pliable and easy to handle. The white water block filter I run is unfortunately discontinued, but alternatives exist. (If anybody has a pile of Fuel-Gard FGS-O-405, please PM me).
No trailer lights or trailer brakes, as I never tow it at speed or over the road, but for around the airfield it's been great.

-DP

Bigrenna wrote:FWIW… 109g is the DOT limit.

Something like this is quick and easy.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/transfer-flow-inc-109-gal-refueling-tank-system

Interesting. RDS makes a 113 gallon tank…why so close to the DOT limit?

Googled and am seeing 119 gallons as the DOT max without hazmat permit.

Typo on my part (1 rather than 0)

Par 7 (a). 119g

Just make sure the transfer tank is meant for gasoline and av gas, etc.… A lot of them are for diesel only

https://www.attatank.com/atta-special-permit/

I had a lengthy conversation a few years back with a Idaho state trooper who was fueling up his cruiser. He saw my converted fuel oil tank (280 gallons) in the back of my 1 ton pickup, and told me that it would be a good idea to pay the few bucks a year extra to get the proper plate for rigs over (can't recall the exact numbers, 8500 pounds maybe) a certain weight. Most pickups fall under whatever the weight was, maybe it was 10 K, but point being, while we were talking I was fueling up the tank, to my usual 250 gallons of E-0 mogas, and he said nothing about it. Point being....., I don't lose any sleep over what the official DOT limit is, it seems to be way down the list of things for them to call you out on. And, getting a permit or placard is going to make it safer???? If you were really concerned, throw a tarp over it when on the highway, take back roads, at night, or all of the above!

Things I would consider.
Largest legal tank available for fewer trips.
Pump/filter on top of tank so leak won't drain tank.
Long hose, figure 8 hose on trailer not coil so it lays straight when pulled out. Everybody want to do a lot of tight coils and it is a pain when you go to pull it out, lots of twists and kinks.
Additional locker for Battery/tools/rags/oil/ stuff.
Enclose the sides/top or simple cover to keep snow off in winter and hide the fact it is fuel.
Sleeve and double pin the tongue with simple hitch pins so you can pull it to prevent theft.
If you have shore power to dock that is easy 110 volt pump. If not 12 volt with optima yellow top and solar charger.

DENNY

So....definitely not lightweight, but thought a photo of the pump, filter and fire extinguisher might come in handy. This hasn't been used in a couple of years, but works. One of the partners in our hanger used it before he sold his Stearman. Usues a car battery for power. He would fill it from multiple transfer tanks. There is a extra hose just hanging there if it looks confusing.





Pete

courierguy wrote:…I don't lose any sleep over what the official DOT limit is,…

I’m not sure the point is getting caught versus not getting caught… Or having a police officer say something at the gas station.

I think most of the folks here reading the forum are clever enough to find ways “not“ to get caught.

The concern, at least for me, is the rare chance that something happens. Last thing I’d want is to see somebody burn, or dump 200 gallons of gas into a pristine drainage if somebody sideswipes the trailer, or I get rear ended.

Call me a Pollyanna, but it seems a better option to just make more trips with the bowser.

A worthwhile project. A couple thoughts:

Mogas, even without ethanol, goes stale fairly quickly, so some charm to smaller capacity. Additives like Sta-Bil probably help.

The GCI fuel meters are nice, and fairly convenient, but had the LCD display on our fuel farm go bad after ~2 seasons. Replaced it with an old school analog meter from GCI. More importantly, unless VERY SPECIFICALLY specified, they come calibrated for diesel, so >10% off for mogas/avgas. Read the instruction manual carefully. This really matters if you're trying to accurately track flowage.

See NFPA 407 for code requirements.

Thanks. cubscout

Thinking about this more, and thinking that if I lived in town, I might skip the trailer and just mount the tank to the cheapest running pickup truck I could get my hands on.

-DP

Bigrenna wrote:

courierguy wrote:…I don't lose any sleep over what the official DOT limit is,…

I’m not sure the point is getting caught versus not getting caught… Or having a police officer say something at the gas station.

I think most of the folks here reading the forum are clever enough to find ways “not“ to get caught.

