LRA 40 Gallon Replacement Tank Install (1 Viewer)

[87warrior]

I just completed installing the Long Rang America (Automotive) TLC100IFSEFR extended range stock replacement fuel tank. This is a 40 gallon fuel tank that replaces your stock fuel tank. The install took place in my average garage on my 1999 LC with OME 2866 coil springs.

*Note* A small amount of welding is required to complete the installation. Prior to purchasing and receiving the fuel tank, this was not stated anywhere. Just a heads up for anyone who is considering the tank.

You start off by ordering the tank from Ward @ Long Range America and wait for YRC freight to drop the tank at the terminal nearest to you (unless you have a forklift). It comes strapped to a pallet, but you could easily pick up the tank with your 100 by removing the tank from the pallet at the terminal.

Here is the tank kit unpacked.

The first step of the install is to remove the stock fuel tank. Run the fuel level down to about 1/4 tank so it isn't too heavy to manage. Start by disconnecting the rollover valve vent line toward the front of the tank.

Disconnect the fuel pump wire harness and pull it from the body.

Then disconnect the fuel fill hose and fast fill hose followed by the fuel return line and fuel pressure hose. Follow this order unless you like gasoline dripping on your face.

Support the middle of the tank with a floor jack and remove the front tank strap via two 14mm bolts. Remove the rear inner tank strap bolt (the outer strap bolt will be inaccessible at this time). Slowly let the tank down, tipping the front downward while sliding it forward. The tank will come out relatively easy and set on the ground. With the tank out of the way you can finish removing the rear tank strap.

 

[87warrior]

Here is the stock tank removed from the vehicle.

Clean the top of the tank and drain the remaining fuel into a gas can by pouring it out of the fill hose. Then remove the fuel pump assembly using an 8mm socket.

Strip the fuel pump bracket and extend it using the the bracket included in the kit. Cut the fuel pump bracket at the mid point between the bottom and where it tappers. You will now weld the new bracket between the two cuts you made in the fuel pump bracket to extend it. Then extend the fuel sending unit float arm 75mm by cutting it in the middle and welding in the float arm extension. I used small neodymium magnets to hold the arm together for welding. After the welding was done, the magnets were no longer magnetized. Extend the return hose using the supplied rigid plastic tube and joiner. This part took for-ev-er! Hot water helped getting the joiner and hard plastic hoses together, but boiling water would have probably worked better. Extend the fuel pump wire by soldering the included wires and finish with the fuel resistant heat shrink. Finally, install the fuel pump, sock and extended hose. I chose to install a new Denso fuel pump since the old pump had 330k miles on it.

Install the supplied magnet in the tank near where the fuel pick up will be. I was happy to see the 40 gallon tank was internally baffled like the original.

Install the fuel pump assembly into the tank. The assembly will only fit one way since the top of the tank is drilled in a pattern. Use a new gasket.

 

[87warrior]

Install the rollover valve and tube assembly. I used a new tube assembly and rollover valve and recommend installing a new tube assembly since it includes the gasket for the rollover valve.

Extend the fuel pressure hose by carefully cutting the couplers from the stock hose and affix them to the provided 1000mm hose. Extend the fuel return hose by fitting the existing coupler and joiner to the 600mm hose.

Here is the tank fitted with the fuel pump assembly, fuel pump wire harness, rollover valve assembly and extended fuel lines:

Trim 90mm from the fast fill hose and affix it to the tank with the provided brass barb. Install the fill hose.

Use a tailpipe cutter to remove 50mm from the tank end of the steel fill hose. This was my first time using a tail pipe cutter like this and it was surprisingly easy.

 

[87warrior]

Install the front inner fuel tank strap mount. Reuse the original tank strap bolt and included 8mm bolt to fix it to the body. Using the bracket, use a 21/64" drill bit to cross drill the body. Install two 8mm bolts.

Install the rear inner strap mount. Fold the rear seats forward and lift the carpet. I held the carpet up with a 4x4 chunk of wood to prevent the drill bit from damaging the carpet versus removing all the trim to fold the carpet forward. Using a 13/32" drill bit, drill through the hole in the OE tank locating bracket and through the floor. Install the floor brace and bolt through the body.

Install the outer side tank strap brackets. Use the original bolts and don't forget the reinforcing plates included in the kit. The long strap bracket is the rear bracket.

 

[87warrior]

Use weather strip adhesive to adhere the included rubber strips to the body between the tank mounting brackets. The longer strip of rubber goes on the rear.

Slide the long range tank under the cruiser. If your cruiser is stock, you may need to lift the frame some to fit the tank under the frame rail. It was a TIGHT fit with my OME 2866 coils. Lift the tank into position guiding the filler hose onto the steel filler line. Position the fuel pump wire harness over the frame rail to prevent it from getting pinched.
Tip: Make sure the roll over tube assembly is between the frame and strap bracket, otherwise you will get to fish it out like I did.

Fish out the fuel and return lines out the side of the tank before securing tank to the body.

Fit the tank straps with reinforcing plates and tighten to secure tank.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

Bellisimo!

 

[87warrior]

Attach the pressure fuel and fuel return lines. Secure fill and fast fill hoses.

Reattach fuel pump wiring.

Fill the 40 gallon tank with the fuel you drained from the original tank. I also replaced the gas cap.

Done!

Fill the tank!

My observations for tank level at the gauge:
3/4 - 35 Gallons
1/2 - 22 Gallons
1/4 - 11 Gallons
Low Fuel Light ~ 6 Gallons

 

[reznunt]

Awesome write up!

