Fuel tank half out then stuck!!!! Any advice?

[JDCruiser]

Hey folks,

Well I am in the process of getting my truck ready for a rear tube removal and rebuild...

I am half way through dropping the fuel tank (81 BJ42 Diesel) so that I can get better access to where I need to cut the rear tube and it is stuck...

I am sure it must be able to drop through the frame and know it would be a tight squeeze but I can't seem to find an orientation that will do the trick... Is it feasible to drop the tank with the body still on the truck? If so does anybody have any advice on how to manipulate to get the think out..

Right now I have everything that can be removed, removed, all hoses are off, the driveshaft is off, parking brake cable removed... The I figured it would come out is by twisiting the drivers side section (deeper portion) rearward so that and the Passenger side forward, and pointing the driveside down kinda wiggle it out on an angle... The main challenge is that I cant seem to tip the tank enough to clear the drivers main frame member because the passengers side of the tank runs out room on the top...

Any suggestions?

 

[1979fj40]

drop the drive shaft.

 

[FJ40Jim]

I have to remove all the body mount bolts and jack up the rear of the tub several inches to get the 79-later tank out.
Some folks say they just dropped it out, but I've never had that experience.

Since you're removing tub, undoing the body mounts is a necessity anyway.

 

[JDCruiser]

Thanks for the advice guys...

Driveshaft is already out...

Jim, what body mount bolts did you have to undo, all of them or just the 2 at the rear and 2 at the mid...

 

[1979fj40]

I finagled mine out just by removing the drive shaft. Mines a fj but I thought they had the same tank.

 

[FJ40Jim]

Thanks for the advice guys...
Driveshaft is already out...
Jim, what body mount bolts did you have to undo, all of them or just the 2 at the rear and 2 at the mid...

Removed 2 rear & 2 mid bolts.
Loosened frt bolts.
Removed the bolts at running board/frt fender and cowl/frt fender.

There is enough flex in steering and wires to allow lifting the rear of the body 4-6".

I use an engine crane lifting up inside the rear door opening w/ a piece of 2x4 between crane & hardtop to spread the load.

I think RickD originally told me of this technique, after I had wrassled w/ a tank for a few hours.

 

[erics]

I've gotten late tanks out with out undoing frame mounts... I seem to remember needing to jack up the rear frame to get axle droop though (in addition to droppig rear drive shaft).

it took some finaegle-ing...

 

[Jeffrey Davis]

I recently removed the tank from my 1980 as described by Erics. Slide the tank toward the rear and lower the drivers side of the tank while "finaegle-ing" out the portion that goes over the frame rail.

 

[JDCruiser]

thanks guys... I will try jacking up the rear bumper, that might give me enough room around the rear axle and rear differential to finese it out...

Is certainly not an easy task that is for sure...

 

[FJ40Jim]

Does the FSM address late model tank removal?

 

[JDCruiser]

Does the FSM address late model tank removal?

Jim, I have a copy of the service manuals, PO actually bought them when he bought the truck... Been through both the Body / Chassis and engine repair manuals and havent found anything, searched page by page as I figured it would have to be in there... If you know of any manual that has information on the fuel tank removal, let me know...

I also know that the tank has been dropped before, I knew the PO and he said he had a leak in the tank as well as one of the bands was rotten so about 10 years ago he had a shop drop the tank, line it and then reinstall and replace the band.... Unfortunately I recieved this land cruiser in the PO's will so he isn't available to ask questions...