To define a frontal crash with a truck and 5'er behind or a TC onboard just a little clearer, I'll offer the following:
True it would depend on what you hit with your RV rig. If you were to hit a passenger car etc of perhaps 2,500-4,000 lbs with your RV rig of approx 10,000+ lbs with a TC on the rear or a 5'er rig combo of approx 15,000 to 20,000 lbs total at maybe 50 mph, there wouldn't be much question as to what the results would likely be. A bowling ball smacking into a volley ball or such at 50 mph is kind of a comparison that comes to mind for reasoning purposes. The volley ball would be on it's way to the moon, so to speak! The occupants inside the crushed passenger car etc that was hit hopefully had a good life insurance policy for their family/siblings etc. Most likely, there'd be minor to moderate injuries to the truck's occupants. However, there'd be a severe shock to the RV rig that would raise havoc with it's towed or carried load. Yes, the truck would be heavily damaged in front but nothing like the passenger etc vehicle experienced. No airbags to help the RV's behind or on the back like the inside occupants have! Any body game to hit an 18 wheeler at 50 mph with their 1 ton dually trucks to see what happens and if the comparison makes any sense? I've wittnessed this type of scenario a few times at the domestic manufacturer's engineering test facitilies over the years. It's not pretty! There's also been some video tapes released of these tests that I've seen. Some were on the net but I can't recall the links right off as I'm typing this. Running into a tree, an 18 wheeler, or a bridge abutment, etc at 50 mph with the RV rig is something quite different and the results would also be different.
There have been several videos of different test vehicles frontally hitting an impact barrier right on this forum and one thing you always seen was the rear of the striking vehicle raise upward violently before coming to a stop. Simple Physics at work! The vehicle's front wheels are it's pivot point. Where would a truck camper or the 5th wheel be after the impact or how would it react during the impact? Good question! Sure are a lot of variables but one thing is quite certain. Both will go up and forward rather than down or backwards while the impact is in progress.
Would I want a fuel tank in front of a heavy mass heading it's way in an accident? NO WAY! Especially not containing gasoline. I enjoy living far too much!
2004 Chev 2500HD D/A crew cab LB 4X4 - Air Bags - Loaded
915 Lance Camper with 2'X 8' rear porch (my own design n build)
29 ft Carri-lite 5th wheel - 1 large slide - specially built
36 ft Carriage - 3 axle 5'er -NOW SOLD- Looking at some new 5'ers
travelnutz, with all of what you have posted, I am miffed as to why you would even consider any aux fuel tank, other than factory, between the frame rails.
Personally, I am much more optimistic. I do not believe I will ever encounter the situations you have described. My insurance company even agrees with me, or they would not sell me insurance.
silversand wrote: ...it's hard to say what would happen (hypothetically) in a frontal crash with a 5th attached to bed/truck frame/5th frame; regardless of this, I'd still remove the tank with a TC on board.
You've got only the TC's flimsy under-wing tie-down points (almost always just a hand-full of #10 wood screws, or, cheap carriage bolts!) between you and a collision (several magnitudes less holding/retaining capability compared with a 5th's far beefier receiver and frame-bound connection directly to 5th's frame and truck's frame...
Cheers,
Silver-
I agree with your description of the tie-downs. I can't see how the TC is going to crush the fuel tank due to the tie-downs. The tank probably would do more in holding the TC than the tie-downs.
I think you are splitting hairs on the collision. It is safer to stay at home on the couch, thinking of how to be more safe. I would rather be a bit more unsafe, and be camping, with my overloaded Truck and TC.
EDIT: I get about 450 miles on a tank of fuel. I really wonder why I need an aux tank?
I put the aux tank in our 2004 Dmax truck for use when the 5'er is to be pulled but I certainly wouldn't put it in front of a truck camper and wouldn't have the 100 gallon tank in any of our towing trucks at all if it were to contain gasoline. Having the 100 gallon tank in the truck that is in our signature which contains diesel and setup as I have it is bad enough. There's always a degree of danger associated with carrying a sizeable quanity of a combustible fuel. There is so little if any protection for the aux tank in the event of a mishap. Just keeping the odds in my favor as best I reasonably can because I owe atleast that much to my passengers, myself, and others on the roadways. There are also many humans who ride their motorcycles without a helmet too. Some are not here anymore to talk about it! DW and I have ridden our many motorcycles since 1963 up until a few years ago but never once without a brain bucket on and buckled. That's been our choice and others make their own choice. Yes, it's even legal to NOT wear a helmut in some places. What you or anyone else does in life is up to them...
BTW, that's why the OEM factory mounted fuel tank is where it is. Protection!!!!
rocmoc wrote: Should have shared more about my truck. Dodge Ram 2500 Heavy Duty diesel, quad cab, short bed, air bags with 17" wide aux tank. Pull 5er Toyhauler but to big to take to remote locations. Beginning to sound like taking the aux tank out for the times when we would want to use a camper. Thanks for the info thus far.
rocmoc n AZ/Mexico
No matter what might happen in a crash, the biggest impediment to your idea is your short-bed truck. Dodges have the shortest, short-beds (6'3") and there just really isn't enough bed left after subtracting the 17" tank from that.
2007 F350,SC,LB,4x4,6.0/Auto,35" tires,16.5 Warn,Buckstop bumpers
2007 Outfitter Apex9.5,270W solar,SolarBoost2000e,2 H2K's,2KW inverter,2 20lb LP on slide out tray,4 Lifeline AGM bats,Tundra fridge
95 Bounder 28' ClassA sold
91 Jamboree 21' ClassC sold
I would rather be a bit more unsafe, and be camping, with my overloaded Truck and TC.
