GM DEF Tanks

[scottyb]

I have had an exceptionally good experience with my current Chevy truck. Naturally, I want to give GM another hard look for my upcoming purchase, which will be a dually CC 4x4. The 1st thing that I noticed on the 2012's was the huge black thing hanging down below the passenger side door. The sales person told me that was the DEF tank. I was floored and he was almost appologetic about it. I buy 4x4's for a reason. I use 4WD almost every day for my work on pipeline right of ways and land developement. If you looked at the skid plates on one of my trucks, you would see where they have done their job many times over. I honestly don't think I could make this work w/o damaging it. At the very least, it should have some type of skid plate around it. The other question I never got around to was, where is the DEF filler neck?

I know many people are driving these trucks here, and maybe they dont have the same issues as I, What are your thoughts?

 

[danemayer]

On our early 2011, the filler is under the hood, passenger side, near the windshield. i don't recall the tank being exposed on ours, but the location did complicate adding step rails.


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[Rickhansen]

You'd have to be doing some serious rock crawling to damage it, in my opinion. It is nearly flush with the bottom of the frame directly behind the right front wheel. There are after-market skid plates available.

 

[Bob&Patty]

The youngest son has a 2012 and works in constuction and goes off roading all the time. So far the DEF tank has not been a problem.

 

[mobilcastle]

I have the tank on my 2011 3500HD and I don't think it will be a problem-as stated above if you want step rails you have to work around it. I mounted the factory rails.

 

[kakampers]

We too have the 2011 3500 with the DEF tank...had no problem with adding step rails...don't off road but we have had no problem with normal use.

 

[mattpopp]

On our early 2011, the filler is under the hood, passenger side, near the windshield. i don't recall the tank being exposed on ours, but the location did complicate adding step rails.


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Oh it's there, if you have any type of steps it kind of hides it. With no steps it sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[mattpopp]

I have had an exceptionally good experience with my current Chevy truck. Naturally, I want to give GM another hard look for my upcoming purchase, which will be a dually CC 4x4. The 1st thing that I noticed on the 2012's was the huge black thing hanging down below the passenger side door. The sales person told me that was the DEF tank. I was floored and he was almost appologetic about it. I buy 4x4's for a reason. I use 4WD almost every day for my work on pipeline right of ways and land developement. If you looked at the skid plates on one of my trucks, you would see where they have done their job many times over. I honestly don't think I could make this work w/o damaging it. At the very least, it should have some type of skid plate around it. The other question I never got around to was, where is the DEF filler neck?

I know many people are driving these trucks here, and maybe they dont have the same issues as I, What are your thoughts?

There is a few companies that build skid plates for that tank. If your current skid plates take a beating I would be concerned about the DEF tank due to it being so close to the front axle. If it was farther back I wouldn't consider it such a worry.

 

[scottyb]

You'd have to be doing some serious rock crawling to damage it, in my opinion. It is nearly flush with the bottom of the frame directly behind the right front wheel. There are after-market skid plates available.

I have since searched and found that there are many aftermarket skid plates available for it, so somebody is thinking like me. Don't know why it wouldn't already come with a Z71 package. I admit that i do abuse my truck somewhat when offroads. Usually crossing winrows behind a motorgrader or dozer, crawling over a spoil pile, or bushwhacking on a prospective job. And once in a blue moon, I might even drive off in an open hole.