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Custom Fuel Trailer

cwharris

Active Member
So I just finished building a Custom 400 gallon Fuel Trailer for my 1947 Navion and my Future RV14. I wonder if I could build and sell these. I?m sure there?s other people out there that need a Custom Fuel Trailer. My trailer will get powder coated this week and will then install the lights, pump, filter, etc.
I'll post pictures of the finish product.
2d6o2a.jpg

29go8cg.jpg
 
Before you get too far into this idea I would strongly suggest you look into the legalities of carrying that much fuel. You may require special licensing and placarding.
 
I thought about that. I already got the required stickers and placards and have done the pressure testing. As far as what I've read so far as long as you place on the tank "Not for Commercial Sales" and "For Private Use Only" I think I'm good. I cant find anywhere that shows what the maximum allowable to haul is.
 
I have heard something about 100+ gallons across state lines, but I do not know where to find that regulation at. My racing buddies have had the experience and mentioned it to me and the reason they installed an 80 gallon second tank for the pull vehicle to be under the 100 gallon limit.
 
Before you get too far into this idea I would strongly suggest you look into the legalities of carrying that much fuel. You may require special licensing and placarding.

The laws on this also vary by state.
 
The federal highway regs limit is that anything over 118 Gal has a lot of special requirements for the trailer and the tow driver must have a CDL.

A lot of the states adopt regs that match the federal ones.
Where it gets complicated is that this only applies to transporting on the road. There are lots of other state and local regs that control how much fuel and how it can be stored, within a closed building or hangar. These rules vary widely from state to state, and local government.
 
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I have no sources on state laws, but federal law CFR 49 seems to revolve around 450 liters which is just under 119 gallons for Hazardous Materials.

Here is a definition which seems to apply...

Bulk Packaging

A packaging (transport vehicle or freight container) in which hazardous materials are loaded with no intermediate form of containment, when the internal volume is greater than:

(1) 450 liters (119 gallons) for a liquid;
(2) 400 kilograms (882 pounds) net mass for a solid; or
(3) 454 kilograms (1,000 pounds) water capacity for a gas


A company called Transfer Flow makes tanks up to 109 gallons that fit in the bed of pick up trucks. Here is a link to a govt document Transfer Flow obtained to allow them to certify their tanks as legal.

http://www.transferflow.com/Content/PDF/Transfer Flow DOT special permit.pdf

If you wanted to make and sell them you might need something like this. However, since yours is 400 gallons, you probably need to comply with CFR 49 if you want to sell them as fuel carriers.
 
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Custim Fuel Trailer

So here is what I have found about the Rules and Regulations about Hauling Fuel using a Fuel Trailer.

The number one question in our business and the most misunderstood. Some companies do everything they can to sell you a Code 406 system because they are so profitable. But the truth is that very few people actually require a 406 Code system. Here is the truth?..

If you are transporting Diesel or Kerosene, or Jet A fuels you do not need a USDOT 406 Code system. Diesel fuel does not require a Specification Package.

If you are an INDIVIDUAL transporting Gasoline or ANY fuel for Personal Private Use you do not need a DOT406 System. The USDOT does NOT regulate individuals, only commerce or commercial applications. This IS NOT limited to 110 gallons as believed. Under these regulations you can transport any quantity you want.

If you are a business, if you are transporting Gasoline for commerce or commercial reasons, you must use a DOT 406 Code Specific System to do so.

The following entities are exempt from all HazMat regulations with regards to transporting fuels of ALL KINDS. If you are one of these entities the USDOT DOES NOT enforce DOT 406 standards for you.
?All Federal Government agencies
?All Municipalities
?All Indian Reservations
?Academic Institutions
?Agricultural applications
?Private individuals

As cited in The Code of Federal Regulations, CFR49 171.1 Section ?D? # 6. This can be reviewed in context and in depth at http://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/regs or you can follow this link to locate your states USDOT Enforcement Division ask them to review this site information and confirm the accuracy of the information http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/field-offices

A Class ?C? CDL with HazMat Endorsement is required for use in commerce for all fuels. It is a very simple 20 question test, about $20.00, a license endorsement. One does not have to have a CDL or HazMat Endorsement to transport this system for personal private use.


 
Nice

Good looking Trailer there!
Nice work.
You clearly know what you are doing.
Thanks for sharing the details
 
Thanks Waylon. I appreciate the research. I am in the process of putting together a trailer similar to yours but with a crappy wood box around it so it is not easily identified as a fuel hauler. It will not stay in my hangar but on a ranch I have near the airport.

Nice work on yours.
 
Good work on researching the laws and citing the sources! That's going on a bookmark of mine so I can do a similar trailer for MOGAS for the plane later down the road.
 
Nice trailer Waylon! Cool design. Is there any baffling inside or is any needed for sloshing mitigation?
 
As mentioned previously, each State may or may not have their own codes/rules.
When I was researching this a few years ago, the State required certification and annual recertification of the trailer. They didn't care if it was for my own private use or not. However, as with all regulatory agencies, who knows if I was speaking with the right person or not, or if they knew what they where talking about....
I also could not find a design that I felt could survive even a minor accident, like a rear ender, that wasn't certified. I gave up on the idea.

I couldn't imagine what the liability exposure would be for a spill, let alone if something more dramatic happened.
I know, I know, many folks don't live their lives that way and I get that. It just didn't fit my personal risk/reward profile.
 
I know this is an old thread, but it's worth pointing out that at 400 gallons, you're getting pretty close to a volume that justifies a fixed tank & a small delivery charge. Many fuel depots have surplus 500-1,000 gal tanks that they will either sell at a very good price, or even offer for free use, because of expected future fuel sales. If you're using auto fuel, it's probably going to be cheaper to pay the delivery fee on the wholesale price than to pay retail at a gas station & haul it yourself.

If you're at a public airport & they won't let you set a tank, I guess none of the above matters...

Charlie
 
Another thing to consider is "self-fueling" and "fuel storage" rules at any airport you're planning on using them at.

I know of one airport, owned and operated by a county port authority, that seems to have rules that specifically prohibit storing fuel and "refueling operations" other than those specifically allowed for by the FBO concession.
 
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