Do I really need to bring extra gas?

[Longshadow]

I'm questioning the need to carry extra gas. In my many years of traveling (which include many trips in Baja), I've yet to be in a situation where I was about run out of gas. The cost of carrying extra fuel doesn't seem worth it. My 05 Tundra has a range of 300 miles, which seems plenty to me. I'm curious to see how many of you bring an extra can of gas with you on your trips? And if so, were you ever in need of it?

 

[Clay B]

I'm questioning the need to carry extra gas. In my many years of traveling (which include many trips in Baja), I've yet to be in a situation where I was about run out of gas. The cost of carrying extra fuel doesn't seem worth it. My 05 Tundra has a range of 300 miles, which seems plenty to me. I'm curious to see how many of you bring an extra can of gas with you on your trips? And if so, were you ever in need of it?

Yes, I do carry extra gas when needed on a trip. I figure the route, possibility of changes, and carry accordingly. I've definitely had to use the extra fuel. It's just not always available across the Northern Rockies or Great Basin.

 

[ScottEtkin]

If you're doing any significant distance in the backcountry in Idaho where I live then the answer is certainly yes. Not only for myself but others I travel with.

 

[NMBruce]

My answer is yes. One trip on mostly paved and nice gravel road, we side tracked to a town called Eagle Alaska after doing the Top of World Highway and the station in Eagle was closed, so to get a fuel station I needed my extra 10 gals of fuel I had. My trip last year, we could of side tracked to a station 60 miles out of the way, but it wasn’t in the plan, so we needed extra fuel. The trip was the Pony Express Trail across Utah and Nevada. I almost away carry an extra 10 gallons with me.

 

[MOAK]

Yes, always, and it deserves an explanation. My 80 has, on a good day a 230 mile range off road, on highway 250. I carry two 5 gallon jerrys and another 6 gallon boat tank up top. Seems like a lot, but its not, its only a 350 mile range on the easiest of off road trips. Last September I ordered a 24 ga auxiliary tank from Long Range America. My installer is receiving it this week, I'll have it installed next month after we get back from this springs tour and I'll looking forward to carrying only one jerry can and extending my range to 500 miles +/-. This trip we have the challenge of leaving Hanksville, spending 5 nights in the Maze, then making our way down to Mexican Hat. The gas station at Hite is closed so I've some figuring to do to get me through as we had counted on the 500 mile range for this trip. Last spring we were at Kelly's Point camp for 3 nights combined with a bit of touring around the Az Strip. We rolled into a gas stop with 3 gallons in the tank. So, to keep my experiences short, once again, yes, always carry extra gas. JMO ( those rotopax? great for motorcycles but an extra 2-5 gallons doesn't do squat for a truck that gets 10mpg off road.) Good luck !!

 

[Tommy9610]

I just want to throw my $4.20 cents into this conversation. I live in New Hampshire. Gas and or Diesel fuel is far from scarce, meaning there are plenty of stations; the problem is with my 2004 Jeep TJ anyway is it has a 19 gallon tank when it was new and unmolested, it got about 210-220 miles on a tank. I know because I write everything down and l purposely ran it out of fuel to find out how far I can push it, 18 almost 19 years later the jeep is far from what it was then, it is now lifted, riding on larger, wider and far more aggressive tires and is also carrying around far more gear and well, junk, than I used to. I now have a maximum range of roughly 170 miles highway on that same 19 gallons. Realistically, crawling through 50 miles of forest roads in 4 lo at between 2 and 5 mph will burn up most of a full tank. Then consider also that the 10 % ethanol that is in the gas now which wasn't there 18 years ago, is robbing power so your engine works far harder and therfore burns more fuel to carry all that "gear". I now always carry at very least, another 5 gallon can even if I am going on a short day trip. You get bogged in the forest one time or even have to help someone else extricate themselves, you can easily burn up a few gallons due to the extra revs you're going to make and not even necesarilly move much, summer heat saps power, winter cold does too, in fact pretty much everything is acting against you once you leave the mall parking lot. Nothing sucks worse than getting stuck in the middle of nowhere where your phone doesn't get signal and you can't even raise anyone on the radio(s). Not that you went out alone, because nobody ever does that. RIGHT? Over the years I have learned to carry a good quality can or two and just rotate through the gasoline to keep it reasonably fresh. I also suggest using a good quality stablizer in every container, every time. I consider extra fuel every bit as important as drinking water and a spare tire and a spare fan belt. If I wanted to go for a hike, I wouldn't have driven in the first place.

