Towin' in the wind

[stiles watson]

30-40 mph constant head wind takes its toll. Leaving Medora, ND and heading to Lewistown, MT with a full tank of fuel 38 gallons, I wasn't worried about getting there. Then the head wind hit. Mile after mile into the wind. About 40 miles out of Lewistown, I had the "Empty in 50 miles" warning pop on. No sweat, only 40 miles to go. No towns no fuel around. The last 150 miles to Lewistown on MT200 is a lonesome trail.

When I got 30 miles away, the "to empty" read 28 miles. Consternation!! "We aren't going to make it, Dianna." Oh, by-the-way, cell phones are marginal at best. I had one bar....sometimes. We began to try to call Coach-Net, our emergency road service. Calls were dropped four times. Angst, now 20 miles to go, 15 miles of fuel.

Finally got on a hill with 3 bars and stopped. We finished the call to Coach-Net. Thirty minutes later, tow truck to the rescue with five gallons of diesel (ULSD). I paid for the fuel, but Coach-Net paid for the delivery. Five gallons was $21.00, the delivery was $175.00. Real glad I had Coach-Net.

When I filled up in Lewistown and added the five gallons they brought, it came to 40 gallons. I was 2 gallons short of the amount of fuel for the trip. A head wind can get you in a bind. So today, I bought a 5-gallon diesel can to carry to cover a miscalculation through desolation.

[Rondo]

Good move Stiles! I think I'll be doing the same thing- just incase I run into the headwind problem myself! Five gallons will at least get me 60 miles closer!

[Bill and Ann]

Stiles: I carry the 15 gal. portable tank with the hand nozzel with me when we head south. Some of the route we take going down through Tx. (I-79) can take you places that you don't want to buy your diesel. Best thing to do in a headwind is park it and enjoy the country.

[ehmcfarl]

Bill, since I don't have room in my bed for most permanent auxiliary tanks, I have been looking for a portable tank with a nozzle. If you don't mind, what kind and where did you get yours.

Thanks,

Buddy

[Waynem]

I can go about 200 miles on a half a tank of diesel (19-20Gal). I then start getting concerned and looking for a place to fill up, and it doesn't look as bad on the pocketbook.

Stiles, what was your average MPG during the windstorm? I got about 8-8.6 once with 45mph winds. I have the '05 F350 King Ranch. (I'm not as rich as you are and can't afford a new one)

[Delaine and Lindy]

When travleing in the Western States fuel is a major concern, at times in Montana and the Dakota's you have to make sure you know were the fuel points are, and they aren't a lot of them. When in stiles situation watch for the Ranchers they know were fuel is available. The Chevy Kodiak 4500 we sold had a extra 98 gal in bed fuel tank that gave us a total of 148 gals and would run when towing 1200 miles before we had to look for fuel. Also most Farm and Ranch stores had the additional tanks that can be put in the bed of your Truck. However if your going to Cal be sure and check the laws, it get very tacky out there. I have never carry extra fuel in 5 gal containers. I do know when your are pulling in heavy head winds fuel mileage changes quickly. Our last trip to the RGV we got off the Road because of the Wind. GBY....

[HamRad]

Stiles,

A headwind can cut into your fuel mileage in a hurry! And why is that it is ALWAYS a headwind? You'd think that once in a while we'd get a nice tailwind!

When we first started towing I purchased a couple of diesel 5 gallon cans and carried them in the bed of the truck. NEVER used them since everywhere we drove (mostly in the west, including Montana, Wyoming,AZ, UT etc.). I took them out and they have been sitting home for last 3 years. We NEVER had any trouble finding diesel fuel. Like several others we always fill up when we get to about half a tank.

I am going to start carrying at least one of them again just so I can find and get to the cheapest fuel should I ever run into a situation like your's.

Happy Tailwinds and see you on down the road!

HamRad

[dsprik]

quote:Originally posted by Delaine and Lindy

I have never carry extra fuel in 5 gal containers.

Lindy, is there a particular reason for not carrying extra diesel (5 gal plastic can) with you in the back of the TV? I don't do this, but I do carry a 5 gal GAS can with my gen in the back of my 2500HD when pulling. Is this a bad thing? It is cable locked in the bed with the Kipor 3000ti.

[ols1932]

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

Lindy, is there a particular reason for not carrying extra diesel (5 gal plastic can) with you in the back of the TV? I don't do this, but I do carry a 5 gal GAS can with my gen in the back of my 2500HD when pulling. Is this a bad thing? It is cable locked in the bed with the Kipor 3000ti.

Dave, I've always carried extra 5-gallon containers (3 to be exact). This is especially helpful if you happen to be in So. Cal and you move back and forth into Arizona (Quartzite, Yuma, etc.). You can fill up in AZ and not have to buy as much in CA. Saves a little. Course, right now we're not moving at all, what with recovering from the back surgery I had in February. Not having to buy as much fuel, only fill up every 10 days with about 12-14 gallons.

I would think that one 5-gallon container would be sufficient to prevent one from coming up short due to head winds and that sort of thing. We don't calculate our fuel as close as some. I just know that when we travel we are only going to go 250-300 miles and I can do that with the two tanks we have, no problem.

