HR fuel tank hangers stripped

circleD · July 25, 2014, 11:34 PM

I have 6 bolts that hold up the gas tank with metal straps. There are 3 long bolts on the DS and 3 stubby ones on the PS. When installing the tank there is no tolerance on the holes in the straps and if you don't have the tank level it doesn't go up with out force. LONG STORY ABOUT THAT AND PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN LATER.
I have stripped 1 bolt and nut on the PS and no nuts will go on one of the stubby bolts because it got damaged while raising the tank. On the DS the hangers are threaded rod welded to a piece of angle iron then bolted to the frame.
Does anyone recall if those bolts were welded to the frame so I can take them down one at a time and make new ones so I don't have to drop the tank?

LJ-TJ · July 26, 2014, 08:04 AM

Does your tank sit on large L brackets with the straps coming over the top of the tank and then bolting through the front of the L bracket? If so then the strap is bolted to the top of the L bracket and then comes over the top of the tank and bolts to the front of the L bracket in which case you can unbolt the strap and have new bolts or threaded rod welded on. Hm?

circleD · July 26, 2014, 08:56 AM

No they don't LJ. I know a pic would be great but there on my camera and can't do it anytime soon. The bracket is U shaped with the ends bend out so you can bolt it up, like a cradle. The tank is long and rectangular.
Good news though, the bolts ARE welded on the top side of the frame and I CAN get the brackets off. Now I'm worried that I'll stripped out these bolts to

If I could redo this issue I would've made new brackets and welded in new bolts while the tank was out but oh well. I'll try to get a pic up.

DaveVA78Chieftain · July 26, 2014, 11:24 AM

Not sure if either one of these drawings will help you or not:

circleD · July 26, 2014, 10:17 PM

Here is what I'm dealing with. It has 3 supports and stripped bolts and nuts. I have the materials to make new support brackets and will try to figure out where this needs to be posted later when its done and if it works.

circleD · July 27, 2014, 04:46 PM

I made all new brackets and welded some bolts to flat metal so they wouldn't turn. The tank is in and running. Will have pics of the fabrication soon.

Rickf1985 · July 27, 2014, 06:49 PM

I hate to say it but sometimes an impact gun is not the way to go. N:( Fast but destructive.

circleD · July 27, 2014, 07:14 PM

I started them by hand but the threads were messed up on the higher end. When we made the new brackets we made sure they went on easy and by hand. Then used a ratchet

. And yes you're right about the impact W%

circleD · July 27, 2014, 09:50 PM

Here are the brackets that I made. I knocked out the PS bolts with a sledge hammer (tacked on) and replaced them with NEW bolts with a piece of metal welded to the top so they want turn since I didn't want to weld to the frame. The long ones are for the DS because the stock threaded rods were messed up with gunk and an impact. I simply cut off the old rods and welded new rods onto the brackets. I have 3 straps for the tank but when I took the pics there was always one somewhere else so there are 3 total for each side I made.

Stripe · July 28, 2014, 12:51 PM

I should have warned you about that. the stubby side is supposed to go up first then the longer side. All whilst the tank is being held up in place.. Not an easy one man job..

I never used an impact wrench on mine either..

pvoth1111 · July 28, 2014, 12:56 PM

a little anti-seize on those threads going back together would do wonders if you ever have to revisit this again.....an ounce of prevention.