Should this be a sticky in the how to section????

 

Huh, I just looked at that catalog again because, I did look there when I was doing this swap. I just noticed the whole assembly does come for the pickups tanks but not the Bronco. Weird. Maybe that is why our experences differ. If you notice the sending units that are for your truck are roughly $170 whereas the 90-96 Bronco is $60 because it is just the float. So it looks like we are both right here, just out of curiosity could you check your store if your Bronco sending unit comes with the full assembly.

On a side note I see you took your big motor out, how come? I remember reading your thread on the build, it seemed like a rockin' motor.

 

Ok, my rear tank is leaking and the pump is weak so I want to do this swap. I've re-read these threads a number of times and I'm still a little unclear as to which pump and sending unit assembly I need. My F150 is a 94. When I call parts stores, they say that a pump assembly for a 94 Bronco is only used in Broncos from 94-95. Do I have to get one of these or can I use an assembly from other years? It seems that the larger 3 5/8 hole fuel tanks were used in the Broncos from 92-96. What is different in the pump assemblies for those other years. Which ones can I get? Thanks.

 

The fuel pump has to reach to the bottom of the tank, so the pump has to match the tank. Just get whatever pump/float assembly matches the tank you bought.

 

I would get the pump assembly for the '94 in case it matters for your engine/computer. It probally doesn't matter but thats what I did on my '92.

 

Ok, so I've purchased a new aftermarket steel 33 gallon Bronco gas tank ($150cdn). The new Bronco pump and sending unit assembly was going to run over $400cdn new aftermarket or Ford so I found one in a junkyard in Kamloops for $50cdn. They overnighted it on the bus ($21cdn). Today on craigslist I found a guy parting out an 85 Bronco. It seems the Broncos used the same size tank through the 80's and 90's so I'm off right now to get his skid plate ($25cdn he takes off - good deal, its pouring rain). And I've purchased a new set of Bronco straps ($25cdn) so I should be good to go if it stops raining tomorrow. All told the swap will have cost me $275cdn and a days worth of labour. That's less than the price of a new Motorcraft pump for the truck. I've scavenged a piece of angle iron for the new crossmember so if the weather clears I'm going to do this tomorrow. I'll take notes and hopefully some pics. I'm going to do it from the bottom so hopefully those pics will help add another perspective to the other how-to.

 

Cool, hope the weather cooperates for you.

 

Ok, I finished this swap 6 weeks ago so its high time I posted my pics.

Notice how the tanks are the same width but the Bronco tank is a lot deeper and a little bit shorter front to back.

Here is the old tank removed. I left the original upper straps in place.


Here you can see the new Bronco tank sitting in the skid plate. Because I'm lazy and impatient (and it was raining and I don't have a garage, I didn't paint either of them.

Here you can see where the front drivers side of the skid plate rubs up against the brake line when test fitted. The holes in the skid plate line right up with holes in the front crossmember so bolting it in at the front is straight forward.

Notched the skid plate to provide clearance for the brake line.

I hung the front part of the skid plate first with some 3/16ths grade 5 bolts and then sat the new tank in and connected the fuel lines to the Bronco fuel sender.

This is the plug from the truck harness. The Bronco sender plug was a direct plug and play so no problems there.

Genius that I am, I originally thought I could use this as a rear crossmember to support the back side of the skid plate, however it bent as soon as I started tightening the bolts so I had to find a piece of steel angle iron. And thats with an empty tank. I had to drill a hole on each frame rail and then four holes spaced along the new crossmember for bolts for the skid plate. For some reason I didn't take pics of the new crossmember in place or what the tank looks like installed so I will try to do that today and post those later.

Overall this was really straight forward and a simple upgrade. Thanks to all who have posted regarding this swap for making it so easy.

 

Ok, here are some more pics that will hopefully fill in some of the blanks that I might have missed.



Here are some shots of the crossmember that I added. Just a piece of angle iron, 36 3/4" long, just as was posted by someone else. I have a total of four holes with grade 5 bolts supporting the skid plate front and back. The last pic sort of shows how the angle iron sits in the frame rail. I had to drill a hole in the frame for those. By the way, I originally purchased replacement bottom tank straps but didn't end up using them as the skid plate supports the tank.

This is a (admittedly poor) pic of the front of the tank and skid plate. I didn't have to drill holes for those bolts, the crossmember had them already.





Finally, some shots of how the tank looks installed. It definitely sits lower than the stock tank but i don't mind. The last two shots are just out of pride cause I like my truck.

Hope this helps someone thinking of this mod in the future.

 

<i>I originally purchased replacement bottom tank straps but didn't end up using them as the skid plate supports the tank.</i>

Without the use of the straps and allowing only the skid plate to hold the tank you set yourself up for a leak or two down the road. The tank will move around even if only slightly on the skid plate and possibly up against the frame at the top, add some road grit between them and it will wear through in a short time.

You really should install the tank straps, they clamp the tank securely in place. The skid plate was not designed to do the job.

 

The Bronco that the skid plate came out of didn't have straps. Is that not normal?

 

<i>The Bronco that the skid plate came out of didn't have straps. Is that not </i>normal?

Well I can't say for sure but now taking a better look at the picture of the plate it may have been all they used. I see raised sections that may have had that skid plate doing double duty.

One of the others here that have had a full sized bronco and had the tank out could answer that better, I know the bronco 2 uses straps to hold the tank then the skid/shield goes on over it all.

Or the tank straps simply rusted away and thats why you didn't see them?

Did the skid plate pinch/clamp the tank tightly in place? Did you use scrap rubber, inter tub cut in strips to put between them?

 

I didn't put anything in there, basically the way the bronco tank came out was the way the new one went in. I can't get any play in it so far. It's held in their tight. We'll see if that changes once I'm brave enough (or rich enough) to fill it.

 

Yea a tank that big just about need a loan from the bank to fill er now days!

If the skid plate does do double duty on them I'd still put something between it and the tank, top and bottom. The metal on metal condition is going to cause problems for ya.

I prime/paint the tank and straps then put em in with strips of rubber to take the place of the original material. Then spray undercoating "rattle can" all over em once in place.

I see now plastic tanks are little more then the steel tanks cost, a much better material in the salt belt I live in here. I had no idea plastic could be had for about the same money, I put in a new steel rear in my 94 little more then a year ago, have a feeling I'll regret not checking on it in a couple years. Just don't last long.

My BIL works at Keystone Automotive, so I always just go to him out of habit for rust repair parts........my fault I asked for a stock style steel replacement tank.

 

Yup, it looks just like mine. Good work and nice pics. Oh btw I found the new sending unit, Bronco Graveyard has them. They also have new pigtails and the Ford pump at $225. Ouch but the sending unit is just $75.