get tanked

RCC · 08-27-2007, 01:38 PM

Hey TRS'ers,

I have a '96 extended cab Ranger and need to get
the gas tank off. Hole in it somewhere.
The blasted thing is about 6' long and front part rests
on a non-removable cross member.
I can't slide it back enough to clear that cross member
without hitting the rear axle.

HOW do I get the tank out short of taking the rear end
loose or cutting the cross member??

RCC

ZSK · 08-27-2007, 01:42 PM

I assume that you already have the bed off? Or are you trying to removed it from under the truck?

**JohnnyU** · 08-27-2007, 01:44 PM

Remove the straps and drop it out the bottom....

RCC · 08-27-2007, 02:13 PM

Hey JohnnyU,
Obviously, you ain't never tried this on a '96.
With every line, hose, and strap taken off,
the tank don't drop nowhere!
Just hangs by the front of the tank over that freakin'
cross member.

ZSK, no.
I have not taken the bed off, but I thought about it.
Been underneath and it seems impossible.
Gave that cross member a stern look. It supports
the front of the tank and the drive shaft carrier bearing.
Almost ready to grind the rivets off! IF that thing were
removable, the tank WOULD just drop down.

RCC

BOSS302Man · 08-27-2007, 03:55 PM

You can't do a search under the old forum, but everybody always says it's easier to take the bed off any Ranger than try to drop the tank. 6 bolts and it's off. It's got to be the best way to replace a sending unit or fuel pump, rather than work under a dirty truck.

RCC · 08-27-2007, 08:09 PM

BOSS302Man,

Yep, I came to that conclusion after looking
at all the other alternatives. Still a pisser
that Ford had to rivet that mid cross member
in place. If it just unbolted, the tank would fall
right out from underneath.

So, I'm going to start pulling the bed tomorrow.
Got to get this tank out. See if I can repair it.
Anybody ever made a permanent repair on
one of these polyethylene tanks?
Otherwise, I'll be looking for a replacement.

Shoeboy · 08-27-2007, 08:19 PM

When pulling the bed, remeber about the 3 bolts (7mm if I remember right) from the fuel filler neck, and to unclip the tail light harness (clip should be above the licence plate, or between the licence plate and left (driver) side tail light. or remove the lenses and feed the wires down.). The bed bolts are a T-55 torques and you may need to get a breaker bar (long arm, strong arm, L handle, ect) on it, and if one brakes (like in my case) the bolts, are quite pricy, and are a Ford Only item (I paid about $12 for 1 bolt, and about $15 for one of the "nuts", thats when I ran it through the shop account, I love that part about working in a garage, thats CDN funds as well). Ya, when I was doing my box swap, I forgot about the tail light wiring, and ripped my apart, so I used the one out of the doner truck, luckly, it worked.

**wahlstrom1** · 08-27-2007, 08:49 PM

I pulled the straps, bent the guard out of the way and pulled the rear driveshaft and it came out.....oh damn, wait....I removed the crossmember when I did my one piece driveshaft swap...goodluck, lol.

-andrew

RCC · 08-27-2007, 09:19 PM

Hey wahlstrom1,

Said you "removed" that cross member and went
to a one piece drive shaft. Did you put it back in?
I ain't changing my shaft, so I have to retain the
carrier bearing. Wondering if there would be any
problems later if grind the rivets off, take the cross
member out and bolt it back in when I'm done.

Don't have the T55 Torx socket for bed removal and
the thought of breaking one of those "pricey" bolts
doesn't encourage me much. What I do have is a side
grinder, cutting/grinding discs, and a bunch of grade 8
nuts& bolts.

What to do, what to do....remove bed or cross member?

**brendank** · 08-27-2007, 11:12 PM

Why make more work then you have to by removing the bed? Just grind off the rivets and then bolt the crossmember back on. There's nothing wrong with doing that. I switched to a one piece a few years ago and I've been running with no crossmember ever since.

High Desert Ranger · 08-27-2007, 11:22 PM

Try jacking the truck up in the back by the frame and let the rear end drop down.
Then maybe you can slide the gas tank back and let the front fall.

Jeepman401 · 08-27-2007, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOSS302Man

You can't do a search under the old forum, but everybody always says it's easier to take the bed off any Ranger than try to drop the tank. 6 bolts and it's off. It's got to be the best way to replace a sending unit or fuel pump, rather than work under a dirty truck.