 

[smritte]

I don't think the question is "Do I really need to?" If you ask that then the answer is, no.
I tend to travel 100+ miles off road at times. That means my 15 mpg drops to 10ish "if" I don't need low range. If I do 4-6mpg. If I'm out for a short overnight where fuel is available on both ends of the trip then I don't need the extra weight. I can carry up to 25 gal's extra but I only bring what I think I need. Any fuel I haven't used goes into my tank when I air up.

The correct answer is, if you don't know your range or fuel availability, you need to learn it. Until then bring fuel. Nothing more fun then walking out because you ran out of fuel.

 

[Mike W]

My LR4 (5.0L V8) gets somewhere between 12-15 (offroad) to 17 (highway without bad wind) and ~240-340 miles with the 20 gallon tank. I generally feel like that is enough for most trips, but it does require that you have that range number in your head all the time and it can occasionally mean you have to specifically alter plans for fuel or your risk profile can be different if a fuel stop doesn't work out.

So I think having some way to carry fuel can be nice just for piece of mind. Like all things though it is a tradeoff. Weight being a big one and usually it balances with water carry capacity which I generally think is even more important to carry. I really dislike putting fuel on a roof rack, not just for weight but leaks would freak me out. Also how you plan to get the fuel into the tank. I feel like a simple siphon hose can be the least messy. I love Wavian jerry cans but it can be kinda messy to pour one gracefully into a filler neck.

I decided to bite the bullet on a long range america tank in January. I think they won't build it till May and I need to send some measurements to them so they can build my dual filler neck with the right sized pipe.

Should give 50 gallons of fuel and up to 730+ miles of range, which is crazy.. but that means more options for when I fuel up.. what routes I take and opens up some fun options in canada to alaska or just skipping suspect fuel in mexico. (I actually just noticed one place said it was 29 gallons and one says 38 gallons.. so im not sure what I am getting...)

EDIT: turns out its 29 gallons or 108 liters. That will do!

 

[FrankenWagon]

Do I carry it? Yes. Have I needed it? Not yet. But I do find peace of mind knowing I have it and the ability to help others along the way.

 

[Tundracamper]

This trip we have the challenge of leaving Hanksville, spending 5 nights in the Maze, then making our way down to Mexican Hat. The gas station at Hite is closed so I've some figuring to do to get me through as we had counted on the 500 mile range for this trip.

I was going to use the station at Hite on an upcoming trip. How do you know it’s closed? The answering machine gave hours and the couple of days a week they are closed. However, it made no indication they were closed for good. Not enough traffic?

I’d really like to do my UT trip without taking the extra fuel.

 

[Ubiety]

Always and generally use it. Small bit of insurance that has gotten me out of a pinch before. You cannot count on remote gas stations being open or even still being in business in more remote parts of the Western US. IMO it’s safer to carry extra and always stop and fill up when you have the opportunity (especially in more remote rural places) even if you don’t need fuel at that moment.

 

[MOAK]

I was going to use the station at Hite on an upcoming trip. How do you know it’s closed? The answering machine gave hours and the couple of days a week they are closed. However, it made no indication they were closed for good. Not enough traffic?

I’d really like to do my UT trip without taking the extra fuel.

I spoke with a Ranger at Hans Flat, after our conversation I then called the station and got a disconnected message. I’m thinking they are closed due to low water in the lake, which turns out to be the case as I checked with many sources Fuel Services Unavailable at Hite Utah Beginning April 1 - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) Southern Utah without extra fuel?

 

[grubworm]

You cannot count on remote gas stations being open or even still being in business in more remote parts of the Western US.

that one almost got me just last year. we did a trip to black gap (outside big bend in west texass) and i knew it was going to be very remote and to take extra fuel. since its about an 18 hr drive there, i decided to take empty fuel cans and fill them right before getting there. i looked on the map and saw several small towns along the way right before getting to location. well, we were on back roads off the interstate and was quickly sucking down the fuel taking side roads and sightseeing in the desert having a great time knowing we had gas stations waiting ahead. come to find out, the 3 towns i was counting on to have fuel were ghost towns that were totally abandoned. the map showed them as towns, and i'm sure they were....40 years ago.

anyway, as i'm watching the fuel gauge drop into the red and hearing "i told you so" from the passenger seat...i see that there is one small town just ahead 35 miles and my fuel range readout is showing 46 miles. they have the one and only gas pump for miles and they werent afraid to charge for it.

i paid a lot for fuel that day, in money and in pride....

