The fun never ends

Bought a standard 19 gal plastic tank from JBG. Didn't fit. Guy who was putting it in told me it wasn't right, that the old one in there was twice as big. Can't quite remember if he told me it was welded in or not...

Went to my favorite auto parts store looking for a 38 gallon variety. Got a Spectra F26B (there was a F26A with the same dimensions, but no roll-over valve). Dorman had different part numbers, but same dimensions.

Mine is supposedly an early '75 F250. Tank in there was aft of the rear axle.

Fast forward 4-5 weeks. Get a call this evening that the new tank - which he's just spent 4-5 hours getting just right with the new sending unit and filler tube - is off by a country mile. "Looks like it's sideways." "No way in the world we could rig it up."

Parts guy insists that only one part number exists for a 38 gal tank for 73-76 Ford 3/4 tons. Guy doin' the job insists that there's no way that it'll go in.

I'm running out there tomorrow morning to get my own eyeballs on it, but is something missing here?

Were 38 gallon tanks strap-mounted? Welded/soldered?

Just doesn't make sense unless some PO moved the frame rails in a couple inches... YYRR

 

If I remember right the one in my SCS is quite a bit bigger than anything else I have seen in trucks of that range.(I think)
Before I had that truck I got a cell from Jaz which turned out very nice.
Good luck.

 

Hi-Boy never ever had the fuel tank behind the rear axle. It would have been behind the seat only. If you do indeed have a 1975. It should have a divorced transfer case. I installed a tank behind the rear axle on the one I owned. The only tank you will fit in there is from a 1984 bronco II. You will still have to move one frame cross member ahead a few inches, JC Whitney I think has it in plastic.

 

No truck came with the extra capacity tank, just aftermarket and full size Broncos.

No Hi-boy F250 came with a rear aft tank, just the in-cab or optional saddle/ side mount. The rear frame rails are 3" narrower than the F100/150 and F350.

Josh

 

If you click on my user name you can then click on my hiboy, there are pic's there.

 

As usual, I'm confused.

It's got an NP435 with 205 T-Case. Had the front diff apart this summer, and the ring gear had a Nov' 74 casting in it, so that's consistent with the title's MY and serial. VIN's engine code is botched - listed as Diesel.

The fuel tank - whichever one it was - was in the back. Seems like a lot of trouble for some PO to remove a side-mounted tank and jigger the filler tube, but then again, I wasn't there.

I think it's probably time to pull up the frame and find the real VIN on the front PS frame rail.

Assuming it's a '75 3/4, how could two parts vendors be off exactly the same for their 38 gallon tank?

 

No such thing as a Diesel VIN code for light duty trucks in the Dent era.

Just post the VIN.

As for vendors and parts, one vendor probably came up with a universal Ford truck list and the others followed suit, probably only using an F100/150 to mock up their parts not knowing the F250 was different.

Josh

 

wonder if the put a 1975 body on a mid 80s frame ?

 

The 38 gal aftermarket tanks and 33 gal. Bronco tanks are different. The 38 bolts in place of the 14 (maybe it was 19) gal rear tank in the 2wd trucks. The 33 was a bronco only deal.

 

I used a 2wd tank turned sideways and made custom mounting straps...lined right up...and worked great...they are right...Highboy's NEVER had a rear mounted tank...aftermarket companies make em to fit..but they are pricey...but they also clear the crossmembers as well!

 

F26UCW... is on the title. Like I said, it's botched.

 

So, to summarize: Looks like parts vendors and just trying to move the numbers, and there is no easy-to-find tank out there that just bolts right on. Not to mention the sender...

The one that don't work is 34 1/4" wide. Dennis Carpenter lists 25.5 and 33 gallon tanks for 78/9 Broncos that are just 31 1/2" wide. Guessing I'd need to have some straps fashioned - best case scenario with those tanks.

 

The 2wd tanks I find online end up pointing to the parts I already own. You remember which version you used or what it came out of?

 

Found this thread. Looks like some PO put in a bronco tank or something...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...gas-tanks.html

If only learning weren't so damn expensive...

 

There were factory tanks that fit between the narrow frame rails. They came in the F-350 camper specials. The problem is these are really hard to find, no one reproduces them and then no one reproduces the sending unit that fits either.

As for the learning being expensive - research BEFORE you start buying and you won't spend $$, just a little time.