Swapping larger gas tank into Short Bed?

[96firephoenix]

Well, it looks like my beater truck is beaten, and I will probably be parting it out. or posting it here for a basis for someone else to throw money at.

It is a former fleet truck, and it has a 21 gallon fuel tank. That was a shock the first time I filled it up, after seeing in the owner's manual that it was either 17 or 15 gallons.

This tank and the one on my short bed ranger both start at the cab/bed gap and go to just before the rear axle. Except that the long bed has an extra foot or so to play with at the axle end of the equation.

I would be able to remove all the straps and attach them to the frame on the short-bed at various points if need-be.

I'm wondering if it poses any sort of safety risk to have a foot of gas tank under the driver's seat.

I don't do any off-roading in this truck, and my main motivation for doing this would be the boost in range from 400-600 miles.

Thoughts?

 

[97RangerXLT]

Wouldn't worry about it. Most passenger cars have the gas tank right below the back seat.

Heck trucks in the 60s had the gas tank in the cab behind the seat.

One thing that you might want to check is how the filler neck lines up. If it is in a different place than the original, you will need to make a custom filler.

As long as you can safely hang it you should be fine unless your state has strict inspections.

AJ

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[96firephoenix]

Wouldn't worry about it. Most passenger cars have the gas tank right below the back seat.

Heck trucks in the 60s had the gas tank in the cab behind the seat.

One thing that you might want to check is how the filler neck lines up. If it is in a different place than the original, you will need to make a custom filler.

As long as you can safely hang it you should be fine unless your state has strict inspections.

AJ

I hadn't considered the filler neck... That will take some custom fabrication

As for the state inspection, I'm down in Indy, so you know how strict my state's inspections are

This will definitely be fuel for a tech article on conversions... pun intended.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Awesome! I am in Fishers, just a few miles NE of Indy. what part of Indy are you in?

AJ

 

[96firephoenix]

SE side... I-74 and I-465 ish...

Appears I will need an extended cab pump assembly if I'm going to stick the front end under the cab. has a dog-leg so you can slip it in under the backseat with the bed off.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Well as of a week or so ago on Friday, the Indy Pull a Part had several gen 3 Rangers, and at least 3 or 4 extended cabs. might be a cheap way to get it going or do feasibility studies as to if it would even work.

I am curious as to how it will all work out, take pictures and document document document

AJ