Fuel tank baffles?

Pretty much every time I come to a complete stop, there's a subtle feeling in my truck, and it rocks forward and back slightly, almost as if I had a 5 gallon jug behind my seat that rolls up and back. I actually checked my water (I carry around 3-5 gallons for when I go offroading, emergency survival water basically), and it's secure, and not moving when I stop.

Today, I jumped out of my truck immediately after stopping in my spot, and I could hear something clunking back and forth under my truck. Pretty sure it's a fuel slosh issue.

So, how common is it for there to be bad baffles in the fuel tank? I've only had the truck for around a year now, so the previous owners may have been in a wreck (there's evidence of this, damage in the rear door sill areas), I suspect they got T Boned but not severely enough to bend the frame or anything.

If it is baffles, would it make sense to just get one of the 32 gallon tanks and forget the stock, or do those have other issues? I do a ton of off roading when it's not hunting season, and there isn't any snow...

 

I've seen broken baffles on a Mazda 5 hatchback, caused similar symptoms as you described. Unfortunately the only way I found it was to drop the tank, pull the pump module out and look in there

 

The fuel probably does move around in the tank and you may well hear it. But 10-20 gallons of gas is 60-120 lbs. That isn't going to make a 4500 lb truck move enough to be noticeable. Might be time for new shocks.

 

Well, yeah... Planning on a complete suspension replacement, springs front and rear, shocks and struts.

 

There are no baffles in the 2nd gen tank. Due to the fuel bowl design.

 

I probably would have never realized this, so thanks.

Going to inspect my suspension this weekend, to make sure nothing has failed. I stopped doing any kind of aggressive driving off road since the front suspension is getting kinda rusty, might be something broken. o.x

 

Check your spare tire

 

Hmm I hadn't thought of that, thank you, one sec, I'll do that now...

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Tire place didn't get it up very tight, it was hanging down around 2". I had a flat a month ago, and had to change the tire on a really, REALLY bad shoulder, but thankfully, I didn't lose any of the spare tire kit doing so (I did drop one of the little wingnuts, but I did see it, grabbed it, and put it back in it's home).