Truck Water Storage- show me your setup

[fmyth]

I had that much in water bricks up there last season. But worth checking some specs I suppose. I’m not married to the design or placement. Mainly just want it out of the way and easy to access with fill ups. That’s why everybody’s input is valuable. Keep it comin!

I've seen some truck camper set ups that had self built water tanks between the bed of the truck and floor of the camper. Have also seen some that had tanks mounted under the truck bed next to the frame. Might be worth considering so you can keep your COG down as low as possible.

 

[feanor]

Just to clarify on topper setup

 

[bpa556]

I use this and a 12v rv water pump that I’ve wired to plug into my trailer plug. They have many sizes. They’re kind of pricey and mine’s 5-6 years old and has been abused.

I’ve used it to haul water to truck camp, fill camper trailer tanks, pour concrete in remote locations, fight fires, etc.

When we take campers, we’ve piled 4-5 in a truck to go to town and get water (needless to say, I’ve talked many folks into this setup).

Works awesome for truck camping or rv/trailer camping (or whatever else you dream up).


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[bpa556]

Amazon.com

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[ODB]

Just to clarify on topper setup
View attachment 823671

did you install those rails yourself? if so, how was it? Yakima?

 

[feanor]

did you install those rails yourself? if so, how was it? Yakima?

No they came with the cap. That model is some sport/ off road model. I believe they are Yakima. I haven’t needed to used them for tradition mounting of gear yet to be honest. It’s a nice feature to have in case though.

 

[fmyth]

No they came with the cap. That model is some sport/ off road model. I believe they are Yakima. I haven’t needed to used them for tradition mounting of gear yet to be honest. It’s a nice feature to have in case though.

The only thing that differentiates it from the base model is the bedliner stripe on the side of it. I doubt that spraying some bedliner on a very small area of the cap increases its strength as the manufacture claims in their advertising. It has the same dynamic and static load rating as the base A.R.E. cap. A.R.E. does offer a HD model which comes with an aluminum internal skeleton. They recommend the HD version if you want to haul anything heavy like a roof top tent on it as it is rated at 500lbs dynamic.

"The Overland Series truck cap offers a tougher, more rugged look to complement today's trucks. It's unique two-toned off-road design features a spray-on protective coating which increases strength in high stress areas."

When I was researching A.R.E. caps I found this email on a overlanding forum.

Thanks for your interest in our products!! The weight rating on our Yakima Rack when driving the vehicle is set at 150 lbs. due to various dynamic forces such as sudden stops, potholes, sharp turns etc. Additionally, you should always consult the vehicle manufacturer for center of gravity ratings. When the vehicle is not moving (for camping) the roof and rack can actually carry well over that amount. While this is not something we guarantee under warranty, our caps have been tested to hold well over 800 lbs. when stationary. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.


Thanks,

Anthony
A.R.E.

 

[jahaze]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, and I don't have a picture to share. But several of the dog guys use a length of 8" pvc pipe with caps on each end, and a spigot on one side to dispense water. You can make it as long or as short as you want, depending on how much water you want to carry in the truck. The ones I've seen were mounted on roof racks.


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[feanor]

Thanks for the info on that. I may have to consider some of those things going forward. It seems pretty robust when I’ve been on top working on things.
I’ve got a lot of confidence in that spray coat color keeping things super tight haha

The only thing that differentiates it from the base model is the bedliner stripe on the side of it. I doubt that spraying some bedliner on a very small area of the cap increases its strength as the manufacture claims in their advertising. It has the same dynamic and static load rating as the base A.R.E. cap. A.R.E. does offer a HD model which comes with an aluminum internal skeleton. They recommend the HD version if you want to haul anything heavy like a roof top tent on it as it is rated at 500lbs dynamic.

"The Overland Series truck cap offers a tougher, more rugged look to complement today's trucks. It's unique two-toned off-road design features a spray-on protective coating which increases strength in high stress areas."

