Builds 86 Xtra Cab Build (4Wheelunderground 3 link front, 4 link rear and 3.4 swap) (9 Viewers)

[aztoyman]

Like I said, I was anxious to get going again. I had a bunch of pieces cut out of 1/8" steel for my fuel tank mount and needed to get welding.

The other day I FINALLY got to get busy. I was out of welding gas so I went to the welding supply and got another bottle. I got all set up and got to welding and RAN OUT OF WIRE!

So I head out to buy some wire and on the way got a call from an old guy I help out. He needed help with his 36 Ford so I stop on the way home and get him going. I still have some daylight and get my spool of wire in and get back to welding. And my welding hood battery died!! I didn't have any that size either. I did find ONE pack at the local Dollar General so I was good to go the next day.

 

[aztoyman]

I made some good progress on the fuel tank mount but it's not done yet.

It was all tack welded while on the truck. Then I clamped it to a piece of 1 3/4" tube to keep it from getting out of shape with all the welding.

I originally made those saddles more like the one on my brake cable bracket in the post above. It clamped with one bolt on each leg but I didn't like it. I'm just going to use hose clamps. It's lighter and faster on and off.

 

[aztoyman]

I still need to cut gussets and weld them on here. There's no lateral support without any.

 

[aztoyman]

Here's where the base will sit. I need to weld brackets to the inside frame rail to allow bolts to pull it tight to the frame.

It will have 1/8" rubber between the frame and the mount. And each point on the tube.

 

[aztoyman]

It's not that heavy. I might cut some openings on that top surface. I stood on it with my 260# fat a$$ and it's solid. I don't want that fuel tank breaking loose if I'm upside down or sideways.

Here's an idea of how it all comes together. I still need to bend up two more top straps. There will be 1/16" rubber strips between them and the tank. I'll need to install a ground wire per tank manufacturer.

Pic of the tank just to show the 3 bolt holes on each side that line up with the ones in the mount.

So I will be able to R&I the tank and leave the mount on the frame. And pull the bed if needed with it in place.

 

[aztoyman]

I've been busy with the holidays and family stuff. Plus it's been too cold for my AZ a$$. It was only 20 degrees in my garage the other day. I have a few metal parts and cold equals pain.

Yesterday I managed to finish welding on my fuel tank base. I got it prepped for paint and even though it was too cold for paint, I did anyway. I used hardener and after a few hours it was dry enough to bring inside for the night. I had warmed up the steel and the paint prior to painting though.

Today I unpackaged the two additional tank straps I had ordered, got them straightened out from the shipping bend and formed them up. I kept the piece of the strap I cut off the first one I made and wrote notes on it so I could duplicate the rest. It was slightly challenging to get the bends on the end but not too bad. They send the straps over length with only one side bent up. Then I stuck the rubber strips on and test fit everything. I bought JIS 10.9 flanged bots and washers to put it all together.

 

[aztoyman]

Then I stuck on the rubber strips and test fit everything. I had bought new JIS 10.9 flanged bolts and nuts to assemble it all.

 

[aztoyman]

I still have to weld the brackets to the inner frame rails so I can attach the front section of the bracket. Hopefully tomorrow. I did test fit again and after looking at it I thought it needed more support fore/aft. I'm thinking of welding a plate to the front side of the shock hoops and add 3 holes to the tank flange like the bottom mounting holes that came in the tank. Where I put the red dots in the pic.

 

[aztoyman]

I'm going to order a reed switch type fuel sender and the Tanks Inc Meter Match fuel gauge interface module. I'll get the standard aftermarket gauge ohm range sender in case I ever run an aftermarket fuel gauge. The module lets me adjust it to work with basically any gauge, including my stock Toyota one on my dash cluster. Nobody makes an aftermarket sending unit that works with my Toyota fuel gauge.

I'll get more pics once I get the tank bracket installed. Then I'll be running the fuel lines.

 

[gnob]

pimping your shyt.

 

[aztoyman]

Cool! I don't have Facebook or Instagram. I saw that he was looking for someone to test out a new skid plate/crossmember he designed. I sent him a text with pics of the one I did. He kinda razzed me (I think?) about my paint choice but liked it. He's always been good about quick replies to any questions.

Thanks gnob for posting it.

 

[aztoyman]

I'm not sure if I will need to add brackets to the backside of the tank yet. It aligns perfectly with the shock hoops and will be easy to add if I decide to do so in the future.

 

[aztoyman]

I didn't like the tank bolts clamped one surface of the sheet metal tank edges. I thought it could use some more clamping surface so I trimmed down the tank mounts that came with the tank and added 1/16" neoprene strip. Definitely a more solid feel. It also overlaps the seam.

 

[aztoyman]

I was hoping that I could R&I the bed with the tank in place but it's not going to happen. If I could clear the tank straps at the front side I'd be good to go. I trimmed the floor all the way to the cross brace holding the bed to the frame. I can't shift the bed forward enough to clear either. Thankfully R&I the bed isn't routine work. So only the main bracket stays in place. I have to pull the tank and then the bottom straps.

 

[aztoyman]

I also stuck a leftover piece of heat shield to the bottom since it's right above the exhaust at that spot.

 

[ntsqd]

Those bolts at each end of the tank bother me. I would suggest that anti-rocking gussets be added to the bottom of the lower straps and those bolts be done away with. My thinking is that the straps provide a semi-flexible mounting while those bolts, even with the update that you've made, are more rigid. Any difference between them when twisted up etc. is going to be applied directly the ends of the tank.

 

[aztoyman]

That's how Tanks Inc made the tank and those doubler plates I cut were to mount the tank to. They said NOT to mount it to a truck bed but to a frame using the plates. Seems inadequate even to me.

 

[aztoyman]

So you're suggesting gussets from each side of the lower "cradles" bolted to the base? Wouldn't be difficult to do.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm thinking that w/o those bolts in the end that the tank tends to rock fore/aft a little? If it does, then yeah, some gussets under the lower strap pieces should stop that. If the frame that they attach to isn't very torsionally stiff when mounted in place then you may only want to gusset the middle pair of lowers. Let the outer pair 'float' a little.

 

[aztoyman]

Without the bolts in the ends it probably would rock. I was initially concerned that the tank is basically mounted just by the bottom. Part of why I thought about adding the mounts 90 degrees to the bottom attaching to the shock hoop. I thought about that because of near vertical drop offs shifting weight or a head on. But then it is still just extra support to the ends only.

The more central straps are directly over the internal baffles if that matters. Also, I thought all the rubber would allow enough flex or float??