Been having problems with my 97 F350 CCLB 351W. Spitting and sputtering under load, no power, etc. New plugs and wires made no difference, neither did fuel treatment or new fuel filter. The other day I was going up a small hill and for some reason decided to try switching to the rear tank (I've been running on the front since I got it because I had no indication the tanks were actually switching since the gauges don't work). Well, the truck took off like a shot! Obviously the front pump is going. Plans are to replace front pump and fuel sender unit. The question is so I do like I did on some other trucks and make life simple by cutting and access panel into the bed floor, pull the bed or drop the tank. I'm leaning towards cutting. Thoughts?

 

Personally I wouldn't cut anything. It just ends up looking like a hack job. Getting the bed out of the way certainly makes it easier, but generally removing the bed is hard enough that overall it's a bigger job that way. I replaced the rear fuel tank on my truck just working from underneath. Yes, it's a bit of a pain, but that's the way I'd do it again if I had to.

The exception to that is if I had a few different things to do all at once (like both tanks, rear spring hangers, brake lines, clean and paint frame, etc) I'd pull the bed to make all of the other jobs easier. But if I was only tackling one tank I'd fight it from below.

 

For me it would depend how you use the truck. If it's a work truck I would cut a hole in bed & tack it back down. If it's a truck that you want to keep immaculate then drop the tank, reach around it or pull bed.

 

Cutting a hole in the bed is just a Hack job. If the body is trashed, then yeah, cut a hole in the bed, but otherwise, I would just take my time and do it from underneath if you aren't pulling the bed. I've done 3 trucks from underneath and not once considered cutting a hole in the bed.

 

I always pull the bed. Living in the rust belt sucks. I hate it. Easy to grind the bolt heads off and replace. 4 guys can easily remove the bed.

 

Drop the tank, it isn't as bad as it seems.
Just use plenty of penetrating spray, and of course an impact speeds the process.

 

Yes it is a Ranger but one guy can lift the bed, dont cut it.

 

Ratchet straps under the tank make lowering the tank enough to reach the top rather easy. And more stable than trying to balance it on a floor jack.

 

On mine I just lifted the front of the bed to do the front pump. When the rear pump went I just dropped the tank but wished I hadn't because I had to squeeze it past my hitch using a prybar. Wasn't fun, next time I will pull the bed for either pump.

Don't cut the bed.

 

Thanks boys. I'll pull the bed, have to fix the goose neck ball anyway.

 

I had to replace my front sender with a full tank. I siphoned out as much gas as I could. Strapped the tank to a trans jack, loosened the strap nuts, lowered the tank down. Hardest parts was getting the fuel lines off.