Photos of Gas Tank?

[Winchester44]

Does anyone have photos of what the 17.9 Gallon petrol/unleaded gas tank actually looks like? From a few snips that I can see on YouTube videos like the one from car care nut, it would appear there’s certainly a bit of extra room around the factory gas tank. This leads me to believe that a significantly larger tank larger tank would fit in the same space. It looks like there’s significant space forward of it, behind it back to axle and as well as the passenger side frame rail. Certainly enough room for an extra couple of gallons. I have seen others post that the battery or the spare tire and invades the space and is the reason for the small gas tank but I’m not sure that that is the only reason. I suspect Toyota went with a smaller gas tank just like everyone else to eak out a small additional amount of efficiency and/or payload. Anyhow, would love to see some photos of the underside, especially up on a lift if anyone has any. I think it might give all of oz hope that we won’t be having to give up the spare tire for a reasonable size tank if we decide to modify.

 

[Winchester44]

Bump

 

[ultane]

My guess is that since the extra weight of the hybrid battery has eaten into the useful payload of the LC platform, that Toyota decided to make it a little smaller, to save on weight.

 

[bywaysnothighways]

Ive crawled under mine and looked at it and it does appear there is extra room. I think a 20-23 gallon tank would be very easy. However I think if anyone makes one it will end up costing well over $1000 as aftermarket gas tanks are super expensive. Not sure it would be worth the expense to me for a few extra gallons. The spare tire is definitely not the issue though as it is behind the axle and the tank is in front of the axle. My biggest concern with the small tank is towing. I intend to tow my camper across country and at 10mpg I'll be stopping for gas every 150 miles or less. Sometimes out west finding gas stations is difficult.

 

[turbo8]

Who wants to try to fit the GX550's 21 gallon tank? It might be an easy swap.

 

[mountaindesert]

Ive crawled under mine and looked at it and it does appear there is extra room. I think a 20-23 gallon tank would be very easy. However I think if anyone makes one it will end up costing well over $1000 as aftermarket gas tanks are super expensive. Not sure it would be worth the expense to me for a few extra gallons. The spare tire is definitely not the issue though as it is behind the axle and the tank is in front of the axle. My biggest concern with the small tank is towing. I intend to tow my camper across country and at 10mpg I'll be stopping for gas every 150 miles or less. Sometimes out west finding gas stations is difficult.

Eagerly awaiting Long Range America

Auxiliary gas tanks.

There's nothing I hate more than stopping for gas. The range on the land Cruiser is pathetic. Especially for an overlander.

As soon as one becomes available, I'm going to seriously consider getting one.

 

[Winchester44]

My guess is that since the extra weight of the hybrid battery has eaten into the useful payload of the LC platform, that Toyota decided to make it a little smaller, to save on weight.

Or a lot smaller?? An extra 5 gallons would make a world of difference.

 

[Winchester44]

Ive crawled under mine and looked at it and it does appear there is extra room. I think a 20-23 gallon tank would be very easy. However I think if anyone makes one it will end up costing well over $1000 as aftermarket gas tanks are super expensive. Not sure it would be worth the expense to me for a few extra gallons. The spare tire is definitely not the issue though as it is behind the axle and the tank is in front of the axle. My biggest concern with the small tank is towing. I intend to tow my camper across country and at 10mpg I'll be stopping for gas every 150 miles or less. Sometimes out west finding gas stations is difficult.

Thanks for the response! 23 gallons would be a huge difference.

 

[Winchester44]

Eagerly awaiting Long Range America

Auxiliary gas tanks.

There's nothing I hate more than stopping for gas. The range on the land Cruiser is pathetic. Especially for an overlander.

As soon as one becomes available, I'm going to seriously consider getting one.

Are they working on one?

 

[Winchester44]

Who wants to try to fit the GX550's 21 gallon tank? It might be an easy swap.

I’ll take 3 more gallons if it’s a cheap and easy swap. Maybe get one from a wrecked one?

Here is GX550 tank under a skid plate, but certainly seem longer and flatter from this angle.

 

[Winchester44]

Here are some photos of land cruiser tank. Note the bottom is not flat, the empty unused space at the rear axle and in front of it. Seems like it was made deliberately small on purpose.

 

[Winchester44]

Next we should look for photos at the diesel tank of overseas version. 110 lites split between an 80 and a 30 liter reserve. That is just over 29 gallons!!! With diesel that will give serious range.
80 liters is 21 gallons I bet it’s the same tank as the gx550. They managed to fit another 8 gallon reserve somewhere too!

Man would love that set up on the hybrid. At even 20mpg that’s 580 mile range. That’s true remote touring expedition vehicle range.

 

[RUN-8]

Be a great set up for towing or long highway trips out west or up in Alaska too.

 

[mountaindesert]

Are they working on one?

Yes. I spoke with them about 3 months ago and they said it was high on their priority list as soon as they could get an actual LC in the shop they would start fabrication

 

[WhiteWulff]

I have no idea what Toyota was thinking with the gas tank size. The vast majority of buyers would have preferred extra range. Especially when you see what they do with tank sizes overseas.

 

[mountaindesert]

I have no idea what Toyota was thinking with the gas tank size. The vast majority of buyers would have preferred extra range. Especially when you see what they do with tank sizes overseas.

Agreed. Stupidity

 

[ultane]

Maybe Toyota is listening, and will enlarge future LC fuel tanks. Hopefully they will be backwards compatible.

 

[Winchester44]

Here’s a much better photo if the underside Note If you look at the holes in the skid plate It looks like it only goes halfway up to the middle of that skid plate and then it’s just stops halfway there. The rest is empty space between the the midpoint of the skid plate and the frame cross rail. It also really shows the way they pinched in the sides and there’s a big channel through the middle of it. I can’t imagine what the engineering reason for any of that would be except a deliberate attempt to make it smaller and reduce curb weight Which is measured with the gas tank full. This looks like it was designed by the lawyers and not the engineers, Kind of like the recovery hooks on the tundra.

 

[RUN-8]

What a stupid design.

 

[andialpha]

.................. Note If you look at the holes in the skid plate It looks like it only goes halfway up to the middle of that skid plate and then it’s just stops halfway there. The rest is empty space between the the midpoint of the skid plate and the frame cross rail. It also really shows the way they pinched in the sides and there’s a big channel through the middle of it. ........................

Maybe there is some crash test rating that they can achieve with a smaller tank and the channel in the middle.

Also, does an aftermarket fuel tank void the warranty?