My Waggy Gas tank/hitch write up

[jeepsohigh]

I just got finished doing my first fab job on the waggy. I have had my rig for a little over a year now and short of changing the oil and putting on some wheels and tires, I have done nothing else.:) ....so it was time to fix one of the many "boody fab" items the PO did.

A little about my wagoneer:

It is a 77 with a perfect boobie grill:cool:
Its rusty
It has a chevy 3/4 ton suburban drivetrain:eek:
SOA front/X-over steering
Shackle flip and blocks in back
It's rusty (did I already say that?)
MT classic wheels and 33" tires

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggy052.jpg
I will start with telling you what kind of tank was in it. The PO put in a XJ 15 gal tank with a big dent in it so I could only get about 9 gal in it (I am not sure if he put it in dented or dented it after the fact)

Here it is after I pulled it
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch005.jpg
It was held on by the straps which were zip screwed to the body:rolleyes:

I then pulled the bumper off and got all the straps and old fuel lines taken down and out.

I am also putting the trailer hitch on that I have had in the garage for the last year.

After I took the bumper off I realized the rear X-member had been hacked on so I decided to make that stronger as well. Its hard to tell, but it looks like it was cut in the middle and welded back together. ALSO the lower edge had been cut on.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch025.jpg
I decided to use some 1/4 angle that I already had and bolt it to the back and underside. ALL with 1/2" grade 8 bolts
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch032.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch037.jpg

With the new X-member and hitch in place, I moved on to the tank and skid plate. Now, keep in mind I am not going to take this off road, so getting max clearance wasn't the goal. but for those keep score, it is 6.5" below the hitch

I bought a new 33 gal Bronco tank and went to the junk yard to get a skid plate. The skid plate had a hole punched in it so the yard could drain the old gas out. I hammered it flat and welded it up.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch007.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch021.jpg

I made some tank straps out of coated cable and turnbuckles (to snug it up) and started a rear bar to bolt to the tank and the new 1/4 inch angle iron frame X-Member.

This is what I came up with

It is just 2" square stock, 2" cuts of small angle and small gussets. I drilled holes and welded the bolts to the top. I will then bolt the 2" stock to the bottem of the frame angle when I place the tank
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch040.jpg
I placed the tank under the jeep and put it where I wanted it. I then made a X-Member out of the same 2" stock but wanted the skid plate to be on top of it to give my shocks some room.

I cut up some square tube and then cut that piece in half at 3/4 inch to fit the flat spots on the tank skid. I then welded nuts on the bottom side so I could use bolts from the top.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch043.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch047.jpg
Here is the X-member bolt brackets welded up
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch054.jpg
I then bolted it to the tank skid and placed it under the jeep again. I made a template out of cardboard for my attachment plates
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch060.jpg
I then cut them out of 1/4 plate and welded each side.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch063.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch064.jpg
I then bolted it in place on the frame.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch084.jpg
I put the tank back in to make sure it all fit and then tore it all out for paint.:cool:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch108.jpg
During this project I also made a few backing plates for the hitch so I painted them also.

After the paint was dry I put it ALL back together.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch109.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch112.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch120.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch131.jpg
It All fits nicely.:thumbsup:

Now comes the filler tube. Since I did not do a body lift I had a nasty angle over the frame to the filler outlet. I bought some exhaust fittings and a 2 foot section of 2 1/8 fuel hose. I only used about 4" of the hose at the tank. I cut the 90 deg pipe where I needed and put in a straight pipe to a reducer attaching it to the stock filler tube. I welded the seams and painted it up. When I started welding, I did not realize how hard it was to have a water tight weld. The seams leaked the first time I put gas in it and we spent 2 hours welding and testing before we got it right.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch094.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch121.jpg
I put it in the jeep (man it was a tight fit) and tightened the clamps. I then ran new rubber fuel lines to the new bronco sending unit and then ran all new tank vent hoses.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch129.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a289/jeepsohigh/waggygastank-trailerhitch130.jpg

Did I mention the waggy has some rust:D

I put in 5 gal of gas and fired it up. I then ran to the gas station and put in 20 gal (it was all the cash i had on me)

WOW I might be able to drive more than 90 miles now.

The next thing to do is get a fuel gauge going but as of yet I have not done that. I bought an aftermarket gauge that would work with the bronco sending unit and for now I will put it under the dash with a bracket next to my aftermarket temp gauge. I am going to be going with ALL aftermarket gauges with one of the Z&M panels.

I will post up pics of the gauge when I get it done


I want to thank all that have posted their projects in the past on IFSJA as it has given me lots of ideas. I would also like to thank my friend "kooter" for his help and his garage.

Please post any questions or comments as this was my first major fab project to speak of (just started welding):fsj:

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

:eek: FANTASTIC JOB! :eek:
I might be doing this to my rigs to fit the exhaust Id like. I like your way for my Cherokee...

[Bill Lawton]

Good job. I always enjoy posts with lots of Pic's.

[Woodchomper]

Jeepsohigh,

Nice writeup. Looks like we're neighbors. Is your wag the one Bushwacker was talking about (for sale on MWJT) a year or so ago?

Rich B.

[jeepsohigh]

Thanks guys, it has been a fun project.

Jeepsohigh,

Nice writeup. Looks like we're neighbors. Is your wag the one Bushwacker was talking about (for sale on MWJT) a year or so ago?

Rich B.

Hello rich, It is the waggy from MWJT. I bought after Bush passed on it. I have chatted with you at one of the "top shops" at Hanibal Rocks when I was drooling over your original Grand......:cool:

[Tad]

You do nice detailed Fab work, pat yourself on the back.
Comparitivly, you have very little rust.
:thumbsup:

[firecaptain13]

Very nice job. Do you have any clearance issues with the rear diff?

[fulszjep]

Looks nice. The filler neck looks real good.

[jeepsohigh]

Very nice job. Do you have any clearance issues with the rear diff?

None what so ever. I recal about 2-3" of space left. I will try and get a pic posted





Thanks for the positive feedback:D

[FSJeeper]

I love posts like this one. Outstanding work, quality execution of a good idea, and made perfectly clear through pictures and narration.

Excellent!

Are you going to start selling these? If so I would be interested.

[janie]

Wow. Your work is incredible. Thanks for sharing with us. You definitely need to treat yourself to a steak dinner and some fine spirits for a job well done.

[FSJ Guy]

VERY NICE.

[backpack09]

I would like to see how you run your exhaust with this setup.

[Mahamotorworks]

Looks good. Nice write up.

MAHA

[jeepsohigh]

Thanks for the kind words:thumbsup:there is always something to do on one of my jeeps so I was glad to get this project done...(and so was my wife)

. You definitely need to treat yourself to a steak dinner and some fine spirits for a job well done. Janie, I like your thinking:cool:


I would like to see how you run your exhaust with this setup. I still do need to do the exhaust, I just cut them behind the muffler but I am planning to take it out the side in front of the rear wheels. I will update this when I do.


I love posts like this one. Outstanding work, quality execution of a good idea, and made perfectly clear through pictures and narration.

Excellent!

Are you going to start selling these? If so I would be interested.
Maybe someday but as long as it took me to get it "right" I think I better keep the day job:eek:

[jeepsohigh]

The wag has been sold but I figured I would bump this to the top in case someone wants to change there own wag this winter:D