NEW FIRE TRUCK

[timberfaller390]

Howdy,
Can go a little off topic and ask a question for the group?  Does anyone have any experience with slip on fire units for pickup trucks?  I am looking for plans to do a home made unit and would appreciate any help or advise.
Thanks
Tom V

Yes I have put in my fair share of time on a type 6 engine. I built a couple while I was still working for the forestry commission so whatcha want to know.

[Tom Vorac]

What I am looking for is advise or where to find plans etc on how to build a slip on unit for a pickup truck.  I want to build a 250 gal tank with pump or get enough information to figure out if we would be better off buying a off the shelf unit.
So any advise would be welcome.
Thanks
Tom V

[timberfaller390]

It's not hard to design and build a skid unit however if you don't have acess to a mig or preferably a tig weldor and someone who is good with aluminum then you are better off getting one from Darley or National Fire. The unit we built for a pickup was about the simplest rig you could think of. It was just a square tank with a platform to mount the pump and hose reel. What size truck is this going on? 250 gallons of water weighs approx one ton not counting the skid unit itself so it won't work on a half ton truck. (we replaced the front end on our f-150 twice because of hauling a skid unit all the time)

[isawlogs]

 Just thinking outload here .. Could a person use a fuel oil/desiel tank and use a gas pump and build one from that

[pineywoods]

 Just thinking outload here .. Could a person use a fuel oil/desiel tank and use a gas pump and build one from that

Rust, rust and more rust, pinholes...

[Don_Papenburg]

I think you are asking  if a gas POWERED pump  would work .  I would say yes .  But If you mean a gaspump , No It would not have enough volume.

A poly tank would be the most costeffective.

 A couple of Qs     
What is the air pressure used on  the CAFS setup ?
 How many cfm?

 What do you use as a foaming agent?

[timberfaller390]

The minimum requirements for a type 6 engine are 200 gallon tank, 50 gpm pump,300 feet of 1 1/2" hose and 300 feet of 1" hose. A foam system is not required. The foaming agent is called AFFF or aquious film forming foam and can be poured directly into the tank. It is slightly corrosive so the tank and hoses have to be flushed after use. The guy who originally asked about a skid unit hasn't posted anymore so I don't know if this will be for a department or for personal use. If it is for a department the minimum requirements I listed MUST be met. The most common material for the tank is aluminum but thier are some poly tanks out there. A factory built skid unit ranges from $5,000 to about $20,000 or more, depending on how fancy you want to get.

[isawlogs]

 Gas powered pump .. a 1000liter square plastic tank a wack of hose .. fittings to put it all together .