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Tucking the stock fuel tank

joez

joez

1/2 ton status
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New Lenox, Illinois
I am sick of my horrible departure angle, and am going to be fabbing up a new rear bumper, re-reouting my exhaust, and eliminating the rear lower section under the tailights. But this still leaves the stock fuel tank hanging way down. I have a 2" BL, and have no intention of getting rid of it anytime soon. The question i have, is has anybody raised their fueltank up higher into the framerails to keep from dragging it? I figure with the 2" BL i should be able to bring it up at least 2", if not more, from stock by just using some square tubing to raise the mounting surface, like a spacer. I could then make up a new, thicker skid plate that i could place closer to the tank and hopefully get the tank out of the dirt. How many of you have tucked it up further?

Fuel cell and moving the tank into the back are out of the question, this truck still gets driven everywhere it gets wheeled and roadtripped with family, i need all the space i can get back there.
 
Just don't go as high:D


aae.sized.jpg


Here is a link to the rest of the pictures.
http://www.socalbigdawgs.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album41
 
If you look at the picture above you can see the original straps just above the rear crossmember. They go up and over and attach to another crossmember in front of the tank.
 
While making the stock skidplate worthless, the smaller tank would give you 2" more clearance IIRC.

I'd hate to have a small tank in a driven K5 though! :)
 
Yeah, i wondered about that, but i like my big tank. Its nice on long trips. Ill have to take a closer look at it tommarow in the daylight and try and figure out what to do with it. Esteban86K5, thanks for the pics, i dont think i want to go that far, but it gives me a starting point to look at.
 
No problem.

I have been asked a lot why i didn't just go with a smaller fuel cell. But like you I like haveing the bigger tank. I don't take road trips with it anymore, but when I do long trails I don't have to worry about running out and I don't have to carry more than 5 gallon tank. And that's just for those "just in case" incidents.:D
 
i say put a tow kit on there and call it a day. you will never really get stuck on your tank or tow kit unless all four tires are off the ground which isn't easy to do unless you are blind. The kit will give you a little less clearence but will protect the tank and you aint gonna break it. I've come down BIG drop offs at construction sites and slammed it real hard. with no problems. a 6000 lb should do it. If you want the ground clearence then by all means go for the clearence.
 
I already drag the rear hard, all the hitch is going to do is get me hung up even worse and kill my departure angle even more.
 
I agree about the hitch being added protection as mine has taken some beatings in the past. But it does KILL your departure angle. If I didn't have a front locker I wouldn't have been able to drag my ass end off rock ledges (rear tires totally off the ground!)
 
Not a hitch, a tow kit. take the hitch out and mob but leave the tow bar in. departure angle will only be affected by an inch or two and you can drag the thing as long as you own that truck without problems. In fact your departure angle won't be affected hardly at all if you wheel it now with a bumper. will just protect what your draging now.

If your front two tires are on the ground you should be able to free it up... unless you REALLY GRAB it on a rock but at least it aint your tank that's hooked up on the rock.:cool1: I've had the rears off the ground a couple times with open diffs all around and i pulled myself off no problems. If your real hung up take your fronts down to about 8 psi.... thell start to grab and pull no problem.

Unless you do a lot of heavy rock crawling i would still go with a tow kit. unless three or more tires are off the ground you can get out. If you get that hung up on the frame or kit it probably would have destroyed your bumber(on the rocks)
 
My bad, That is a pretty good idea. I am building some bumpers for my rig when I get home. Maybe I will cut the hitch part off and leave the tow bracket. Couldn't hurt to have a little xtra protection.
 
It will still hurt my departure angle, i am running a 2" body lift that is not going anywhere anytime soon. The bumper has already been mangled, and it was adjusted the 2" with the BL. That tank just hangs way to low for my liking. Im gonna see what i can do with it tommarow between classes.
 
Is your hitch on your bumber?

I have a slide hitch with a pin. Just pull the pin and departure angle gets a lot better.


Yeah with body lift it would probably be a good idea to just raise up the tank but if you want to put a new bumper on it any time soon might want to pick up a tow bar for 75 bucks. won't jack up bumbers. Like i said it will only be about an inch or two and you can drag it all you want I have yet to see a broken tow bar. Inch or two won't be noticable. I couldn't tell the difference on my dep angle. Just changes how hard you drag your ass.
 
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