Builds 86 Xtra Cab Build (4Wheelunderground 3 link front, 4 link rear and 3.4 swap) (2 Viewers)

[aztoyman]

I've been trying to come up with a way to mount my fuel tank that I'm happy with. It straddles the frame rails right where they taper out and down.

I don't want to weld it to the frame but it's got to be solid. I want to be able to unbolt and remove it if I need to. The bed is mounted, tailgate on and spare positioned where it needs to be. The tank is where it needs to be. I can't take the chance of making some marks, pulling it all out for better access and getting it wrong. So I crawled under the truck with cardboard and made patterns. Very time consuming.

I clamped temporary support under it holding it level and centered. My plan is for it to sit on the frame rails, held down with bolts. And tied into the tube brace between the shock hoops. It will be made with the same 1/8" steel I made my cross member with.

I still have a bunch of pieces to cut out. There are two more saddles and straps for the tank not mounted in the pic.

 

[aztoyman]

I did end up cutting the bed another 1" and moved the tank forward for just a bit more tire clearance.

Pretty sure I figured out how to fabricate my pump hanger. I'm just waiting for the rest of my parts order.

Then I just need to start bending up my fuel lines. Little by little I'm making progress.

 

[Broski]

Looking good
Must feel great to be getting it put back together, excellent job of keeping after it !!

 

[aztoyman]

Thanks Broski. It's been a tough year so I feel pretty good with what I still managed to get done.

 

[bkg]

No definite plans yet. My 88 got Rhino lined by the original owner (buddy) and it's on there thick. I didn't want to ruin a good bed and that stuff made sure I didn't. There's no cutting and welding going to happen easily on that bed.

I thought about rolling on Monstaliner. Not sure it's needed though. Not much room left for any cargo to drag and rust isn't an issue here.

I'm kinda wingin it at this point. Suggestions are always welcome though.

The no cutting and welding is a phenomenal point that I didn't even consider. I suspect it would be more difficult to do future mods/body repairs w/ bed liner on all of the panels. I guess that's one "nice" think about the double-wall beds of newer rigs.

Whatever you choose will turn out nice. Rig is looking great.

 

[ntsqd]

Oh yeah, I know all about that can't weld and cutting "opens" up the metal to corrosion. This truck came to me with a hot dip galvanized frame:

NOT recommended. That means the most of my mods have had to bolt on. There are "Regalv" repair sticks available, but I've yet to try them out.

 

[Broski]

This truck came to me with a hot dip galvanized frame:

NOT recommended. That means the most of my mods have had to bolt on. There are "Regalv" repair sticks available, but I've yet to try them out.

Aw just dump it on me
What the wheel base stretched to ?

 

[ntsqd]

130", it's an inch longer than a Square Body Suburban's WB!
A buddy's been bugging me about it for a while, likely it'll be sold early next year.

Anyway, the galvanizing is really cool IF you have no plans to modify the frame after the plating. The OB didn't, but I didn't like some of his decisions. Even just adding back the parking brake was a challenge.

 

[Broski]

130", it's an inch longer than a Square Body Suburban's WB!
A buddy's been bugging me about it for a while, likely it'll be sold early next year.

Anyway, the galvanizing is really cool IF you have no plans to modify the frame after the plating. The OB didn't, but I didn't like some of his decisions. Even just adding back the parking brake was a challenge.

That’s a big stretch, my memory tells me stock early bronco wheelbase was 92 or 94 inches.
The sides look like 63-65 pickup bed sides

If you’re buddy backs out pm me

 

[aztoyman]

Yesterday I had the afternoon to get a few things done. Mainly just cut out a bunch of pieces for my tank mount from scrap 1/8" steel. Bent up a few pieces as needed. Spent a lot of time cleaning mill scale off. I was going to start tack welding pieces and ran out of welding gas.

 

[aztoyman]

Today I got rained out. I typically do the cutting and grinding just outside the garage door. So plan B was to work on the pump hanger.

I had a circle of 3/16 already cut out but I decided to make a more rectangular base. I thought I could have a way to attach some type of guard over the exposed lines and wires.

I grabbed a piece of 1/4" scrap which is definitely overkill. I might stick it in the mill when I'm done and make sure it's good and flat.

It was tough to fit everything in such a small circle. I see why the pump hanger for sale has brazed on fittings.

Obviously I haven't cut the plate to size but I got everything drilled and tapped. I made sure I could get a thin wall socket on the bulkhead fittings.

 

[aztoyman]

The original fuel lines from my 3.4 donor were 8 mm (5/16") for the supply line. Roughly 1/4" that I measured for the return and the vent lines.

-5 AN is not a popular size and even JIC was not that easy to find so I just went with -6 AN (3/8") for my supply line and stuck with -4 AN (1/4") for return and vent.

The electrical bulkhead fitting I found is for fuel tanks and 10 gauge wires. That's why I bought the 10 gauge pump connector. Stock wires are definitely thinner gauge.

The brass fitting is the rollover vent. I'm still going to run that line to the evap canister.

I have that 90 PTFE hose end in the pic but I might just run a hardline right off the tank fittings and use the PTFE hose in the engine bay.

 

[aztoyman]

I'm undecided on a couple things so suggestions are welcome.
One is where I should let the return end. I'm thinking of putting a section of hose between it and the pump and securing it with a hose clamp for more pump support. Maybe bending the end further away from the inlet screen.

I'm also not sure if I should weld a strut to the bottom of the cover to steady the pump. Tying the two hard lines together seem pretty solid. Any thoughts?

 

[aztoyman]

I do have spring clamps and in tank fuel hose for the pump connection. Still mocking up some of this. Also...Merry Christmas!

 

[jgranthevagrant]

I think the OEM pumps have a bracket to steady or hold the pump and everything else?

 

[aztoyman]

They do. And why I'm asking if I should put something in or if the two steel lines are enough.

 

[gnob]

i think added support would be a good.
maybe you could tweak the return line and attach to it.

 

[aztoyman]

The return line is clamped to the supply line and I'm going to clamp it to the pump body as well. Not a lot of room left up there but I'll make something work if yous guys think I should.

 

[88repo]

There are "Regalv" repair sticks available, but I've yet to try them out.

Used to work in a shop making DOT structures...highway signs. Every now and then stuff would need to be re-worked after it had already been galv'd and these were, or at least ones similar, were how they were doctored up afterward. Pretty decent stuff from what I remember, FWIW.

edit: But working a torch under a vehicle is an entirely different animal.

 

[ntsqd]

I would add the support bracket and turn the return out sideways pointing well away from the pick-up. Ideally with a shape that causes the fuel to spray out in a bit of a fan shape. The reason is that the returning fuel causes a little cavitation and you do not want the pump sucking in that entrained air. Have a look at early EFI in-tank OEM assemblies and you'll see variations of this. Later OEM assemblies do put the return fuel in near the pick-up, but they have baffles etc. inside of those enclosures to get the air out of the fuel before it gets sucked into the pump. There's some considerable trial and error in learning what those baffles need to look like.
Alternately, put the return in the fill neck rather than in the tank proper.

Something else to consider if you haven't already. Put some sort of cooler in the return line. Doesn't need to be anything exotic, it just needs to have something. Feel the bottom of a fuel tank late in the day on even just a warm day on the trail and you'll understand why the OEM's have started doing this.