 

[NMBruce]

My LR4 (5.0L V8) gets somewhere between 12-15 (offroad) to 17 (highway without bad wind) and ~240-340 miles with the 20 gallon tank. I generally feel like that is enough for most trips, but it does require that you have that range number in your head all the time and it can occasionally mean you have to specifically alter plans for fuel or your risk profile can be different if a fuel stop doesn't work out.

So I think having some way to carry fuel can be nice just for piece of mind. Like all things though it is a tradeoff. Weight being a big one and usually it balances with water carry capacity which I generally think is even more important to carry. I really dislike putting fuel on a roof rack, not just for weight but leaks would freak me out. Also how you plan to get the fuel into the tank. I feel like a simple siphon hose can be the least messy. I love Wavian jerry cans but it can be kinda messy to pour one gracefully into a filler neck.

I decided to bite the bullet on a long range america tank in January. I think they won't build it till May and I need to send some measurements to them so they can build my dual filler neck with the right sized pipe.

Should give 50 gallons of fuel and up to 730+ miles of range, which is crazy.. but that means more options for when I fuel up.. what routes I take and opens up some fun options in canada to alaska or just skipping suspect fuel in mexico. (I actually just noticed one place said it was 29 gallons and one says 38 gallons.. so im not sure what I am getting...)

View attachment 227604

I would love to get a extra tank for my Tacoma. I had an 1987 Toyoya pickup with a 11 gallon tank that fit up in the frame above the spare and drained into the main tank. I know Frontrunner in Africa makes a 15 gal one but not for the US.
It can be a pain to get cans out of my truck, but it’s cheap, so I will stay carry 2-4 5 gal cans

 

[Ubiety]

Extra tank option for the Gladiator, not cheap but doubles your range and keeps the weight low. Maybe too low ;)

 

[Tundracamper]

I spoke with a Ranger at Hans Flat, after our conversation I then called the station and got a disconnected message. I’m thinking they are closed due to low water in the lake, which turns out to be the case as I checked with many sources Fuel Services Unavailable at Hite Utah Beginning April 1 - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) Southern Utah without extra fuel?

Ah, thanks for that link. I called a couple of weeks ago, prior to this being posted. Perhaps I need to carry some extra fuel now:)

Does anyone carry extra fuel inside the vehicle?

 

[Ubiety]

Ah, thanks for that link. I called a couple of weeks ago, prior to this being posted. Perhaps I need to carry some extra fuel now:)

Does anyone carry extra fuel inside the vehicle?

In the bed (under canopy) but not in interior space. Afraid the fumes would interfere with my ether ;)

 

[MMc]

Longshadow, I have been going to Baja all my life, we always took extra gas in the 60s and 70s. In the 80's I spent 2 days in Catavina waiting for the truck to show up after a Moho caravan sucked the tanks dry. I wish I had an extra 10 gals then. I remember when all the stations now abandoned had fuel. Now it depends on where I go. If I am blasting to the tip, no extra gas, If I am playing in the middle, I bring extra gas. Paying for roadside gas or the local guy out of 55's is expensive.Yes, you can always find fuel in Baja. Having a extra 100 or 150 miles of worry free travel is nice sometimes.

 

[MOAK]

Ah, thanks for that link. I called a couple of weeks ago, prior to this being posted. Perhaps I need to carry some extra fuel now:)

Does anyone carry extra fuel inside the vehicle?

No, not a good idea..

 

[genocache]

Series Land Rovers come with a 12 gal tank, under the right seat and petrol engines get 13-18mpg depending and diesels that get 15-20mpg. Death Valley has 600 miles of roads and 3 fuel stations centrally located, one of which does not sell diesel(or didn't last time I was there), it is easy to push the stock tank to MT, so yes, 2-4 NATO cans filled in Beatty or Ridgecrest or Olancha and avoiding the $$$$$$ fuel in the Park. Carried inside mostly because there isn't a lot of room outside.

In 2009 I was coming home through the Oklahoma Panhandle on my motorcycle, 4.7 gal tank 55mpg, heading West into a ferocious headwind, the fuel light was blinking and it was 20 miles to the next fuel station. I stopped and emptied my camp stove fuel bottle into the tank. It got me to town and I put in 4.8gal. My stove is a MSR Whisperlite International, deliberately chosen because it will use unleaded the same as my motorcycle for just this reason.

My current Series Rover has the stock 12gal and an extended range 13.5 tank, a turbo diesel engine that gets 22-26mpg so far I have not felt the need to carry the NATO cans.

Always nice to have piece of mind, though.