i looked underneath today and saw the rear tank strap broken clean in two.. yikes!
it's lucky the tank didn't fall out. i macgyvered a 1/2 inch dock line around the rear of the tank for a temporary fix.. the front strap is holding but is rusted so likely the life span is short for that one.
i'm thinking about the spectra aftermarket replacements. can they be installed without removing the bed? i will somehow need to move the tank towards the driveshaft in order to get the T side in as there is zero clearance right now between the tank and the frame.
by the way it's the larger 21 gal tank in this truck..

thanks for any advice/tips.

 

no one has tackled this job? actually i can see why. it's really rusty up there along the frame. anyway i got the straps on order so we'll see. my dock line is holding sofar!

also have a gas smell sometimes after gassing up so i figure the filler pipe is cracked somewhere. got one on order in case moving the tank will really rupture it.

honestly i don't want to remove the bed due there is a lot of rust up there by the bolts holding it, plus i have a bedliner which would have to come out....

anyone have any experience replacing both the tanks straps and the filler pipe from underneath?

 

my straps are both broke, only thing keeping the tank in place is the skidplate. ive never tried dropping the tank on a ranger. i have pulled the bed to replace the spring hanger brackets & replace a fuel pump before. lube what bolts you can get to from underneath, take a air impact to the bed bolts, unplug the wires to the lights & undo the fuel filler neck behind the gas door. 2 people can easily lift off the box. i used a tractor with a loader/forklift forks to take mine off, took it off with the cap still on.

 

Working from under the truck to replace the fuel filler tube can be very frustrating because of the tight clearance between the bed and the tank. There's a clamp on the fill tube at the tank end that will need to come off and hopefully you can turn the screw on the clamp to loosen it. There isn't much room to lift the filler tube off the tank extension under the bed either. The two metric bolts holding the rear tank straps go into speed nuts on the frame crossmembers. The "T" end of the strap goes into a slot on the main frame rail side of the tank. This end goes into a vertical slot and is then turned 90 degrees to fit down into the wider part of the slot on the frame rail. Getting the tank to move away from the frame rail may not be very easy, especially if there is a vertical shield or guard between the tank and the drive shaft. Just to be clear, this is not a skid plate. I'm not sure if they put this shield on your truck but my 91 had it when I did the strap on it. This shield helps hold the tank pretty snug against the frame rail. But, If you loosen the bolt on the forward strap till it's about half way out, you may be able to get the tank to move down and away from the rear strap mount just enough to get the old piece out and get the new one in. Unbolt the broken parts of the strap first so they're out of the way. Then try to pull down on the back of the tank over by the drive shaft and push in toward it at the same time. First though, you will want to take the gas filler neck loose from the bed by taking out the three little screws that hold it to the bed inside the filler door. Leave it attached to the filler tube, but push it down inside with the cap on or covered so dirt won't fall in. This way it will have room to move when you move the tank and it won't tear itself loose from the tank. No need at this point to take the tube loose at the tank end. You only need to move the tank enough to get the "T" end of the strap into the slot in the frame. Keep in mind that the fuel hose and wires are still attached on the top of the tank and you don't have much slack in them. So you don't want to move it too far. But really you can't move it too far. It would also help not to have very much gas in the tank, just for trying to move it. You might be able to get a piece of 2X4 between the frame and tank to help pry it away from the frame and to help you hold what space you gain till you get the new strap in place. Be careful with prying on the tank. It's plastic. If you see it start to distort, back off. It might be able to take a little, but don't get carried away. Try to soak the bolts for a couple of days ahead of time with your favorite rusty bolt spray so they may have a better chance to come loose and save you the hassle of cutting them off. When I did all this on my 91, I had the bed off. Lots easier. I was also doing the fuel pump and gauge sender. Let us know how it goes. Just in case you need to know, the Torx bolts for the bed are #55.

 

thanks rangerman stan , for the comprehensive reply.