Kartoon
1/2 ton status
im going to be putting in my ORD shackle flip on the rear of my suburban. i need to drop the tank so i can get to the inside of the frame. whats the best, easiest, safest way to do this? any help is appreciated
CK5
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tips on dropping gas tank
- Thread starter Kartoon
- Start date
eric22
1/2 ton status
my idiot friends just cut the straps... ooops 
RustBuket
1/2 ton status
Make sure its empty or at least close to it cause its heavy as heck! You have to drop it down a bit so you can get to all the hoses, and electrical connections. Make sure you take them *all* off and don't forget any....don't ask me how I know...lol
adamforsythe
1/2 ton status
First dsconnect your filler hose.
Now there are three ways you can do this.
The first way should take you about 1 min to drop the tank. All you need is a BIG tree and a logging chain.
The second way is two cut the straps.
The third way is to get a few floor jacks. Raise the jacks up to the tank. Then undo the straps and lower the tank. Unhook lines as the tank drops. TIP: lower the tank VERY slow if you don't you will break stuff.
Thanks
Adam
Now there are three ways you can do this.
The first way should take you about 1 min to drop the tank. All you need is a BIG tree and a logging chain.
The second way is two cut the straps.
The third way is to get a few floor jacks. Raise the jacks up to the tank. Then undo the straps and lower the tank. Unhook lines as the tank drops. TIP: lower the tank VERY slow if you don't you will break stuff.
Thanks
Adam
Kartoon
1/2 ton status
thanks for the help. that recent post was very useful
Just started this recently. I got the bumper off which was not needed. Niether is the hitch which was a pain to remove. Removing the heat shield takes some work to get it off the lip of the tank but it comes off with removing 6 bolts. This was not as heavy as I thought it was. I used a jack to support it.
I have yet to lower the tank. I;m really concerned about breaking stuff. The connections are way inside the middle and it is hard to reach in see what to do. I;m not sure how many connections but at least 3. My concern is that some of the connections are steal lines and that I might bend them. All the fuel hose should be replaced with new as it looks really bad. I tought about removing the clamps in the fender well for the gas inlet to the tank.
I have yet to lower the tank. I;m really concerned about breaking stuff. The connections are way inside the middle and it is hard to reach in see what to do. I;m not sure how many connections but at least 3. My concern is that some of the connections are steal lines and that I might bend them. All the fuel hose should be replaced with new as it looks really bad. I tought about removing the clamps in the fender well for the gas inlet to the tank.
Personally I take the fill lines for the tank loose from the fill end (instead of tank end) because you can get to them. Unless they have been off lately, they are a real pain to twist loose.
I put a floor jack under the tank, remove the straps, and slowly let the tank down. Almost invariably whatever gas is in there shifts just enough to cock the tank, but all the lines (including the fill lines still attached to the tank) do a good job of holding it steady about where I need it. Then I just reposition the floor jack so the tank won't go lower, and disconnect everything at the sender, and finally drop it straight down.
If you were really worried about the tank dropping, if you have a floor jack (must for working on any vehicle IMO) you could build up wood supports on either side, so even if it did slip off the jack, it wouldn't fall very far. There really isn't much room for the tank to fall though, as when it cocks on the floor jack, in my experience it hits the body with the high corner, and wedges against the frame at the other end.
I put a floor jack under the tank, remove the straps, and slowly let the tank down. Almost invariably whatever gas is in there shifts just enough to cock the tank, but all the lines (including the fill lines still attached to the tank) do a good job of holding it steady about where I need it. Then I just reposition the floor jack so the tank won't go lower, and disconnect everything at the sender, and finally drop it straight down.
If you were really worried about the tank dropping, if you have a floor jack (must for working on any vehicle IMO) you could build up wood supports on either side, so even if it did slip off the jack, it wouldn't fall very far. There really isn't much room for the tank to fall though, as when it cocks on the floor jack, in my experience it hits the body with the high corner, and wedges against the frame at the other end.
scrappy88
1/2 ton status
Is it really necessary to completely remove the tank to do this? I'm about ready to put a shackle flip on my Blazer but I was hoping to just lower the tank just enough to get my hand inside the frame rails, hopefully without disconnecting anything except the filler hose.
eric22 said:my idiot friends just cut the straps... ooops
This is what I did when I swapped tanks (mine was beat to hell from the previous owner
) Tank straps were like $20 new Then cut all the old lines and replaced everything might as well while your're in there. 
I hate putting old worn out parts back on
How far can the the tank be lowered from the top of the tank the the lower part of the frame near the tank?
enough to bolt the flip on but why not replace those old crusty lines while you have it dropped? 
