Gas tank removal

[ibtodd53]

I'm trying to replace my gas tank and I can't get the front strap past the driveshaft do I need to remove the driveshaft?

 

[Terrys87]

You don't need to remove the driveshaft. I kind of twisted it. One side is bolted, and the other end is like a "V" notch. I was able to lift it high enough up in the V to do a little twist. then get it below the drive shaft.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You have to make sure the gas tank is held up in place to finangle the strap out, but you don’t have to remove the driveshaft. If you let the tank down with the straps it binds everything up. So block or jack up under the tank but be careful, I’d use a big bit of wood against the bottom of the tank, you don’t want to crush it against the pump. When I’ve had to do straps or something, I use my trans jack under the tank but not everyone has one of those. If you’re trying to get to the fuel pump, personally I prefer pulling the bed, it’s way easier than laying under the truck trying to do it all.

 

[ibtodd53]

You have to make sure the gas tank is held up in place to finangle the strap out, but you don’t have to remove the driveshaft. If you let the tank down with the straps it binds everything up. So block or jack up under the tank but be careful, I’d use a big bit of wood against the bottom of the tank, you don’t want to crush it against the pump. When I’ve had to do straps or something, I use my trans jack under the tank but not everyone has one of those. If you’re trying to get to the fuel pump, personally I prefer pulling the bed, it’s way easier than laying under the truck trying to do it all.

Well I'm trying to get the tank off do I disconnect all the hose from the back or the front?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well I'm trying to get the tank off do I disconnect all the hose from the back or the front?

All the line connections are on the top of the tank. You won’t get the tank down very far before they start to hang up. It’s a little easier to get at them with the driveshaft out, but really it’s a pain either way

 

[Terrys87]

Remove all your bed bolts. Remove gas cap and remove the 3 screws hold fuel line to your bed. Disconnect taillight harness from main harness. Your taillights can stay with the bed there is a connector that separates the main and bed harness. 2 strong guys can lift the bed. I use 4 concrete blocks to set the bed on standing the blocks on end. Really no way of dropping tank and getting access at connectors on top. Removing bed makes things so much easier

 

[Kira]

Does the bed set directly on the frame or are there "rubber cushions"?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Does the bed set directly on the frame or are there "rubber cushions"?

Directly on the frame.

 

[Summers22]

I went to remove my bed, 2 rusted, not moving bolts and 1 with a broken star bit flush in its head. Grinding them off will be my only option and replacing them.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I went to remove my bed, 2 rusted, not moving bolts and 1 with a broken star bit flush in its head. Grinding them off will be my only option and replacing them.

Unfortunately, that happens. When I had to pull the bed on my red 92, someone had replaced the bolts with carriage bolts and tack welded them to the bed with 3-4 tacks. I wanted to smack whoever did it in the head, not that it would have done any good.

 

[Terrys87]

@Kira Bed sits directly on the frame. I used some rubber strips just to seperate the metals and prevent rattles.
@Summers22 I got to be a professional at cutting the heads of these bolts off. I think F-150 bed bolts are a direct replacement.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You can buy Ranger bed bolt sets off Amazon and EBay pretty cheap

Personally I slop them with a grease/oil mix I make to try to choke the rust out…

 

[rumblecloud]

I did my Sport Trac with F-150 bolts from Advance AP

 

[ccaissie]

cutting torch worked for me.....you'd think they would put some neverseize on these, or tar them up.....one snapped off...yep broke it, the others were just not moving...out came the blue wrench.