Gas tank pad locations?

[VA Mountain FJ40]

It’s about time for Jolene the 68 to get her gas tank back in. I’m having brain farts, though, and can’t remember or find a reference to exactly where the four buffer pads are positioned in the gas tank well. You know, the ones that prevent metal to metal contact between the tank and the well.

Can someone who remembers the locations mark up the attached tank well picture to show where the fresh set of pads should go? I’d be grateful.

The tank, with new pads, new tank drain crush washer, and tank well grommet from SOR waiting for installation. Y’all help me with where to put those four pads in the tank well, if you can…

Chip
VA Mountain FJ40

 

[Augustiron]

Gas Tank Pads | IH8MUD.com Forum | Toyota, Lexus & Off-Road Community Discussions Gas Tank Pads - https://share.google/hfD55Gt8RqUC8qSKZ

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

Thanks for the link. I found what I needed. See the pic below. That’s not my tub, but it does show where the original gas tank pad placements were.

It’s not rocket surgery. I think as long as you aren’t blocking the ventilation / drain channels, anything that cushions the tank without impeding flow is going to work. The upper straps when attached should hold the tank snugly enough to keep wiggles and vibration away.

I’ll post the pics of my gas tank installation on my build thread in a day or two. Also, thanks to Augustiron for the handy link to the thread with my answer.
-Chip

 

[Augustiron]

I think the important thing to note is that it goes on the sides of the tank and not on the bottom flat part

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

I think the important thing to note is that it goes on the sides of the tank and not on the bottom flat part

Exactly. The rust zones from the pads on the floor pan make it easy to see where they were in contact, but I installed the new rubber replacement gas tank pads on the corresponding locations of the gas tank itself. Besides, I didn’t want to be sticking rubber pads to the freshly painted floor pan anyway.

I had some rubber gasket material that was so similar to the SOR tank gaskets and added a few more pads where they would not block the stamped floor pan channels. When I fit the tank in place, it was cushy, secure, no wiggles or wobbles.

The four pads oriented bottom to top are the SOR rubber replacement gas tank pads in the correct OEM locations. The five pads oriented side to side around the lower tank perimeter are the non-factory-spec rubber foam pads I added to increase stability.

Set the tank into the truck with the pads and the fit was just what I wanted. No wiggles, positive contact, lined up beautifully with door rim, rear tub, and fuel hose connections.

Tank aligned with bottom of passenger door sill:

Gas tank sits nicely lined up with rear tub and gas tank strap anchors. Inherited the bent tank seam, Jolene has seen some action in her past.

Filler neck lined up just right. Even the bolt holes were just right. Sometimes I get a break…

Went ahead and bolted in the neck while aligned so nicely. The grade 8 fasteners I used are ridiculous overkill but it was late, I was tired, and the fasteners were on hand.

Next: strap tank down and connect fuel line and sending unit.

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

Jolene’s tank went from rough to right nice in between removal and replacement. Fixed some pinhole leaks, did surface prep, and paint. New drain plug and crush washer.

How she came out:

Old peeling paint removed, rusty areas treated.

Painted and clear coated.

Took all 4 anchor straps down to metal and primed. Also some rear heater hose anchors on the bench.

The tank with primed and painted straps prior to installation.

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

I installed the tank straps by separating (unbolting) both of them into front and rear halves. The rear halves have a shorter drop to the anchor hook, the front halves have a longer 90 degree drop to the front anchor hook receivers.

The anchors require a pretty exact engagement for the strap hooks. That’s why you want two separate strap halves—so you can manipulate each end into the anchor much more easily, and to assure a no-questions lock fit. Then it’s easy to connect the two strap halves with an M8 1.25 x 30 nut bolt washer combination.

Rear tank strap anchors:

Front tank strap anchors:

Strap halves joined.

Don’t forget to connect the fuel outlet and the sending unit.

 

[B y r o n]

If you check out post #42 in this thread you will see where the pads were in my '73.

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

Fuel outlet connected.

Installed gas tank!

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

If you check out post #42 in this thread you will see where the pads were in my '73.

Thanks Byron!

 

[brian]

Locations on early tanks.

 

[DesertFJ40]

This was the orientation on my 1971.i don't think the previous owner ever removed the fuel tank, but you never know. the pads were pretty stuck on there either way, so they hadn't been moved around for quite some time.

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

It looks like there is variability. I think they put 4 pads between the tank and floor pan at the factory but there was no 3 sigma exact location spec as far as I know. Structurally they provide four points of support fairly evenly distributed. Move a pad a couple of inches either way, still OK. Add a couple, still OK if you don’t block a channel and the tank still sits correctly.

The spec could’ve just been to put in four pads roughly as shown.

Thanks for the research and perspective sharing.

 

[SC-Cruiser]

A little late to respond but here is a picture of what it looked like when I pulled the tank out of my 1971

 

[rainingagain]

If you have the early strips, here's where mine were, 1967: https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/thumbnail_img_7714-webp.3319354/

 

[rainingagain]

If you have the early strips, here's where mine were, 1967: https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/thumbnail_img_7714-webp.3319354/