second tank install

[SirRobyn0]

Not really a question here, not exactly a how to either, but maybe someone with single tank truck considering adding a second will find this useful others might just find the story interesting. It's more like a follow up to my post last September https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/fuel-tank-leak-quick-temp-repair.30742/ So that patched up tank is still in service and will continue to be, but I don't trust it 100%, and frankly one single 20 gallon tank is not big enough when I make my 100+ mile feed runs. Let face it unless I run the tank dry it's only got about 15 usable gallons, and when empty and driving with a light foot on the freeway that can net a somewhat ok almost 200 miles on a tank. But with the trailer and load it's less than 150 miles and that's not acceptable to me. @Rusty Nail tagging you since we discussed this back in September, I thought you'd want to read the install story.

So back in September I bought a new fuel tank, carrier, filler, sending unit and all the other needed hardware. I did all the pre-assembling and it has sat in my barn ever since. The other day I realized how long I've had it. This afternoon, in the rain on my gravel driveway I realized I had about 4 hours until I needed to do the evening feed chores on the farm, and I figured I could get the tank installed and the hydraulic pump for the bed dump relocated in hour or two and still get to go in the house and dry out and warm up. The drying out and warming up never occurred because of to many complications.

Main issues were it took me quite a bit to figure out how to relocate the pump, it was mounted under the bed on the right side to the frame where the tank needs to go. I reasoned that it would be easy to simply flip it to the inside of the frame rail but no. I flipped the pump bracket moved it to the inside hooked up the power and hydro line, then realized I was using the bolt holes in the frame for fuel tank, so I removed it drilled new holes in the frame a few inches back and reinstalled. Then installed the fuel tank, which other than two holes that gave me a little trouble getting lined up that went well. Then I went to close the bed. Turns out flipping the bracket on the pump made it sit up a little high and now it hits the bed. So remove the pump again flip the bracket around. But with the bracket in this position the bracket is to long to fit into the frame, and besides that the bottom of it needs to be able to hang a couple inches below frame in order for the top to clear the bed. So I had to dig around in my scrap metal to find something to weld onto the frame for the bracket to bolt to at the proper height. I still need to plumb the tank, install the switch and valve so it's not yet a functioning tank, but it's installed so the hardest part is done. Pics below. Will update this thread when I'm doing or done with the rest of the install.

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In the below pic, this is before I made the bracket for the pump, as you can see the solenoid and relief valve are slightly above the frame. I did not take a pic after welding the metal on the frame as I was to cold wet and miserable by then.

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[Rusty Nail]

Damn that was a long time ago..i forgot all about this.. You've probably pissed it off by ignoring her so.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Damn that was a long time ago..i forgot all about this.. You've probably pissed it off by ignoring her so.

Well I've been driving the truck and doing the basic maintenance needs. Ya I kept seeing the tank in the barn, but I got some of the parts from amazon and saw it in my previous orders the other day. I'm going to need to make another one of those feed runs in the next few weeks so my goal is to have that second tank fully finished and working this weekend.

 

[Rusty Nail]

Oh! It's good to have goals.
Sure was looking pretty sweet in there with all them shiny new parts!

Is that fancy stuff or Made in China?

Is it gonna stay shiny or what!?

 

[SirRobyn0]

Oh! It's good to have goals.
Sure was looking pretty sweet in there with all them shiny new parts!

Is that fancy stuff or Made in China?

Is it gonna stay shiny or what!?

Ya I know I always like the look of new parts, but it seems to me, no matter what I do my new parts always end up looking old, but I think part of that is I keep my stuff forever. The fuel tank & sending unit were made in Canada. Brackets / Carrier USA. What do we call Canada Semi-fancy? Or is it full fancy since it's north America at least. lol

 

[Rusty Nail]

Lmao. Full fancy...that's funny.

Ya know I was admiring the new brake parts underhood of the 77 - master and booster - and decided it certainly was a wise decision to paint those new parts prior to install.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Well I ekked out enough time to get the electrical part all done today, in between, cleaning chicken coops, fixing fences, setting up and loading incubators....

So the electrical is pretty simple, 5 wires. Key on power and ground to the switch. Two wires from the switch to the tank valve which by the way there were already holes in my frame to bolt it on to. The the sending units are wired to the valve as is the wire to the gauge. Simple, just time consuming.

Tomorrow I have to be on the road by 9AM to pick up 100 feet of free chain link fence, free after I take it down. 100X better than chicken wire. I've replaced all of my coop runs with chainlink and are now working on replacing all of the perimeter field fencing with chainlink, nearly all of it has come to me this way, I remove it and hauling it away. A lot of work but the price is right. Anyhow I've got to have the truck ready to roll at 9AM.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Done, the easiest part of the entire install was running the lines from the new tank to the valve and plumbing the old tank into the valve. Works as it should. I did have to rush it together somewhat so there are a couple of electrical connections that I butt connected together, I'm really prefer solder and shrink wrap so when I go back in later in the week to do that I'll take pics of my install.

