So you’re getting ready to cut your grass or maybe even take the quad out for a fun ride. There’s one problem, however. You go to grab your gas can, just to find that all three you own are bone dry. Now you’ve got to spend the next half hour getting to the gas station filling up and getting back home before you can proceed with your plans for the day. Well maybe not, if you have the Fuel Tool installed on your truck or SUV.

With the Fuel Tool, the need of going to the gas station to fill a gas can could be a thing of the past. It would make filling up the lawn mower, quad, tossing your kid a little gas, or fueling up your generator as simple as starting your truck and pumping a little bit of gas right there on the spot. What’s more, the guys behind Fuel Tool have showcased this new system to three major automakers in Detroit, MI.

According to Mike McAvey from Fuel Tool, Alan Mulally, the former President and CEO of Ford has admitted that the system is great, and the Ford should introduce it to the world. Of course, that only holds so much weight, but if the guys behind Fuel Tool have their way, the new Ford Ranger could very well come equipped with a Fuel Tool.

With that said, a few questions come to mind about this Fuel Tool system. First, is it safe? Second, how does it work? Third, will people be able to steal my gas if I have a fuel tool? Well, Let’s take a look at a couple of videos from Fuel Tool and talk a little about it.

Continue reading for the full story.

How the System Works

The system is actually attached to the built-in fuel system of your vehicle. By tapping into the fuel line, just ahead of the fuel pump, the supply line for the Fuel Tool is pressurized anytime the truck is running. I know the idea of “tapping into a fuel line” seems a little dangerous, but rest assured it’s perfectly safe. As you can see from the installation video above, a simple T-splitter is used to attach the Fuel Tools supply line to your vehicle’s fuel system. The splitter uses the same quick connect fittings and materials that are already used in your fuel system.

And that is pretty much it. Once the engine is running, you can simply tap the valve for the Fuel Tool to a grounded surface (to discharge any static electricity build up,) then turn on the control valve. Pull the nozzle from the fuel tool and press the button to pump gas into your gas can, lawn mower, or any other gasoline-powered device you own. Unlike the mobile pump systems that you see now – like the huge tanks on the back of trucks – this system draws fuel from your truck’s fuel tank as the pump is running. This means there is no extra container of fuel to weigh you down on the road, and it has to be safer than hauling around a second large tank of fuel or a simple gas can.

Does it Have a Future

At this point, whether or not any of the big automakers will jump on an idea like this is a mystery. But, it seems like it would be a good addition to have on any truck that is currently on the market. It would be perfect for most work trucks and farm trucks. Sure it takes fuel from the fuel tank of your vehicle, but it beats the hell out of stopping what you’re doing just to go fill a one-gallon gas can. On top of that, there is no worry about fuel theft. Since the system receives pressure from the vehicles fuel pump, the engine has to be running for the Fuel Tool to work. And, in case you’re wondering about installation, click play on the video above to see how the system is installed.

With that said, maybe you don’t want to wait for any of the major auto manufacturers to start offering this as part of their equipment packages. Well, you don’t have to. You can go to Fuel Tool’s website here and purchases your own PT500 Fuel Tool System for $299.

Do you think this would be a good addition for the next Ford Ranger? Or how about other new trucks on the market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.