The concern, at least for me, is the rare chance that something happens. Last thing I’d want is to see somebody burn, or dump 200 gallons of gas into a pristine drainage if somebody sideswipes the trailer, or I get rear ended.

Call me a Pollyanna, but it seems a better option to just make more trips with the bowser.

Double the trips, double the hazard, is another way to look at it. Even dumping 100 gallons would be a big deal. I've been using the same fuel oil tank for about 30 years, two actually. One is the hauler, the fixed one is in a tin shed with a pressure release cap, as I didn't like the thought of a tank getting sun baked and closed up tight, or venting off fumes all the time. This cap seals tight, until and if pressure builds. 12 volt top of tank pump, solar powered, good water trap filter. My preferred fueling station member card has a 600 dollar per day limit, and I get member points for that amount. If I go thru the hassle of going inside, waiting in line, and paying cash for more, I don't get my points. So my last trip, 10 days ago, I paid $3.57 per gallon, $600.00, only 168 gallons, close enough, and in and out quicker.

I'm now using my plug in hybrid car as a fuel getter, that costs me nothing to drive (lots of home solar) and a trailer, before I was using a 1 ton flatbed, that's when I'd get at least 250 gallons at a time. I'm at half the rated towing capacity of the car, drive a 45 mph secondary road, rather than the usual interstate, and am super careful. I gravity flow from the mobile tank to the stationary tank thru 1" copper pipe, being on a mountain side can be handy at times. Maybe I should placard the over sized tank with the DOT legal limit, but I'm not quite that sneaky.

Zzzz, not sure if this is a feasible option, but what about just getting a farm type fuel stand and having the local fuel delivery guy deliver fuel? You can usually pick up a 250/500 gallon fuel container on a stand (gravity flow) for less than $100. I have several. Check FB Market place, CL, or local auctions.

Fuel delivered for non-road use is generally around $0.50/gallon cheaper. When I was using lots of mogas on the farm and floatplane flying in my old Champ, I was saving a considerable amount of money, and not having to go through the state to get the road tax refunded.This sure beats driving into town and worrying about getting fuel.

Zane, you live out in the boonies, so I'm guessing you own a pickup?
Why not just get a bed-mounted tank & pump set-up?
Where I live, lots of guys own bulldozers etc & so you see a lot of pickups fitted with fuel tanks.
Of course, since it's just a simple drop-in, you wouldn't have the fun of it being a project.

courierguy wrote: I don't lose any sleep over what the official DOT limit is

As someone who hauls a literal metric shitton of fuel for off field ops (as in tanker loads per season), I would encourage anyone interested in hauling their own to check on Fed, State, and local laws at their source, and then make an informed risk assessment for their own circumstances. The fines can be eye watering, and of course nothing bad happens until something bad happens.

Having said all that, were it me, and we have several varieties of fuel haulers for work and GA buggies, for the puddle jumper I'd do a 300-500 gal tandem axel with brakes and real deal trailer tire, work horse. Don't skimp on a rolling bomb, and don't make the bomb be so minimalistic that you need to go back once a week during the flying season to haul fuel.

There is some good information on this thread, but some of it is falling short of being all the information you really need. courierguy may very well didn't get harassed because his trooper didn't want to fuss with it, but more than likely he could very well hauled his total volume legally anyway, he just needed to address the way he was hauling it.

Most fuels can be hauled federally, and in most states in volumes up to 1,000 gals without Hazmat / CDL, the 119 gal limit is the container size limit for non-bulk fuel, not the volume limit on fuel transport. In my state you can haul as many 119's as you like (up to 1,000 gal.) To further complicate things, states differentiate between what can be plumbed together manifold style, and what can't (usually by flashpoint). In my state, I can string a half dozen together with ball valves in-between and haul diesel or JetA till the cows come home, as long as the ball vales are off in transit, Gasoline or Av Gas must be hauled as physically separate containers, although I can still haul 1000 gal worth.

FWIW, for the folks that don't want to re invent the wheel, there are companies that cater to farm and construction industries that build trailers and truck mount skids designed just this way. They come on appropriately designed frames with brakes, fuel pumps, static considerations, and all the correct legal placards.

