So I finally got around to replacing my gas tank on my '97 LX450 .. of course the inevitable battles with rusty bolts - fortunately many were installed so as not to be exposed to water and salt and came off quickly. Every one that went back was liberally coated in no-seize! Had to drill out the front DS strap bolt etc etc - most of those details and excellent tips like dropping the driveshaft have been posted by others
Getting the tank off the truck is pretty straightforward BUT installing the new one while working alone and without a hoist (axle stands only) was a problem. The new tank (empty) is still moderately heavy and has to be lifted and maneuvered around the frame and drive shaft to its final position and then held in position while the supporting straps are installed. While I could push the new tank under the vehicle ...there was not enough room to get my body under the tank to lift it. It was simply too awkward and heavy to lift it into position by myself while lying on my back head down completely prone on the garage floor.
While staring at this insoluble problem as 24 years of road dirt fell into my face...I noticed that the tank had small holes in three of the corners of the welded 'lip' that surrounded it. AHAA! .. bungee cords. The beauty was that not only did the bungee cords allow me to lift the tank (one corner at a time) high enough by myself to get the tank balanced on a floor jack but their 'elastic stretch' also permitted me to maneuver the tank around the frame and clear the driveshaft while getting it into its final location which I could do while guiding the tank with one hand and operating the floor jack with my other hand.
FWIW -- maybe this will help someone else.. it was still a PITA job that I am not in a hurry to repeat. I also found and fixed a couple of leaky transmission coolant lines .. but thats another PITA story.
Getting the tank off the truck is pretty straightforward BUT installing the new one while working alone and without a hoist (axle stands only) was a problem. The new tank (empty) is still moderately heavy and has to be lifted and maneuvered around the frame and drive shaft to its final position and then held in position while the supporting straps are installed. While I could push the new tank under the vehicle ...there was not enough room to get my body under the tank to lift it. It was simply too awkward and heavy to lift it into position by myself while lying on my back head down completely prone on the garage floor.
While staring at this insoluble problem as 24 years of road dirt fell into my face...I noticed that the tank had small holes in three of the corners of the welded 'lip' that surrounded it. AHAA! .. bungee cords. The beauty was that not only did the bungee cords allow me to lift the tank (one corner at a time) high enough by myself to get the tank balanced on a floor jack but their 'elastic stretch' also permitted me to maneuver the tank around the frame and clear the driveshaft while getting it into its final location which I could do while guiding the tank with one hand and operating the floor jack with my other hand.
FWIW -- maybe this will help someone else.. it was still a PITA job that I am not in a hurry to repeat. I also found and fixed a couple of leaky transmission coolant lines .. but thats another PITA story.
