TJ gas tank relocation

[tjblair]

Well, I decided to relocate my gas tank because my gas tank skid was getting beat to $hit. I didnt want to buy or build a new one because I plan on swaping the 60's under it next winter, and it would have to be relocated then any how.
So first thing first, I had to tear the tank out.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC300351.jpg
after I got the tank and the 50# of mud that was in the skid and on top of the tank out. There is ALL kind of room under there.

then I started making templates. I started with the bulkhead piece.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC300352.jpg
got that all cut out and tacked in place.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC300003.jpg
notice the all important duct tape
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC300004.jpg

then the top
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC300008.jpg

and the back
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310010.jpg

http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310016.jpg
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310014.jpg
then I had to figure out how to fill up. I couldn't have the filler neck on the driver side becaust that is where my Co2 tank is and I didnt feel like moving it. So I spun the tank around backwards and slid it in . So now the filler is on the passenger side right behind the seat.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310021.jpg
Next I started making the templates to box in the filler neck
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310024.jpg
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310025.jpg
I still have some room for cargo and what not.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310029.jpg
and thats about as far as I got today. more pics to come:icon_keel:

[brent66]

looks good jeff i like it

[tjblair]

Sorry about the giant pics.

[village_idiot]

i might have to do that, it looks a hell of a lot easier than replacing my fuel tank crossmember.

[busij44]

Nice fab work Jeff !!

[justin'sbig7]

nice work!maybe i missed it, but is this gonna be the new tank, or just a cover over the relocated tank?

[tjblair]

Just a cover. the stock tank will slide in from the back and get straped down. I didnt want to buy a fuell cell, and I don't use the back seat so it didn't matter to me loosing the space. I just didn't want to worry about gear such as tools, shovels, chainsaws,ect bouncing around the tank thats why I decided to cover it.

[tjblair]

Here is a pic with the tank slid in place.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310017.jpg

[tjblair]

Nice fab work Jeff !!
Thanks:006:, it was a little tuff getting the contours around the wheel wells, but I think it'll work.

[ridgerunner97]

Looks really good Jeff

[justin'sbig7]

hell yeah, i dig it :080:.... thats a lot better than just dumping the tank in the back. and letting shit bash into it.

[hyperbuzzin]

Looks great!

Will the tank be easily accessable, incase ya need to get to the pump or anything? (hinged panel?)

[tjblair]

Yah the back panel will be hinged to let the tank slide out. I'm starting to weld some panels in. And having a hell of a time welding to the thin tub. Maybe time for a new welder. It's ether to hot or to cold. Oh well I'll get it.

[gonecheenin]

Sweet.

I have mine in the back too (same reason as you with the bashing it up & not wanting to spend the gazzillion dollars on Genright stuff), but did not cover it figuring on just installing a Duster cover & putting one of those suspended cargo racks above it.

If I did go further with making it "right" I'd want to recess the tank a bit i order to get the tank filler tube hight low enough to allow me to bring the filler neck through the side of the Jeep tub like "normal"

[gonecheenin]

And having a hell of a time welding to the thin tub. Maybe time for a new welder. It's ether to hot or to cold. Oh well I'll get it.

For as much as it sucks doing larger jobs on high heat with its 30% duty cycle - thats one thing I really like about my cheap 110v mig with infinite heat adjustment on a potentiometer - makes for very specific tuning when doing the sheet metal tacking.

[tjblair]

Well I spent most the day burnin wire like this.:thumbsup:
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1010050.jpg

I got most of the welding done. Here are the pics
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1010034.jpg

http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1010052.jpg


http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1010054.jpg

http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1010056.jpg
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1010055.jpg
Now all I have do do is finish welding the filler neck box and plumb and wire it up:icon_super: more pics to come.

[tjblair]

Well I got it pretty much buttoned up . Now I just have to extend the wires and plumb it up .:) it is definitly time for a new welder though I fought that danm thing all the way. I just couldn't seem to get the heat right, definitly need infinate control. But it will work and they are burned it for sure.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1020064.jpg
you can see at the bottom where I was blowing through the metal. Any colder and it wasn't penatrating, so I was on the edge of blowing holes through the 14 ga the whole time
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1020066.jpg

http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1020068.jpg

And here it is with the seats slid the whole way back.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1020070.jpg

[jackb1]

It looks nice. Are you going to use a sealer on the inside? Did you pressure test it or anything? I'd thought about trying one myself but heard eliminating all the tiny weep holes in the weld would be tough so I never tried. Let us know how it ends up holding gas for sure. Maybe I'll one if it works out well.

[tjblair]

It looks nice. Are you going to use a sealer on the inside? Did you pressure test it or anything? I'd thought about trying one myself but heard eliminating all the tiny weep holes in the weld would be tough so I never tried. Let us know how it ends up holding gas for sure. Maybe I'll one if it works out well.
It will hold gas just fine , because I'm using the stock tank. it will just slide under the cover.

like so
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/PC310018.jpg

[limegreentj]

jeff, next time, get it where it was running cold and not penetrating, and slow your hand down...or get it where it was burning through and speed your hand up

[tjblair]

get it where it was burning through and speed your hand up
this was what I did.

[jackb1]

It will hold gas just fine , because I'm using the stock tank. it will just slide under the cover.

like so

Man, I missed that somewhere. Guess I still need to be afraid to do my own.

[tjblair]

Well got it all plumbed, wired, straped down,and painted.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1030080.jpg
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1030081.jpg
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1030083.jpg
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr115/tjblair/gas%20tank%20relocation/P1030079.jpg

[Dragonslayer]

Kick a$$ Jeff. Turned out real nice. :023:

[cal7308]

Real nice dude!!! how much space do you have from the back of the tank to the back gate? i wanted to do the same thing but get one of those drawers from quadratec.

[2002wranglerX]

any inspection issues with that? i know the tank has to be outside the passenger compartment.... i'm not sure how it would be classified since it's boxed in....

looks awesome though! my tank is just strapped in the back. But i'm going to fuel cell it anyway

[78CRUSHER]

"any inspection issues with that? i know the tank has to be outside the passenger compartment.... i'm not sure how it would be classified since it's boxed in...."

I would not think so
My FJ40 came from the factory with the gas tank under the pass. seat.

Anyway nice job:023:

[tjblair]

Im not really worried about inspection, but I dont think that I will have any problems.

[muddeprived]

That's some neat thinking. I dig the filler box and gas cap. I take it you don't carry much cargo when wheelin?