Truck Water Storage- show me your setup

[7mm-08]

Definitely a strong indicator of age when people buy those. Under 40, you probably have a reusable bottle or several. Over 50, you probably buy "bricks" of water bottles.

Sorry, but I'd probably go broke if I was required to buy the number of Yeti Ramblers required to get me through a five day outdoor adventure.

 

[Alpine4x4]

Definitely a strong indicator of age when people buy those. Under 40, you probably have a reusable bottle or several. Over 50, you probably buy "bricks" of water bottles.

I'm 35 and buy bricks of water. Its most convenient when out on a boat fishing. The bottles get reused as spitters and then tossed. Not the most environmentally friendly approach, but I use a Yeti day to day at work so it's offset.

 

[LongWayAround]

Sorry, but I'd probably go broke if I was required to buy the number of Yeti Ramblers required to get me through a five day outdoor adventure.

Yea, you buy one and refill it. Seems obvious that you're not rolling with thirty tumblers.

Anywho... Back to the original topic.

 

[5MilesBack]

Definitely a strong indicator of age when people buy those. Under 40, you probably have a reusable bottle or several. Over 50, you probably buy "bricks" of water bottles.

Or.......over 50, buy bricks of water bottles, AND have reusable bottles.

 

[Dos Perros]

Sorry, but I'd probably go broke if I was required to buy the number of Yeti Ramblers required to get me through a five day outdoor adventure.

One wonders if there are alternatives to Yeti Ramblers? One especially wonders if they might be found in this precise thread.

 

[bozeman]

I use an old igloo 'round' stand up cooler like you see on the sidelines of a Fri PM in the corner of the bed of my truck.

 

[feanor]

I’m strongly considering fabricating a tank from 18/20 gauge stainless steel with something along these lines. Depending on the final configuration, it could be from 16-18 gallons and mounted on top of my truck cap. I would maybe need to fabricate an aluminum frame to span the rails on the cap in order to hold the approximate 180 lbs of a full tank.
Any thoughts ideas related this build? I’m all ears.

 

[BBob]

Any thoughts ideas related this build? I’m all ears.

Make sure you use the correct alloy like 304 or 316 sheet. Most anything else will corrode. What process do you plan on using to weld it up? Custom poly tanks weren’t too costly in the past to have made. Cheaper than a stainless fabrication but your diy might offset that cost.

 

[92xj]

Make your interior baffle holes touch the bottom plate for maximum water transfer between the sections.

I'd also make them smaller in diameter to make the sloshing as little as possible. I could see it being half full, sloshing around and destroy the fiberglass of the truck canopy. I have zero experience, other than watching a 38 foot boat slosh itself right off a trailer onto a highway that had lots of water in it. Not exactly apples to apples, but the thought it there.

 

[Dos Perros]

Is the spout coming off the side or the bottom?

 

[92xj]

as for me and my water in the truck. I run a 60 gallon bladder and a drill pump. Pull up to the spring, and let the spring fill a 5gal bucket,then use the drill pump from the bucket into the bladder in the bed of the truck. It works well and allows me to have plenty of water for the weekend trip when truck camping. We also have a camper and this setup makes it east to refill the fresh tank when we don't want to move the camper.

For only 15 gallons, I would get a bladder and not worry about anything fancy. But the bladder in a rubber tote to help with truck organization. Throw a drill and drill pump in the tote if you believe there will be a need to fill up during your trip. Easy and cheap but works well.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=15+gal+water+bladder&crid=6FTHEB40YXN&sprefix=15+gal+water+bladde%2Caps%2C168&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

https://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-1314-DrillPump750-Priming-Transfer/dp/B00F1ZJG5E/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1267LYFQN9QZV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dbKX7SVCBi_P68JP8iZn4NUJh1urfVG5XB27begXmHbz980reRTD2zl_ryNVqUDCRYPz8_B83uwEMFZnMpKf1qOW0g25vQdLCF0Fu3Exjn8anh5iD9r2RRLh1Srdc739H4BSZuBZIy_PZxHkSMSp35im2YiWYcsrSw4W9hfzdeXrUToQxnGUFrAaRYj3lzfT3Ku80U_8stoh9VzBuVsiyQnkTYFT2STzISftToqREU38p2oezl9e7RhE39lyUtIKgzSV7zgEcnYnAuyR13OuG6VSB3lmd0P10hG0a5xtBpVXVgIQ57G4Bvmm-9lzDM_-AOwHtcVvtpZcwDnmZunZmPBXloxvyvpZqV3RGykAtYLZFP1UuUyLKwmhK_eNEaozyT0oOJHTrNtJ0ikCGBtuVHT_e4Pmzn9vM-nKq38oahWbXGrfc8MVNHztElRWam0q.FjElo60QGqton6Tln55ALTDZi-YC4I0m5WBMIC9G-uo&dib_tag=se&keywords=drill%2Bpump&qid=1737043911&sprefix=drill%2Bpump%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-5&th=1

 

[Dos Perros]

You might look at how dog topper companies do water tanks. Bird dog folks use quite a bit more water than big game hunters.