When I was researching A.R.E. caps I found this email on a overlanding forum.

Thanks for your interest in our products!! The weight rating on our Yakima Rack when driving the vehicle is set at 150 lbs. due to various dynamic forces such as sudden stops, potholes, sharp turns etc. Additionally, you should always consult the vehicle manufacturer for center of gravity ratings. When the vehicle is not moving (for camping) the roof and rack can actually carry well over that amount. While this is not something we guarantee under warranty, our caps have been tested to hold well over 800 lbs. when stationary. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.


Thanks,

Anthony
A.R.E.

 

[feanor]

I like the tubing water ideas, but would want it in stainless. I know the plastic and aluminum would be easier to make.

 

[fmyth]

Thanks for the info on that. I may have to consider some of those things going forward. It seems pretty robust when I’ve been on top working on things.
I’ve got a lot of confidence in that spray coat color keeping things super tight haha

Good luck with your project.

 

[jonesn3]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, and I don't have a picture to share. But several of the dog guys use a length of 8" pvc pipe with caps on each end, and a spigot on one side to dispense water. You can make it as long or as short as you want, depending on how much water you want to carry in the truck. The ones I've seen were mounted on roof racks.


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This actually seems like an awesome and real simple option. If you were to make it the length of the bed of a typical pickup, along the side of the bed above the wheel wells, you could easily get 15+ gallons. Usually that’s dead space anyways on most pickup trucks. You might need to think about supporting the pvc, 21 pounds per foot static loading of water when full could really make that pipe deflect

 

[BBob]

This actually seems like an awesome and real simple option. If you were to make it the length of the bed of a typical pickup, along the side of the bed above the wheel wells, you could easily get 15+ gallons. Usually that’s dead space anyways on most pickup trucks. You might need to think about supporting the pvc, 21 pounds per foot static loading of water when full could really make that pipe deflect

Large numbers of the overlanding trucks you see have these mounted on the upper side of the bed rack. One side will be the water and the other a shade awning. There are commercial unit out there you can buy. They pressurize them with a tire/Schrader valve. The black tubing collects heat to heat the water. Pressurized hot water

 

[robertpaulsen]

This is my go to water. Any gear etc I take I want it to be multipurpose. This does the trick. Easy to pack too!

 

[zfeldma]

I use 3 5 gallon sceptor jugs that I connect to a sureflo pump. Run silicone tubing down into jugs and added quick release fittings.

 

[feanor]

Thanks for the input on this and everybody’s opinion and experience on different setups.

I ended up going with the wheel well void space for the water storage.
20 gauge 304 stainless. I needed a brake press, so I just ended up building one for the double bend.

I had to use a jig saw for cutting the sheet, which was tricky. The edges were a little ragged, so tig welding the seams was good in some spots, but harder in others. I put a baffle in the middle for rigidity and water sloshing. I also welded in a 3/4 NPT pipe, which will accept a spigot and hose ( need to buy those still).

Then I filled it with water for a leak test. I had about 6 small pin holes, so I went back and fixed them. I haven’t welded the top yet, as I need to establish no long term leaks first.

Close to 9 gallon capacity, and I have the material for a matching tank on the opposite side to be done later.

 

[92xj]

Looking good!

 

[jahaze]

Looks great. Now that we know you have such skills, we're all going to ask you to make one..


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[feanor]

Ok finally got the top welded on. I’m using a bunch of random scrap parts, so I’m welding things and piecing it together for the cap etc.
I knurled a piece of .625 SS and drilled a .250 hole to attach the 1/4-20 threaded tubing to.
Then I drilled a side hole in the tubing for air to escape. It screws into the cap and can be tightened down when needed.
Because the thread is so long , I shouldn’t have an issue with water sloshing out of the hole at all.
Bottom line is next time I do this, getting clean cuts or shears on the metal is key for welding. Any gaps are a pain to close up.

 

[7mm-08]

Talented guy (with some design vision) here, folks. Nice execution on this project for sure. Well done!