Better to drop tank or remove bed?

[cold_steel]

My '97 stepside recently developed a leaky filler hose and I burned the $250 for a new one from Ford yesterday. What would be the better install method- dropping the tank or removing the bed for easier access? Anyone have any experience with this? Give me a heads up on any pitfalls etc, thanks!

 

[Destroyer000]

i would recommend removing the bed.. soooo much more room to work.. 6 bolts 3 bolts for filler neck an a wiring harness clip an off she comes.. i can have mine off in under 10 minutes...deff beats crawling under the truck an getting crud in your eyes an what not..

 

[RobbieD]

Done it both ways on older year models; I definitely prefer pulling the bed off. Yours is relatively new, so the big bed-to-frame bolts shouldn't be too bad; just hose 'em good with PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench a couple of days before pulling it. And when you put the bed back on, go underneath and cover the bed bolt threads with white grease; that'll help if you pull the bed again in the future.

 

[cold_steel]

Ok sounds like the bed is coming off... The procedure with the filler neck seems pretty straight forward, detach the ground strap and hose clamp and off she comes... am I missing anything?

 

[RobbieD]

No, I don't think so. It's like you say- pretty straight forward. Based on the most recent truck I've done this to, a '94, you need a T-55 Torx for the 6 bed bolts (older long beds may have 8); the three 7mm screws holding the filler neck to bed flange, and disconnecting the rear lights' wiring harness. You'll have to look at the harness on yours; if anything that's different from the older ones. You can either clear the bed completely (best with a couple of people helping), or just prop up the driver side to change the filler neck. Good luck, and git 'r done!

 

[DRanger024]

On my 94 I ended up having to remove the tail lights to unplug them and then I could take the bed off. Just a thought.

 

[cold_steel]

Ok thanks for all the help guys... I bought some PB Blaster as you suggested and let that soak in (only needed a few minutes in my case,) disconnected everything, used some elbow grease on the bed bolts and viola... naked Ranger. For anyone searching around with the same question I had- please, do yourself a favor and pull the bed off... it is sooo much less work than dropping the tank would be even on the best day. Thanks again guys, you saved me a major headache.

P.S. The filler neck fixed everything up, no more splashing around my feet when I pull up to the pump

P.P.S. On my '97 there is a single connection for the tail lights right behind the bumper, just disconnected it.

 

[RobbieD]

Good deal, cold_steel! Glad to hear that it turned out good, and thanks for letting us know how it went.

DRanger024, you're right. I had to pop the taillights out to unplug the bulb sockets, and then there was a few harness clips underneath that needed undoing. Thanks; I had forgotten that part.

 

[DRanger024]

Glad everything worked out for ya man!

Robbie - I've had my box off my truck soooo many times I could do it with my eyes closed. lol