How To's:

Blazer tank How-to:
  This mod, the way I did it, utilizes the existing rear frame support and the spare tire holder.  Keep in mind if you go this route, you will loose the spare tire holder location, and if you had/have duals running out the back, it will pose a problem unless you run them outside the framerails somehow.



 

    These are the steps I followed to complete this installation.  First, a piece of angle was welded to the rear of the frame rails to keep everything square since we were removing the rear frame brace. 



 

 

 

 
Once this is done, the rivets holding the rear support were removed using an air hammer.  Then the spare tire holder was removed, along with the brake line support.  Now the rear of the framerails are empty and void.  The large frame support is now moved to the extreme back of the frame and new holes are drilled in the top and bottom flanges of the framerails using the existing rivet holes as a guide.  We got the brace as close to vertical as possible. 


 

 

 
The brace is bolted in using Grade 8 bolts and the gas tank is raised into posistion for fitment and measuring.  Once up and level, take the old spare tire support and mark its posistion at the front of the tank. 


 
It happened that the drop in this support was exactly enough for the tank to sit level in the framerails.  Once the holes are measured off and marked they are drilled and the spare tire support is mounted underneath the top flange of the framerail.  We used a 1" spacer between the support and the framerail.  The brake bracket is mounted to the top of the framerail at the passenger side bolt hole on the sparetire support.


 

 

 

 

    For the support straps, a 1.5" angle was cut to fit in between the framerail with the flanged side at the rear of the truck.  The straps were mocked up and the hole locations marked and drilled.  Depening on the size of the strap anchor, I made these holes pretty "close" in fit.  For the rear support holes, the straps were mounted in the new holes and the hole locations were marked and holes were drilled.  Since the rear support had a curved lip to it, and I didn't want to make something to fit to tighten the bolts up, I used a Big Block rocker fulcrum on the top with a washer and nut and used a washer and nut of the bottom.  In the end, 14 holes were drilled in the frame.  8 for the rear support, 4 for the front strap support, 2 for the spare tire support.  2 holes were drilled in the rear support and 2 in the front strap support for the straps to mount.


 

 
    Due to clearance issues, you will have to notch the bed cross sill in the center. Otherwise, the bed will be resting on the tank instead of the frame rails. I marked the crosssill by eye and trimmed it off with a cut-off wheel. In addition to the, the brake like will have to be moved and relocated. I opted to cut the end off and weld it to the front top mount. (former spare tire mount)


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
If you have any questions,comments or suggestions email me...captkaos@charter.net
COPYRIGHT NOTICE. Copyright © 1988 Chris G. Lucas. All rights reserved.
Product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved.
ALL drawn images are copywritten by the owner of this site.
Duplication and distribution is not allowed inless given permisson by owner.