Guys, I would like your input here! Last week I posted that I had just aquired an old 1977 F-250 4x4 Highboy. well this weekend My son and I finally got started pulling it down to the frame. We will move the fuel tank from inside the cab to what location? The spot I like the most is the old original spot on most any 73-79, 2 wheeler...Between the frame rails behind the rear axle.
But....Right in the middle of the whole show is a cross-brace, even up with the rear spring hangers. My first thought is to move the crossbrase to the rear, just in front of where the rear bumper mount holes are.Purhaps adding a 3in wide x1/2 in plate on top of the frame rails, at the rear spring hanger location to stiffen it. Then purhaps add another crossbrase just in front of where a standard tank would fit! Has anyone done it. There just isn't much room anywhere else. What say You, what say you all?
Thank Ya'll
John A.

 

I put a Bronco tank there in my 75 high boy 15 Years ago, I just took the cross member out and welded in brace/brackets for the bronco tank. Its still there after Fifteen years.

 

Are you removing the in cab tank for a specific reason? other options would include saddle tanks, outside the frame rails in front of the rear wheels, if i'm not mistaken i believe a bronco II tank will fit between the highboy frame rails too.

 

Or you put one in the bed like this:



60 gallon capacity + built-in toolbox. I can now go about 500 miles without refilling the tank.

 

you get almost 9mpg? wow, thats pretty good.

 

Yep, 8-10 mpg.

 

I moved my crossmember and added one. A 1984 bronco II tank will then fit in like a glove on your hand. I got tank and pick-up at Advance auto for about 160.00. The safety shield also fits very nice. Pictures in my gallery.

good luck

 

Shameless, that is exactly to the tee what im doing for my flareside. Chest type tool box with a separate fuel cell in the bottom.

 

ahh - found it. I KNEW I had just read about a bronco II tank in here somewhere, but for some reason the search function didn't pull this thread with my keywords being "bronco II" F---ng LAME!

Anyways - are the bronco II tanks poly/plastic or metal? And if I remember right they are about 23 gal or so. Is that correct?

 

Correct, 23gal. and metal.

 

I seen a site on line that had them in plastic after I got the metal one installed, but can't remember who had it. Thinkin it was a place that sells radiators.

 

the bronco II ones - in plastic? If so I will keep looking

 

I used a fuel tank from an 84 bronco II I also added the skid plate, but havent hooked up the filler neck yet ( i havent put the bed back on yet ) what filler neck did others use

I moved the cross member to the rear and added a second one in front of the tank to have something for the tank straps to attatch to. I hav lso heard that a tank out of a mustang will fit if you turn it sideways

I also looked into the toolbox tankes and couldnt find one that was rated for gasoline they all said NOT FOR GASOLINE USE due to expansion

 

I also have a gallery showing the mounting of a bronco II tank in a highboy frame. I had to neck down the original fuel filler by a 1/4"--I think. To make the tubing work. The Bronco II tank is the way to go just like armstrongfordtrucks said.

 

Toolbox tanks can be had through Northern Tool (Auxiliary Fuel Tanks | Fuel Transfer + Lubrication | Northern Tool + Equipment). However, they're not cheap and I think that part of the reason is due to the fact that they have them made to handle gas in 59 states. They're still not for gas in CA, of course, because CA doesn't allow anything.

Mine is fantastic. Probably the best investment I've made on this truck. Capacity is awesome (up to 80 gallons depending on which one you buy), construction is top-notch and they're designed really well (baffles inside, included gauge, locking gas caps, good toolbox locks). All-in-all, I am extremely impressed.

The only one negative I have about them is the fact that the gauge can only be seen with the lid of the toolbox up. With my truck being as tall as it is, I have to stand on my tiptoes to see it and I'm 6'2". I've thought about putting in a sending unit of sorts in order to use the gauge on the dash, but since I have 60 gallons available I'm not really checking the level very often and it just hasn't become a priority.