Custom Fuel Tank

[Damage, Inc.]

Anyone here build their own? I'm thinking of fabbing my own and am kind of nervous about the whole process. (I know 'that one guy' down south has a custom tank, but I don't know if he bought it or fabbed it.)

I'd greatly appreciate any advice / hints / suggestions / threats, because this will probably be Saturday's project.

Thanks!

[River Beast]

mid 80's Bronco tank... but they hang low for no lifted FSJ....

33 gallon tank is 15" deep and the 25 gallon is 12" deep.

if you have a bodylift... you can tuck it up further in the frame 3"....

[River Beast]

mid 80's Bronco tank... but they hang low for no lifted FSJ....

33 gallon tank is 15" deep and the 25 gallon is 12" deep.

if you have a bodylift... you can tuck it up further in the frame 3"....

[Damage, Inc.]

I was going with the Ford fuel tank (I still have it), but I'm not going to do the body lift, and I still want the fuel tank back in the rear in that position. So...custom its probably got to be.

[tuck]

Mine is basically the same as the smaller bronco tank... it fits right behind the rear axle between the frame rails. It was so easy to install... probably easier than most aftermarket FSJ tanks. smile.gif

I thought about making a tank... but I didn't know what I was doing as far as baffles, sending unit, pickups etc. so I just found a good shaped tank at the junkyard and threw it in.

I have a picture of it installed, but it's not hosted online, so I would have to email it.

also, it looks like you're a Dodge fan. I'm thinking about getting a 1970 Chrysler 300 with a 440 4bbl in it. Any tips or advice? Is it a pretty good motor? Have you thought about swapping a Mopar motor into a FSJ?

[Damage, Inc.]

Mopars rule....your wallet!! If I had the opportunity to buy a 1970 300, I'd definitely buy it, especially if it's a convertible. When I bought my first RoadRunner, they weren't 'in style', now they are and the prices are going way too high.
The 440 is an absolute monster, but its real performance lies in WOT use.

As for putting a Mopar into a Jeep; as I said, aftermarket Mopar products are PRICEY. Very PRICEY.

[FSJ Thing]

Damage! I'll take that tank off your hands if you don't have another use for it! I'd drive down there and get it! If you are willing to part with it, how much you want and what did it come out of?

EDIT>>>>I wrote "....bronco tank off your...." then remembered you never specified that it was a bronco tank. I just know that Todd did that mod and that's why I want one.

[ May 12, 2003, 03:36 PM: Message edited by: WagoThing ]

[Damage, Inc.]

Haha...my Dad has dibs on it for his Jeep...Sorry!!
But, if you want one, they're $20 at A1 in the Springs. They've got at least 5 there.

[FSJ Thing]

Cool Thanks Damage! Do you know if A1 is open on Weekends?

[Damage, Inc.]

Saturday and Sunday. It's $1 to get in and then you have to pay for the parts.
Keep in mind that each of the tanks there has a hole punched in it (around 1/4"); it's the law for yards, so you'll have to weld it/get it welded. Good Luck!

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Though I can weld..........I do not trust myself for the construction of a tank. BOOM!!!! :eek: :eek:

[Wagillac]

I think when the time comes I will built a custom tank for my wag to fit in the rear. The bronco tank just seams to hang low even with the 3" body lift. Later I will prolly go with a body lift but that would need bigger tires to fit the wheel wells and new axles for the larger tires.......

[Stolen76]

You can get an aluminum or stainless steel tank made up to your specs. Find a good sized marina and get the name of their welder. They are built to good tolerances to meet coast guard specs and are not as high as you might expect. The last boat I did in FL with custom tanks ran $500 for the pair of 250 gallon tanks. I'm sure a 30 gallon would be pretty inexpensive as far as custom work goes.

[Damage, Inc.]

Please not the location for Damage, Inc.! :D
I thought about getting one custom built, but that's 3 bills; halfway to an Ox locker. I figure for $50 in steel and another $20 in fittings, I can build my own.

Two U-Shaped pieces, baffled on the bottom then welded together, and viola. H3ll...should be easy!! :D :D :D

[Wagillac]

How thick would you make the tank? Make the tank thing and and make a skid plate or make the tank thick so a skid isnt needed? Make the bottom thicker as a skid and the rest thin? What kind of baffles would you add?

