Do you have to drop gas tank to instal cal-tracs?

[JeRM82]

I am halfway through installing my caltracs, and I finished the passenger side...now I am doing the driver's side...my only problem is the front bolt that holds the leaf spring in the perch doesnt look like it will come out unless i drop the gas tank....the nut is on the outside, and the bolt has to be pulled IN and towards the gas tank (towards the passenger side of the truck)....the bolt comes 3/4 of the way out....but hits the tank....I am pretty sure that I will have to drop the tank to get the bolt out and install the driver's side bushing and hardware for the caltracs....
The reason why I am posting up a thred is because I was wondering if I will have to drop the ENTIRE tank....or if I can drop it down a little bit to just yank the bolt out....
I was also wondering if anyone has put that bolt back in the OTHER way....like insert the bolt from the outside and just put the NUT on the inside....it SEEMS like it would be just fine....but I just wanna make sure there isnt something that I dont know about.....
Maybe they put that bolt into the truck from the inside so that when your in an accident the threaded side of the bolt doesnt get shoved into the gas tank and puncture it.....kinda makes sense.....I guess....if your an engineer who doesnt actually work on their own vehicle like we do....
ANY help or advice would be apreceated.....

[WARLOCK]

Idk if itll work but why not cut the bolt off and replace it with one going the other way?

[JeRM82]

Thats what I was thinking about doing...the only problem is getting a socket that is deep enough to clear the bolt, and get to the NUT.....but STILL fit in between the gas tank and the frame....I know that I could get the socket IN there...but getting it out is gonna be a pain....i might be able to trim some of the part that is AFTER the threads where it goes down to like a 10mm or a 12mm.....I will try and take a pic of what I am talking about....right now I am so pissed at that bolt that I dont even wanna LOOK at it! HA HA!

[WARLOCK]

Can you just use 2 wrenches? cuz the bolt pull out the pieces and replace with the bolt facing the other way. Sounds like itll work...but will it? LoL

[RedHeartbeat]

Why not just do it the correct way? You can drop the fuel tank down in no time at all.

[txarkitekt]

Why not just do it the correct way? You can drop the fuel tank down in no time at all.

+1. Dropping the tank is not horrible. I used a tranny jack last time and I got it pulled in 10 minutes by myself. Only two straps (plus the filler neck--which is a PITA) hold it up there.

Once you have the straps off and the filler neck unscrewed from the bedside, drop the tank about10 inches or so. That makes disconnecting the fuel lines easy. Oh--and unbolt the driveshaft from the rearend and swing it out of the way--makes life easier.

[JeRM82]

Why not just do it the correct way? You can drop the fuel tank down in no time at all.

That's what I am gonna do tommorow...I was just wondering if there was an easier way that I was completely missing...LOL...I was doing the whole thing by myself at the base auto hobby shop....so I didnt have anyone to look over my shoulder and give an "outside" opinion.....if that makes any sense...LOL...
I am planning on dropping the tank tommorow morning....I am actually gonna have some help this time...LOL...my G/F is BIG into cars too so she is gonna give me a hand (she was at work all day today)....
How long did the tank take to drop the first time that you did it? I am looking at it right now and just trying to get an idea of time....looks pretty straight forward......





DOH! I took sooooo long to write this that all of my questions got answered...LOL

[RedHeartbeat]

in and out in roughly one hour with a side diversion of adding a fuel pump hotwire kit took about 3 hours total, maybe less on Moze's truck.

[txarkitekt]

I am planning on dropping the tank tommorow morning....I am actually gonna have some help this time...LOL...my G/F is BIG into cars too so she is gonna give me a hand...

Whaaat? G/F will help? Did you drug her?

For a first timer, balancing the tank can be tricky with a floor jack, so a second set of hands will help out A LOT... (That's what she said)

[AKlowriderZ71]

Cut the bolt off flush with the nut before removing the nut. I've done 2 sets of these. I used a drop of loc-tite to make me feel better about it when going back together. You do not need to drop the tank.

Replacing the rubber bushing with the aluminum bushing is the hardest part of this job, IMO.

Congrats on finding a gf who likes to help you! Mine is like that, and it's great!