question about aux gas tanks

[teeitup]

I have this GMC BB truck that has 2 add on aux gas tanks under both sides of the front part of bed. My question is how do they come off. I've cut the bed floor before but on this one I do not want to screw up this bed. It looks like a carraige bolt going down into the tank. Thanks for any help. Randy

[WorkinLonghorn]

On mine there are two long bolts which go "through" the tanks, actually there is a long cylinder welded in there. You should see the caridge bolt heads in the bed. There will be rusty nuts under the tanks,which just may come off if soaked in penetrant and the truck gods are smiling that day.

[420am]

Not that I'm helping with this but.. I hate these damn aux tanks. Just found the cut outs in my bed for them under 4 layers of paint and a nice layer of body filler.

[69GMCLonghorn]

Why is it I never see replacement saddle tanks for these trucks? Is it because they weren't safe? There were 100 things not safe on them. Why pick that item over all the others? It seems like a better option than losing the spare tire and having to Mickey Mouse some sort of snout onto a Blazer tank... Just my opinion.

[leddzepp]

Randy-Do you plan on selling the tanks? I am interested if shipping is not too bad to 92503. Thanks.

WorkinLonghorn is correct in how they mount.

[teeitup]

Here is what I have, so the bottom deal is a nut? Is a 1/2 driver wrench supposed to fit in it?
LeadZepp, if they come off ok and I don't screw them up I'll get ahold of you
Thanks Randy

[WorkinLonghorn]

Yeah, that's the set-up. I think it might have been a 3/8" drive that fit right in mine (was years ago). If you are keeping the tanks (I use one for a reserve tank) they sell bolts at OSH that fit perfectly.

[UltraBlue71]

I had to toss mine and fill the doors in, one of them was full of what looked like molassas (sp) man was that sucker heavy! They hung in there with two bolts thru the bed and were plumbed with copper line. Fit really tight between the frame and bedside.

[WorkinLonghorn]

I kept mine but when the wood bed rotted out the tanks dropped down onto the exhaust pipes. I didn't like that too much!

[special-K]

Jeez,ask a question about tank mounting and the gakllery offers up hijackin`opinions.The trough-bolts and a strap to the lower 1/4 are all it takes.
Obviously people really liked them back then or they wouldn`t have spent good money or cut holes in their new trucks for them.It sucks having a 21 gallon tank when putting on the miles in a truck that gets low mileage.My `72 has them and they are great.It`s an easy fix to fill them in.

[Stocker]

Just now saw this thread and to confirm, yes they do take a 3/8" drive. Mine are by Travel Tanks and look exactly like that. Except for the rust.

[Pastdue72]

Mine were fiberglass and mounted with two straps to the frame nothing more. The caps were actually in the wheel well instead of through the body. My dad was the previous owner and we used to just keep have a aluminum coke can over the cap worked for us at least. Then we had a selector in the cab to switch between the three tanks. Ill see if I can get picks of the tanks and the selector tomorrow. I removed them though when I started my restoration.

[WorkinLonghorn]

Jeez,ask a question about tank mounting and the gakllery offers up hijackin`opinions.The trough-bolts and a strap to the lower 1/4 are all it takes.

He already got his answer by post #7 so we're just talking saddle tanks.
Maybe someone else wants to now state that there are 2 through-bolts?

[Brewski*]

I saw a set that filled under the wheel well. Mine have the bed side doors. I am in the body work stage now and must decide what to do. The truck is going to be black so I either need to fill in the doors or chrome the ones I have or find already chromed ones. Any suggestions? I really like the wheel well fillers. I have seen them fill from inside the bed also. Mine are so tight the neck pushes out the bedside when the doors are closed. UGLY. But love the idea of 50+ gallons when hitting the highway. What about tank switches? Mine has a 3 way that is hard as hell to turn. Any suggestions on improvements?

[UltraBlue71]

I just didnt care for those aluminium barn doors on my bedsides, or the cab tank, I went with the blazer tank, I didnt opt for the floor of the bed filler because I didnt want to scratch my bedrails with the fuel hose at the pump, wouldnt a wheel well filler get dirt and mud and crap in the tank when you took the cap off?

[Pastdue72]

Originally Posted by UltraBlue71

I just didnt care for those aluminium barn doors on my bedsides, or the cab tank, I went with the blazer tank, I didnt opt for the floor of the bed filler because I didnt want to scratch my bedrails with the fuel hose at the pump, wouldnt a wheel well filler get dirt and mud and crap in the tank when you took the cap off?

That is why we used half a aluminum coke can to cover the cap and catch all the debris. Nothing made it into the tank.

[UltraBlue71]

Good call, come to think of it I have seen soup cans over those for that purpose, wouldnt work on a lowrider tho, or my truck, not enough clearance

[teeitup]

Well I'm soaking them with some lubricant, the one I tried the 3/8 rachet in stripped so I may be screwed, I'll keep soaking and trying my luck. Thanks Randy

[Pastdue72]

Originally Posted by UltraBlue71

Good call, come to think of it I have seen soup cans over those for that purpose, wouldnt work on a lowrider tho, or my truck, not enough clearance

Well at least with mine they did not go below the fender line. Thats actually where I intend to put the air tank for the air ride when I do it. Then I intend to put the pump on the otherside or some combination there of. I remembered to take the pics but forgot the camera.

[Skirkpat]

Can you just drill out the top of the carriage bolt(s)?

[Stocker]

^^ Or grind them off... ??

[Pastdue72]

Here are a few pics of the ones that were on mine.

[teeitup]

I ended up grinding the heads off the bolts and the tanks dropped right out. LeddZepp, they look pretty decent, the pass side did not have a gas cap on it though. It doesn't look rusty inside. I bet shipping would be high. I'll put them on the GMC big block thread with a price to stay within board rules. Thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate it, Randy

[Mister Rags]

Yeah, they are very long carriage bolts; two of them if I remember with special end-nuts at the bottom, and two-inch spacer shim-like tubes at the top separating the tank from the bed bottom.