After years of collecting parts its time to start putting them on rite! Well the First parts was the new gas tank and strapps and bolts. Thought all should fit like a glove ie plug and play. Wrong the seems that were pinched up to hold the straps are all different sizes. As hard as i tried I could not get the tank to fit. The as bought bends in the tank straps are off about one inch. In talks with the company i bought it from to try and figure it out. Has ANY one else come across this issue. Granted this is only part one of about 100 to go. Thanks for any and all help in advance Brian

 

Brian, I read your post twice, and still not sure what you are trying to describe (poor reading comprehension I guess.......). Are you having a problem with the straps, or the tank?

 

the tank seems to be made to big, the tech says that all the tanks measure about the same. don't know whats next, i'll call them monday.

thanks for the help. brian

 

There is some stretch to the straps, you can try positioning the tank some more and see if they will go...

 

Yes, when installing new straps, you have to wedge the tank in position with a piece of lumber or a floor jack or something, and "contour" the straps along the tank to their ends, which should get the ends just close enough to the holes that you can catch one thread with the longer-than-necessary bolts, and then tighten them up.

If you wish, you can buy really long bolts to start them in with.

- Eric

 

I used a floor jack on the front and back side by the filler neck still at least an inch away from the bolts grabbing. Back story- The gas tank has a lip all around it. The lip is curled up at the spots that the straps wrap the tank. On the new tank this area is about twice the dimension as my old original tank. This is the crux of my being, darn sad at the moment

 

Yeah, that lip is usually bent by the straps on tanks I have seen. I'd say bend it.

Of course, pictures would help...

- Eric

 

Install with 2 people if you can, both laying on your back and "bench press" the tank into place and work the straps into place. They do take some wrestling to get in!

 

The straps are pre-bent about 6 inches before the end that bolts up, and this is the bend that is at least an inch off to the font of the car. I did use two jacks to try and push it into place but, nope no sucess yet.

Still trying to work with OPG

 

Placed the old tank in place and beat up the new straps to fit. lots of banging/ persuading tho. waiting on a new tank with fingers crossed.

 

You might try longer Carriage bolts to use while you are getting the straps in place. After you get them in, replace the longer bolts with the correct length ones.