[BettyThaBronco]

so im new to the bronco world, startin young i guess, 17, but i love it. making this my first project truck.

anyways, ive got a 45 gal after market gas tank on my 85 xlt that had to be removed to drain the old gas out, (had been sitting a while), i got it all off, just two simple supports bolted to the frame with four nut and bolt sets, got it all unhooked from the lines and whatnot and took it home to drain it.

fast forward 2 days, tank is drained and cleaned out, ready to go back on. replaced some old dry rot fuel lines, lookin pretty good, but the damn thing wont go back on. just something about the skid plate and the supports and all dont line up anymore and i cant figure out why.

pretty much the last step before she's out on the roads and in the mud, so i would love to get some advice.

can anyone help?

Thanks, Ethan

 

[redbeast9]

Once those staps are bent to remove the Tank they can be a biotch to get back in place!!!! You just have to man up and force then close enough to get the bolts started and then let the bolt draw them up tight into place. As far as the skid plate. Its probley beat a bit I would guess and when you unbolted it, it releaves it self so the bolt holes may not line up exactly now. Its not a big deal, get the bolts started that will and then pry or hammer until its close enough to get the others started. I hope this helps, Good Luck.

 

[broncoxlt4x4]

get one of the bolts started on the strap, then either get a buddy to press up on the tank/skidplate and move the other straps around. Might ake some caressing from a hammer... Maybe even some racheting straps might help....

 

[KC200787]

If you have a big enough floor jack to lift up the tank and hold it, do that (If you have a peice of wood, that will help make the tank more stable while lifting). That gives you some free hands to work with. How are the straps so badly distorted? They are ment to fit tight. Just get a slightly longer bolt to draw the straps up on. That makes it much easier.

KC

 

[BettyThaBronco]

Thanks guys for the help. the straps got bent when removing it in the first place . they kinda went back into shape when i bolted it down again but i kinda used a combo of all suggestions. floor jack, hammer, and elbow grease. got it on with some help from a help from my uncle. used lock nuts to secure it on there because there wasnt enough slack to get the straps flush with the frame like i had remembered it being, but i dont know if that was even how it was in the first place. for that reason i invested in a cheap-o digital camera to serve as another memory.

now that i have the tank on, gotta figure out why the thing will crank till the cows come home but wont turn over.