I routinely make a mountain pass crossing to deliver fuel to one of our off base sites, as many wrecks as I've seen through that pass, I can't imagine being 'that guy' that got crossed up with another vehicle while I had a home brewed rolling inferno behind me... My conscience far outweighs any Barney Fife concerns... YMMV

Take care, Rob

Interesting timing as I was researching this last week. I've been looking into trailer hitch style storage carriers and how big a tank I can fit on one for fueling up the Maule. Seemed about 80 gallon for the size/weight of the hitch haulers, plug right into the back of the 4runner for the pump.

The bump was it looks like Peterson Mogas STC for O360 requires 91AKI non-ethanol. Being at sea-level most places only have 87, at best 89. Almost an hour drive to find 91 Octone. Not really worth it at that point.

This is the trailer I have:
https://www.northerntool.com/products/ultra-tow-40in-x-48in-aluminum-utility-trailer-kit-1060-lb-load-capacity-49804
...and the tank I'm planning to upgrade to from the 55 gallon:
https://www.northerntool.com/products/rds-alum-transfer-fuel-tank-113gal-model-74-808-capacity-113-gal-shape-rectangle-model-74808-5344056



It's got a 1,060 payload. I figure with the tank, 113 gallons of fuel, pump, hose, reel, battery, ground wire, fire extinguisher, I should be well under that.

My use case is home <-> gas station <-> airport (maybe). I have a grassy lakeshore+dock where I foresee the small & lightweight nature of this trailer being easy to wrangle with an ATV as a bonus.

I would stick with a trailer mounted tank of whatever size works for your use. Stick with an aluminum tank, if you can.

As to a shore mounted tank, either on ground or a stand, check your state regulations, I'm betting Minnesota has some really strict rules regarding storing furel near a water body, like double hull, interstitial vented, or a catch basin.....etc.

Pumps, i used a 12 volt pump at work on our float pond (with a double hull, interstitial vented, blah, blah tank) for years and literally thousands of gallons of avgas, feeding a 185 and a Husky. Ten years, same pump, and same battery operated digital fuel meter, attached just upstream of the fuel nozzle.

Definitely buy the Arctic hose, NOT the cheaper black stuff. As noted above, the Arctic hose is much more flexible, and it doesn't decide to shed nasty black crap all over everything you own. I speak from experience in that regard.

DO NOT set the hose up to be detachable by cam locks. if you do, you will be spilling just a little (potentially a hose full) of fuel in the environment every time you disconnect it. I know, little tiny bits.

Bear in mind that in Minnesota, the game wardens (officially called Conservation Officers) carry full state law enforcement authority, just like a State Trooper......and they operate seaplanes. So, keep it as clean as practical. There's just no reason not to, frankly.

Filters: A Go-No Go filter (water block) is mandatory. As in some of the photos above, it's a good idea to put a "standard" separator filter upstream of that, if for no other reason than No Go filters do not necessarily stop ALL water (though theoretically they may), but more to the point, they cost a few more bucks. Let the see through filter do most of the work, and the No Go finishes the job.

Be sure to block the wheels when the trailer is parked, of course, and you'll want a stand of some kind on the tongue of the trailer.

License??? If you're going to operatie it on the road, it's required.

I'm with others, if you have a pickup truck, mount a tank in it. I've done that as well. Wire the pump into the truck's electrical system, etc.

MTV's last sentence: basically wire tank pump to truck. Last six or so trucks with transfer tanks I used for construction (gas and diesel) I had the mechanics hard wire tank pump to truck with an "on/off" switch inside the cab (anti-theft) worked in Denver area. Now that I'm retired and lazy, the last truck and current truck I carry 70 gallons of diesel with top tool box combo RDS tanks and I just run power cable on top of truck frame and up into battery compartment and use alligator clips. Antitheft is just disconnect clip and reattach to plastic battery cover. They can't get the hood open they can't run the pump. Oh ya, last two RDS tanks were/are concealed so when lid is shut and locked you can't see any fuel nozzles or filler ports. Wife and I travel all over US with truck/5th wheel camper and wife flies Husky so I need the extra range with the truck and don't need anybody knowing what's under the locked toolbox lid.