 

[mbrazil916]

What would you say total cost was including the tail pipe cutting tool?
Thanks

 

[MongooseGA]

Great DIY! Thanks for posting.

Is the additional weight in the back noticeable at all? What are your thoughts on the fitment? I'd almost rather give up a few gallons capacity if it could be kept up above the frame rails.

 

[TXSunDevil]

Great write up!! How many hours do you think you had into this project? Can this be done in a driveway if I have all the tools?

 

[87warrior]

Awesome write up!

Thank you! I hadn't seen any sort of write up about this tank so I figured I could help share the process.

What would you say total cost was including the tail pipe cutting tool?

The tail pipe tool was OEM Brand at $35 on Amazon.
The Denso fuel pump also came from Amazon at about $130.
The Roll Over Valve, Tube Assembly, Fuel pump gasket and gas cap were about $70 from McGeorge Toyota.
Tank shipped was just under $2k.
Drill bits were from the local over priced hardware store at $14 a piece.

Great DIY! Thanks for posting.

Is the additional weight in the back noticeable at all? What are your thoughts on the fitment? I'd almost rather give up a few gallons capacity if it could be kept up above the frame rails.

The additional weight is not really noticeable. It is like filling the stock tank up and having a 200lb friend sit in the back seat. That said, I don't have much seat time at this point to give a long term use report.

The tank fits fine and I don't foresee a problem with my use of the vehicle. This replacement tank would be a terrible choice for somebody who uses a transfer case skid on rocks regularly. It does hang down below the frame a couple of inches, but the tank is still higher than the frame side lower control arm mount. I think it is a suitable trade-off to not have 20 gallons of fuel hanging off the rear bumper or behind the rear axle. I understand a 1" body lift will raise the tank up to the same level as most aftermarket skid plates.

Great write up!! How many hours do you think you had into this project? Can this be done in a driveway if I have all the tools?

It took me 7-8 hours working at a slow pace. Most of that time was spent trying to figure out what the instructions were telling me to do and extending the dang fuel return line attached to the pump assembly.

I would have preferred to do this on a concrete driveway on a nice day vs. inside my shop/garage. The smell of gasoline vapor and gas soaked parts is awful. The tools required to do the job are pretty basic and common in most home garages. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time on your back reaching for stuff under the Cruiser.

 

[krice118]

Great DIY! Thanks for posting.

Is the additional weight in the back noticeable at all? What are your thoughts on the fitment? I'd almost rather give up a few gallons capacity if it could be kept up above the frame rails.

You're porbably looking for the 25 AUX tank that goes where the spare tire is. stays above the frame rails I believe.

 

[MongooseGA]

You're porbably looking for the 25 AUX tank that goes where the spare tire is. stays above the frame rails I believe.

I saw that one, too. I was actually referring to a hypothetical. I'd rather a replacement tank than an aux for simplicity reasons, but would really need it to hang within (above) the frame rails. For my use of my truck, hanging under the frame rails would be a recipe for a bad day. I'd willingly sacrifice and have, say, a 37 gallon tank with a more-tucked-tummy.

Having said that, the 1" BL that OP mentioned would potentially eliminate my concerns with this 40 gallon.

 

[James Bentley]

@87warrior Thanks again for this write-up and as you approach the one year since install/post here, do you have any updates?

(Happy with purchase, tank hitting obstacles, would do again, wondered why you waited so long, etc?)

What range do you see per tankful = what is the max distance you have gone?

 

[87warrior]

@87warrior Thanks again for this write-up and as you approach the one year since install/post here, do you have any updates?

(Happy with purchase, tank hitting obstacles, would do again, wondered why you waited so long, etc?)

What range do you see per tankful = what is the max distance you have gone?

This tank is hand down, without a doubt, the best modification I have made to my Cruiser. If I bought another 100 tomorrow, I would have this tank on order the same day. If LRA offered a larger replacement tank for the 200, my wife's 200 would already have it (she is not excited about the sub tank option).

There have been no surprises or unforeseen consequences with the replacement fuel tank. I haven't had to work on any part of the install in the last year. The 'yota emissions system still struggles with fuel vapor at high elevation, but no greater issue than factory. My driving style doesn't usually involve dragging the frame over rocks, so the tank hasn't taken a hit yet. I have no doubt the tank wouldn't mind a little ground contact. The suspension under my Cruiser (stock t-bars and OME 2866 rear coils) doesn't seem to notice the tank at all. The Cruiser still drives as it did before the tank install.

My Cruiser averages 13-14mpg, so I usually see 450-475 miles to the gas light. I have seen over 500 miles to the gas light on a few tanks. Loaded with gear and RTT she only gets about 400 miles to the gas light.

 

[James Bentley]

thanks, that's great info!
When I get mine, I plan to wrap it with this: Thermo-Tec 13575
I already have fuel pipes insulated quite a bit and should be pretty easy with a new tank not yet installed.

 

[87warrior]

@James Bentley I have a similar product sitting in my shop waiting to go on the tank once we thaw out here in Kansas. I figured it was worth a try.

 

[ChuckB]

This is high on my list for the next mod. Thanks for taking the time to do the DIY write-up.

 

[bluesquirrel]

thanks, that's great info!
When I get mine, I plan to wrap it with this: Thermo-Tec 13575
I already have fuel pipes insulated quite a bit and should be pretty easy with a new tank not yet installed.

I have put a similar product on the nose of my LRA 40 tank as well. Install once I get done with the wife's car repair.