 

[feanor]

Make sure you use the correct alloy like 304 or 316 sheet. Most anything else will corrode. What process do you plan on using to weld it up? Custom poly tanks weren’t too costly in the past to have made. Cheaper than a stainless fabrication but your diy might offset that cost.

It would be 304. I’ve got a syncrowave 250, so I’ll be tig welding it. At this point, any plastic is out for me.

 

[feanor]

Make your interior baffle holes touch the bottom plate for maximum water transfer between the sections.

I'd also make them smaller in diameter to make the sloshing as little as possible. I could see it being half full, sloshing around and destroy the fiberglass of the truck canopy. I have zero experience, other than watching a 38 foot boat slosh itself right off a trailer onto a highway that had lots of water in it. Not exactly apples to apples, but the thought it there.

Roger that. Just a quick sketch for me to visualize things. That’s an interesting thing about the boat. Definitely don’t want that haha

 

[feanor]

as for me and my water in the truck. I run a 60 gallon bladder and a drill pump. Pull up to the spring, and let the spring fill a 5gal bucket,then use the drill pump from the bucket into the bladder in the bed of the truck. It works well and allows me to have plenty of water for the weekend trip when truck camping. We also have a camper and this setup makes it east to refill the fresh tank when we don't want to move the camper.

For only 15 gallons, I would get a bladder and not worry about anything fancy. But the bladder in a rubber tote to help with truck organization. Throw a drill and drill pump in the tote if you believe there will be a need to fill up during your trip. Easy and cheap but works well.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=15+gal+water+bladder&crid=6FTHEB40YXN&sprefix=15+gal+water+bladde%2Caps%2C168&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

https://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-1314-DrillPump750-Priming-Transfer/dp/B00F1ZJG5E/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1267LYFQN9QZV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dbKX7SVCBi_P68JP8iZn4NUJh1urfVG5XB27begXmHbz980reRTD2zl_ryNVqUDCRYPz8_B83uwEMFZnMpKf1qOW0g25vQdLCF0Fu3Exjn8anh5iD9r2RRLh1Srdc739H4BSZuBZIy_PZxHkSMSp35im2YiWYcsrSw4W9hfzdeXrUToQxnGUFrAaRYj3lzfT3Ku80U_8stoh9VzBuVsiyQnkTYFT2STzISftToqREU38p2oezl9e7RhE39lyUtIKgzSV7zgEcnYnAuyR13OuG6VSB3lmd0P10hG0a5xtBpVXVgIQ57G4Bvmm-9lzDM_-AOwHtcVvtpZcwDnmZunZmPBXloxvyvpZqV3RGykAtYLZFP1UuUyLKwmhK_eNEaozyT0oOJHTrNtJ0ikCGBtuVHT_e4Pmzn9vM-nKq38oahWbXGrfc8MVNHztElRWam0q.FjElo60QGqton6Tln55ALTDZi-YC4I0m5WBMIC9G-uo&dib_tag=se&keywords=drill%2Bpump&qid=1737043911&sprefix=drill%2Bpump%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-5&th=1

I like that drill pump! Thanks
I’m staying away from plastic and synthetic materials. Otherwise, I’d just get a poly tank probably.
I’m ocd and like projects

 

[BBob]

It would be 304. I’ve got a syncrowave 250, so I’ll be tig welding it. At this point, any plastic is out for me.

Any thoughts on how you’re going to do the final welds attaching baffles to the last sheet placed in the assembly?

 

[92xj]

I like that drill pump! Thanks
I’m staying away from plastic and synthetic materials. Otherwise, I’d just get a poly tank probably.
I’m ocd and like projects

understand.

Build one of these out of SS, put it on the opposite side of your gas tank. Keeps the weight lower and off of fiberglass. Plus easier to fill and access, though it would take up some room, not that much though...

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[Hackleback]

Gallon jugs in milk crates are my current go to. Easy to pour/use and if one springs a leak you dont loose all your water. Get the jugs with screw caps and refill for free.

 

[feanor]

understand.

Build one of these out of SS, put it on the opposite side of your gas tank. Keeps the weight lower and off of fiberglass. Plus easier to fill and access, though it would take up some room, not that much though...

Titan SideKick Tank | RealTruck

Get the Titan SideKick Tank from RealTruck fast with free shipping in the lower 48 United States. Our team of product experts, extensive image galleries, and legendary customer service make it easy to get the right part the first time.

realtruck.com

Yeah that style is a possibility as well. Pros and cons to both

 

[fmyth]

I’m strongly considering fabricating a tank from 18/20 gauge stainless steel with something along these lines. Depending on the final configuration, it could be from 16-18 gallons and mounted on top of my truck cap. I would maybe need to fabricate an aluminum frame to span the rails on the cap in order to hold the approximate 180 lbs of a full tank.
Any thoughts ideas related this build? I’m all ears.

View attachment 823576

Is your truck cap rated for 180lb dynamic load? I wouldn't want that much weight up that high on my truck. Why not in the bed of the truck or under the bed?