 

[Vettenut]

Good job out a you, never give up

 

[idahovette]

@SirRobyn0 , so how did the trip go??

 

[SirRobyn0]

@SirRobyn0 , so how did the trip go??

Thanks for asking, fine basically. The trip was in uneventful, I had no issues with the truck. The fence came down as expected, I've learned that chainlink fence clips come off pretty easy, so that's first. Then roll up the chainlink. Top rail removal was fine, but the owner told me the rails slipped together every 8 feet or so, and they were actually 20 feet to each joint. Had I known that I would have brought the trailer, but its doable to strap those things to the side of the truck as long as I dont need to open the passenger door. I didn't take a pic of it this time but I think I have in the past. If I can find it I'll post it so you know what I'm talking about. I give folks the option of digging up the posts if not set in concrete or cutting them off at ground level if in concrete. I have no real use for the posts as I just use the standard green tee posts I've already got in the ground. These were not in Concrete so I pulled them up. They were on a corner city lot so I had street access to all of what they wanted removed, so that really helped. I filled both tanks up on the way out and was nice not to have to so it again when coming home. I think I'll be really happy with it.

 

[idahovette]

@SirRobyn0 Free is always good, even if there is a little labor involved. 100 feet long, how tall?. Hauling those 20' long top rails takes some thinking. When we bought new fence 40 years ago I took some heavy rope and hung them under my K20, around them 2 or 3 times and then to the front bumper and the same to the rear bumper, with a helper in the middle up to a brace between the front bed pockets. Offset of course to miss the driveline and also a little slack for the suspension to work. We got it all home safely, about a 60 mile trip and as many back roads we could find. Not a fast trip but it all worked out!! That was for around our house to keep the dogs and the kids in. 4 years ago we did the perimeter of our storage lot, 150' deep and 100' across the front. A friend had a ton of 6' tall commercial grade fencing that he gave us for nothing, along with some posts and some misc. fittings, top rails, end caps and more. We were VERY lucky, the rear across the lot was already done, with a 20' opening, no gate and we left a 22' opening in the front for a future gate. ought 2 10'x6' dog run panels and modified them for the swinging gate for the front entrance, has worked great. Just made my own 2 piece gate for the back and got them hung 3 weeks ago, We leave them open most of the time, we live right across the alley from the lot so security isn't a big problem. Anyway glad your trip went well, hope you can afford to keep both tanks filled now???....LOL sorry for the letter

 

[SirRobyn0]

@SirRobyn0 Free is always good, even if there is a little labor involved. 100 feet long, how tall?. Hauling those 20' long top rails takes some thinking. When we bought new fence 40 years ago I took some heavy rope and hung them under my K20, around them 2 or 3 times and then to the front bumper and the same to the rear bumper, with a helper in the middle up to a brace between the front bed pockets. Offset of course to miss the driveline and also a little slack for the suspension to work. We got it all home safely, about a 60 mile trip and as many back roads we could find. Not a fast trip but it all worked out!! That was for around our house to keep the dogs and the kids in. 4 years ago we did the perimeter of our storage lot, 150' deep and 100' across the front. A friend had a ton of 6' tall commercial grade fencing that he gave us for nothing, along with some posts and some misc. fittings, top rails, end caps and more. We were VERY lucky, the rear across the lot was already done, with a 20' opening, no gate and we left a 22' opening in the front for a future gate. ought 2 10'x6' dog run panels and modified them for the swinging gate for the front entrance, has worked great. Just made my own 2 piece gate for the back and got them hung 3 weeks ago, We leave them open most of the time, we live right across the alley from the lot so security isn't a big problem. Anyway glad your trip went well, hope you can afford to keep both tanks filled now???....LOL sorry for the letter

No need to be sorry I enjoyed reading it. Chainlink is good stuff and so are squares. Both our stories have that!

This stuff was 4 foot. A few years ago I did a big take down of 6 foot and that stuff along with a bunch of gates went into the bird pens and replaced the chicken wire. Let me tell you chainlink is a lot better at keeping out predators than chicken wire!

Never thought to hang the 20 footer underneath. I've got a grab bar on the pillar inside the truck and tie downs on the bed, so basically my method is to lean the 5 pipes on the rearview mirror, then lift them up and tie them off on the back tie down. Then tie a rope around the poles and secure to the grab bar, then secure to the other tie downs. I always take a couple of coke workout tee shirts or jeans with me to use as padding between, poles and the truck body so I dont scratch it up. I didn't think up this hauling method, a buddy of mine told me he use to have to haul chainlink occasionally and this is how he'd handle it.

 

[SirRobyn0]

@idahovette Wow it's amazing how much can change in a relatively short period of time. I took the attached photo about 2 years ago. Since then, I've replaced the missing trim pieces, replaced the missing hub caps, and installed a proper frame mounted trailer hitch. And that's just what you can see from looking at one side of the truck! The wood board side extensions came with the truck, and I just left them on at first, but I found that it made it harder for me to reach into the bed of the truck so now about the only time I use them is for chainlink, but it really makes a nice little support system to hang the top pipes from.

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