Orv

[TLightning]

I replaced my 34 gallon oem tank with a 56 gallon Transfer Flow tank. Also carry an extra five gallons in a can if going west. No weight problem with the dually.

[DHenry]

On our trip to Alaska we are carrying 2-five gallon tanks of Diesel and on one occasion have used them. We were in Canada and still had about 50 miles to go when we were getting pretty low on fuel, there was a gas station that had diesel but I refused to pay $1.79/liter when I knew it would cost less at our destination and I had enough fuel with me to get there. If I was not carrying the extra fuel I would have been happy to get a few gallons at that station because we had no cell signal and would have run out of fuel before getting to the next station.

[Delaine and Lindy]

Hi dsprik, there really is no reason that we didn't carry extra Diesel, all of our Trucks have had 34 Gals tanks except for the 2500HD. The only State I have heard you could have problems with extra fuel tanks is Cal, they have certain requirements for mounting a in-bed fuel tank. And the Tool Box type Generator 50amp we have has a 12 gal Gas tank and we really on used it when we stopped in rest areas for a rest. And our Cambridge had a on board 50 amp Onan. We haven't been carring the Tool box Generator in the last few years. GBY....

[MAMalody]

I gust got back with my grandkids from NE a week ago (remember I blew the tire three hours after starting out...still working on the repairs and insurance company), well, anyway, we had just changed drivers and my wife was driving and we missed the fuel stop we had set up. Needless to say we were watching the gas gauge closely to see if we could make it into Evanston, WY. Next Exit did not show any diesel stops prior to that. My wife said if things got really desperate, (about that time the bingo fuel light began to flash) we could always pray. I laughed and told her what did she think I had been doing the last 25 miles. We made it to Evanstan and put in 37.236 gals into a 38 gal tank. I told my wife, what do you mean prayer doesn't work....we could have gone three more blocks. All I could say was PTL!!! we made it!!!

I have a F350 diesel. Does anybody really know how much fuel is left when the light goes on. My manual doesn't say. Believe me, I was looking.

[stiles watson]

Mike,

Mine doesn't say, but tells me how many miles to empty, which I have now learned is unreliable. I will be carrying the 5 -gallon can from now on.

[mobrownies]

A 30-40 mph headwind is just like driving 30-40 mph faster with respect to wind drag on the trailer. So I usually slow down to 50-55, but you still know you are bucking a headwind.

You are driving too far per day. We try to keep it below 200 miles a day. Don't want to work the truck and trailer too hard, or my backside

We have debated carrying an extra fuel tank, but haven't yet. Had one close call our first month out and that was almost 3 years ago.

Look out for wind damage when the wind is that high. We had a quartering wind blow out the metal skirting on one side of our trailer. Tore the sheet metal right off the three screws that were attaching it to the belly.

[Joe-n-Doe]

Stiles,

On June 16th of this year, I checked my on board computer to see how many miles until empty and read 78. Less than 20 minutes later the low fuel light came on and the computer read 50 miles left. No sweat, there is was a station at nearby exit and the sign at the exit showed it sold diesel. The next stations were 15 miles away. We took the exit and found the station was not close to the freeway. Oh well...got to the station and found they had sold out of diesel. At this point it turned into an Oh S*%! situation. Made it back to the Interstate and got less than a 1/4 of mile before running out of fuel. CW's Roadside Assistance was there within hour with 3 gallons of fuel, enough to get us the 15 miles to the next station. Like you, that night I bought a 5-gallon diesel can at Wally World.

[bsmeaton]

Same thing happened to me dropping down into Cody Wyoming. I took a chance and tried to find the ideal fuel station where I could fit under the canopy - none found and fuel consumption ended up much higher than the computer anticipated given a strong headwind. We actually ran out of fuel at the Cody city limit and I was able to roll into a fuel station once the traffic cleared.


For those carrying fuel, watch out for static between plastic gas cans and plastic bed liners. Be sure and set the can on the ground when you fill, don't leave it in the truck.

[Bill-N-Donna]

I have a 5 gal gas can and have been contemplating caring it as a back up. I have done that in the past. However, I've never run out of gas.

I start looking for a station when we get around a half tank showing on the gage. Once it reaches about a quarter on the gage then I seriously look hard because it goes down very fast after that. My concern here in the mid to eastern part of the U.S. isn’t so much of being able to find a station but being able to find one that I can get into. They are not built to be user friendly for someone with a large rig. I have seen many of them that I just can’t get into or wouldn’t even consider trying. I think this could be just as scary as not being able to find a station.

[Waynem]

I have thought about this, and if I'm in a situation where I cannot fit under the canopy, I'll unhook somewhere, go fill up, then hook back up. That just might save my day. Also, at 5 miles more per gallon, unhooked, I might just leave DW and puppy dog with the Hanna and go fill up then come back for them. Lot of considerations on that last one, but it is doable.

[Delaine and Lindy]

Knock on wood, but I have never had a problem getting into fuel points. But I try to always use Truck Stops. I normaly know were and what direction we are going. And we use major highways most of the time and if you have a computer you can locate all or most Truck Stops. I use them also for fresh fuel, which is very important for Diesel. Delaine gives me a print of were we are going that day and the known fuel points, and were we have reservations for the next RV park, and how many miles. GBY.....