Its much easier to pull the bed.
Do it all the time at work

08-27-2007, 01:38 PM	#1
RCC Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gaston, SC Year: '85 & '96 Make: Ford Model: B2 & Rngr Posts: 43 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	get tanked Hey TRS'ers, I have a '96 extended cab Ranger and need to get the gas tank off. Hole in it somewhere. The blasted thing is about 6' long and front part rests on a non-removable cross member. I can't slide it back enough to clear that cross member without hitting the rear axle. HOW do I get the tank out short of taking the rear end loose or cutting the cross member?? RCC __________________ Lookin' to learn...
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08-27-2007, 01:42 PM	#2
ZSK Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Jacksonville, FL Year: 2004 Make: Ford Model: F-150 Engine: 5.4 Class: 2WD Posts: 151 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	I assume that you already have the bed off? Or are you trying to removed it from under the truck? __________________ Past: 1996 Ext. Cab 2wd XLT 4.0 auto, Flowmaster 40, K&N, Jet Chip, AAL, Rough Country 4" lift with 31's and 4.10's Present: 2004 F150 Crew cab 5.4 2wd auto
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08-27-2007, 01:44 PM	#3
JohnnyU "Outlaw" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chillicothe, Illinois Year: 1991 Make: Chevrolet Model: K-3500 Engine: TBI 350 Class: 4x4 Extreme Used For: Exploration Posts: 4,355 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (2)	Remove the straps and drop it out the bottom.... __________________ Trail Rig (1) - 1991 Chevy Silverado - [Build Thread] (SOLD 12/2/2011) Trail Rig (2) - 2007 Polaris Sportsman 500HO EFI Tow Rig - 2004 Dodge Ram CTD - [Build Thread] Earth Resin Offroad
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08-27-2007, 02:13 PM	#4
RCC Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gaston, SC Year: '85 & '96 Make: Ford Model: B2 & Rngr Posts: 43 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	Hey JohnnyU, Obviously, you ain't never tried this on a '96. With every line, hose, and strap taken off, the tank don't drop nowhere! Just hangs by the front of the tank over that freakin' cross member. ZSK, no. I have not taken the bed off, but I thought about it. Been underneath and it seems impossible. Gave that cross member a stern look. It supports the front of the tank and the drive shaft carrier bearing. Almost ready to grind the rivets off! IF that thing were removable, the tank WOULD just drop down. RCC __________________ Lookin' to learn...
	Tweet

08-27-2007, 03:55 PM	#5
BOSS302Man Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lebanon, PA Engine: 4.0 overhead x Posts: 61 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	You can't do a search under the old forum, but everybody always says it's easier to take the bed off any Ranger than try to drop the tank. 6 bolts and it's off. It's got to be the best way to replace a sending unit or fuel pump, rather than work under a dirty truck.
	Tweet

08-27-2007, 08:09 PM	#6
RCC Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gaston, SC Year: '85 & '96 Make: Ford Model: B2 & Rngr Posts: 43 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	BOSS302Man, Yep, I came to that conclusion after looking at all the other alternatives. Still a pisser that Ford had to rivet that mid cross member in place. If it just unbolted, the tank would fall right out from underneath. So, I'm going to start pulling the bed tomorrow. Got to get this tank out. See if I can repair it. Anybody ever made a permanent repair on one of these polyethylene tanks? Otherwise, I'll be looking for a replacement. __________________ Lookin' to learn...
	Tweet

08-27-2007, 08:19 PM	#7
Shoeboy Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Calgary, Canada Year: 2001 Make: Chrysler Model: PT "Loser" Cruiser Engine: 2.4L Class: FWD Posts: 738 Rep Power: 13 iTrader: (0)	When pulling the bed, remeber about the 3 bolts (7mm if I remember right) from the fuel filler neck, and to unclip the tail light harness (clip should be above the licence plate, or between the licence plate and left (driver) side tail light. or remove the lenses and feed the wires down.). The bed bolts are a T-55 torques and you may need to get a breaker bar (long arm, strong arm, L handle, ect) on it, and if one brakes (like in my case) the bolts, are quite pricy, and are a Ford Only item (I paid about $12 for 1 bolt, and about $15 for one of the "nuts", thats when I ran it through the shop account, I love that part about working in a garage, thats CDN funds as well). Ya, when I was doing my box swap, I forgot about the tail light wiring, and ripped my apart, so I used the one out of the doner truck, luckly, it worked.
	Tweet

08-27-2007, 09:19 PM	#9
RCC Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Gaston, SC Year: '85 & '96 Make: Ford Model: B2 & Rngr Posts: 43 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	Hey wahlstrom1, Said you "removed" that cross member and went to a one piece drive shaft. Did you put it back in? I ain't changing my shaft, so I have to retain the carrier bearing. Wondering if there would be any problems later if grind the rivets off, take the cross member out and bolt it back in when I'm done. Don't have the T55 Torx socket for bed removal and the thought of breaking one of those "pricey" bolts doesn't encourage me much. What I do have is a side grinder, cutting/grinding discs, and a bunch of grade 8 nuts& bolts. What to do, what to do....remove bed or cross member? __________________ Lookin' to learn...
	Tweet

08-27-2007, 11:12 PM	#10
brendank It's only money... Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Year: 1993 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Posts: 633 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (2)	Why make more work then you have to by removing the bed? Just grind off the rivets and then bolt the crossmember back on. There's nothing wrong with doing that. I switched to a one piece a few years ago and I've been running with no crossmember ever since. __________________ Blue 93 Ranger 4.0L 4x4 5spd, 38.5's on 16x10's EB coils, 6" Skyjacker Leafs, Belltech 6400's, Bilstein 5150's Fullwidth D60, Lockright, 5.38's, Dedenbear C's 14BFF, 5.38's, Detroit, Disc Braked 3" B/L, Dual batteries, 9500lb winch, Bushwacker cutouts Last edited by brendank; 08-27-2007 at 11:16 PM.
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08-27-2007, 11:22 PM	#11
High Desert Ranger Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: High Desert, Calif Year: 1987 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Posts: 247 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	Try jacking the truck up in the back by the frame and let the rear end drop down. Then maybe you can slide the gas tank back and let the front fall.
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