Just some questions/ideas...
What do you need to weld stainless with a mig, and how much more would it cost? I would use aluminum but i dont have a spool gun ect to weld it.

[ May 12, 2003, 10:24 PM: Message edited by: Evan FSJ ]

[Tad]

I have done a gas tank before, not hard but gasoline is very good at finding pinholes, traveling down seams and coming out someplace else. Still a doable project if you have the right tools.

If it was going to do one again, I'd go Stainless or AL and TIG it. Last roll of stainless wire I bought for a MIG setup was about $150, plus you'll need Argon as a shielding gas.

I would go with a seperate skidplate to take the hit. A thicker bottom might survive but could cause a crack in a seam elsewhere.

The baffles can just be panels with holes to slow the side-side and back-forward motion of the sloshing fuel.

[Damage, Inc.]

I'm not sure about the material; I plan on asking around. The welds I'm not worried about--I can do pretty flawless seams so long as I don't drink. smile.gif

As for the skidplate/bottom, I'm thinking of making it large/high enough that I don't have to worry about taking hits on it. (Either that or making it taper up in the back.)

The baffles are easy, just some vertical slats in a tic-tac-toe pattern and your fuel pickup sets in the middle.

More questions and suggestions, please. I want to thoroughly think this through!!

Thanks.

[maxrad]

Damage,

Sounds like a good reason for us to get together. I have an aftermarket tank that was made for that location that I have not yet installed. I found it at A1 without a hole (probably just overlooked) from a '70s era cherokee and you can take all the measurements, etc. you want...

I'm located at Ft. Carson but I can bring it to your local. I work on weekends but free during the workweek.

[maxrad]

BTW,

A1 just put a J20 on line with all the 8 bolt axles and complete drivetrain intact.

[Damage, Inc.]

Hmmm...Thursday and Friday afternoon I have off (kind-of). Yeah, I'd like to see it. Let me know when a time is convenient for you.

[maxrad]

Take your pick. I'll make time. Send me a PM when and where. It should only take an hour for you taking pics dimensions, etc.

[Stolen76]

to weld up your own, lean towards stainless steel, it bends. with a good hit to it the aluminum would be more prone to cracking.

for the sending unit, get an adjustable for an older vehicle or from marine supply. they have a flat flange mount with a 5 hole bolt pattern that seals up with a rubber gasket. pick up and returns are easy, just weld in stainless bungs.

[Damage, Inc.]

Great info, thanks! smile.gif

[Zacko]

When my couisn and I built one for his CJ we went with 14 gauge steel throughout. We paid a little weight penalty but really didn't need to worry about a skid plate. It was also a little more forgiving in the welding dept since you could burn a bigger bead. If you build your own I suggest making a carboard mock up first. It doesn't take a lot of cubic inches to get another gallon (231 to be exact). And an 1/8 inch of interference is too much.
A shop here in Grand Junction makes tanks from aluminum diamond plate that look awesome. If mine was anywhere that you could see it I'd have it made from that.

[wy_white_wolf]

Don't know if this will help. I took a tank from an early 60's ford falcon and installed in the back of my GW. It was only 12 gallons but with y's in the fill and vent tubes and an electric pump to dump it into main tank it increased my capacity. I can now go almost 450 miles on the highway between fillups and only have one place to fill.

[jeepguzzi]

If I had the time and the proper junkyards available, I would go searching for a late '60's to mid '80's GM car that filled from the back. Those tanks are usually under the trunk, aren't they? See if you can get one with dimensions that will fit the frame rails and still be fairly thin and short enough to clear the rear diff.

[Damage, Inc.]

I'm getting the metal tomorrow--it'll probably be done this weekend--post pics when it's done.

Thanks to all, once again!

[Wagillac]

I hope it works out good. I wont get around to that on mine for at least another month or so prolly.

[Tad]

Originally posted by jeepguzzi:
..I would go searching for a late '60's to mid '80's GM car that filled from the back...From the back??
Sounds like a lot of work. Couple months ago I found a mid 70's GM van, filled from left side, close enough to work. $20, them I realized that my measurments were based on the frame rails and did not include room for the exhaust :(
Have not had time to go back looking again.