Gas tank mount under bed

[LarryH88bt]

The hangers for the j-bolts under the bed aren't what they used to be. I managed to weld some thin steel over the rotten holes with a stick welder and 1/16 quick strike rods (absolutely terrible rods, I was cursing up a storm). I ran out of time with the rental mig I had. Anyway, they will accept the j-bolts but it isn't pretty nor is it exactly a solid fix. What I'm planning on doing now is drilling through the floor of the bed and using carriage bolts. Anyone do this? I need to decide on where exactly to drill; right where the j-bolt hangers are or a little further out, but I think further out from the hanger won't line up with the tank straps.

[Pete M]

I don't remember reading of anyone that's done that. I've drilled through the bed for all sorts of reasons, but never the tank hangers. :D

[Walkenvol]

IIRC, there was a build thread from Europe where they wanted their bed easily removable and didn't want the bed supporting anything. Fabbed 2 pieces of channel across the frame and hung the tank and parking brake assembly from those. Might be a good solution for your rust issues?

[jimmy21669]

IIRC, there was a build thread from Europe where they wanted their bed easily removable and didn't want the bed supporting anything. Fabbed 2 pieces of channel across the frame and hung the tank and parking brake assembly from those. Might be a good solution for your rust issues?

 

 

I like that idea....

[Joop]

Found it: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1642

 

Thinking about something like that myself, exept I would make one channel longitudinal beetween the lover rear of the cab and the X in the frame.

[jpnjim]

I used some 3/8" hardware, with thick/wide fender washers to bolt one of my shock mounts through the floor of the bed once (temporarily)........

 

 

Ripped two perfect holes right through the floor, pulling the fenderwashers and all right through.

 

 

Shocks are a different kind of load than a gas tank,

but I wouldn't hang anything heavy through the floor of the bed (again :doh: ).

[LarryH88bt]

I was thinking about something like that at one point. I may reconsider it now, that fix looks great. Depends on how much steel I have in the garage but I don't have the welder anymore so I'd probably bolt it behind the bed mounts. But then it might sit too low and I might need new straps to keep the tank tight in place.

 

I also agree there needs to be a third piece going from the x-member to the cab. And tie in that rear most e-brake bracket mount.

 

Dunno, I just want to get this thing back together before a heavy snow.

 

 

I used some 3/8" hardware, with thick/wide fender washers to bolt one of my shock mounts through the floor of the bed once (temporarily)........

 

 

Ripped two perfect holes right through the floor, pulling the fenderwashers and all right through.

 

 

Shocks are a different kind of load than a gas tank,

but I wouldn't hang anything heavy through the floor of the bed (again :doh: ).

 

Planning to run a flat piece of steel under the bolts along the floor to avoid something like this ;)

[jpnjim]

 

I used some 3/8" hardware, with thick/wide fender washers to bolt one of my shock mounts through the floor of the bed once (temporarily)........

 

 

Ripped two perfect holes right through the floor, pulling the fenderwashers and all right through.

 

 

Shocks are a different kind of load than a gas tank,

but I wouldn't hang anything heavy through the floor of the bed (again :doh: ).

 

Planning to run a flat piece of steel under the bolts along the floor to avoid something like this ;)

 

Yeah, I was young & dumb (and in need of a quick fix).