Ramcharger tank is in, Finally!
04-23-2006, 12:33 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Ramcharger tank is in.... 3 week later update
Well that was a PITA and way more work than I had originally thought it would be! I sure hope it proves to be woth it!
Thanks to everyone for the tips and help. The lead on that Pollak valve was especially usefull.
I got the tank for free with filler neck,spout and crossmembers but the straps were all rusted so I had to fab some up. I also went to a custom truck shop and bought a drop in pocket for the filler. It was from a Ford and it required me to cut and bend the Ramcharger filler neck to fit properly, more time spent fabbing! I ended up welding the crossmembers into place as I could not see an easy way to drill all of the holes. The lines were pretty straight forward but I had two use two 60" lenghts of tube put together with a coupler and the stupid parts person gave me a pipe coupler instead of a compression coupler and stupid me didn't realize it when I installed it so when I fired it up it puked fuel all over. Had to pull the line back out and to do that I had to remove the tank.
Electrical was easy but a bit tedious, the valve and swtich are a bit confusing at first but not too bad once you figure out whats going on. Having the factory manual was a big help to ID which wire I needed to tap into for the fuel guage.
All told it probably cost me close to $200(remember I got the tank for free) and 30 hours of labour. Would have been quicker if I didn't have to fab straps and replace that coupler. I also spent a fair bit of time messing around with the filler neck trying to get it to clear. Welding the crossmembers in was definatly faster than trying to drill the holes.
Then I went and dropped $200CDN filling both tanks!
What was the point of this again?
Thanks to everyone for the tips and help. The lead on that Pollak valve was especially usefull.
I got the tank for free with filler neck,spout and crossmembers but the straps were all rusted so I had to fab some up. I also went to a custom truck shop and bought a drop in pocket for the filler. It was from a Ford and it required me to cut and bend the Ramcharger filler neck to fit properly, more time spent fabbing! I ended up welding the crossmembers into place as I could not see an easy way to drill all of the holes. The lines were pretty straight forward but I had two use two 60" lenghts of tube put together with a coupler and the stupid parts person gave me a pipe coupler instead of a compression coupler and stupid me didn't realize it when I installed it so when I fired it up it puked fuel all over. Had to pull the line back out and to do that I had to remove the tank.
Electrical was easy but a bit tedious, the valve and swtich are a bit confusing at first but not too bad once you figure out whats going on. Having the factory manual was a big help to ID which wire I needed to tap into for the fuel guage.
All told it probably cost me close to $200(remember I got the tank for free) and 30 hours of labour. Would have been quicker if I didn't have to fab straps and replace that coupler. I also spent a fair bit of time messing around with the filler neck trying to get it to clear. Welding the crossmembers in was definatly faster than trying to drill the holes.
Then I went and dropped $200CDN filling both tanks!
What was the point of this again?
04-23-2006, 08:42 AM
#2
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Location: Lafayette New Jersey
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Hey post pictures! I have the cab and bed off my truck right now so it would be a hell of alot easyer for me to install the tank, Where does the filler neck come out.
04-23-2006, 09:04 AM
#3
Cool; I'm about ready to install mine. 
On a quick question, what kind of fuel lines did you run back there?
Also, when I was at the junkyard there were two kinds of tanks out of Ramchargers; where the filler neck entered the tank, one tank had a male adapter sticking out of it and one had a hole in it. The tank with the male adapter had the filler tube stuck on with a radiator clamp, and the tank with just the hole in it used a fancy kind of rubber fitting.
What tank do you think I should get?
On a quick question, what kind of fuel lines did you run back there?
Also, when I was at the junkyard there were two kinds of tanks out of Ramchargers; where the filler neck entered the tank, one tank had a male adapter sticking out of it and one had a hole in it. The tank with the male adapter had the filler tube stuck on with a radiator clamp, and the tank with just the hole in it used a fancy kind of rubber fitting.
What tank do you think I should get?
04-23-2006, 12:05 PM
#4
Registered User
What was the point?
You have succeeded in doing what alot of us have only talked about. It was a challenge that you met with the help of some friends of DTR. Congradulations on a job well done. Now you have the option of finding cheaper fuel and loading up on it. You may even decide that with two tanks you can try alternative fuels. And as a bonus, when the rear tank is full, the ride is better.
You have succeeded in doing what alot of us have only talked about. It was a challenge that you met with the help of some friends of DTR. Congradulations on a job well done. Now you have the option of finding cheaper fuel and loading up on it. You may even decide that with two tanks you can try alternative fuels. And as a bonus, when the rear tank is full, the ride is better.
04-23-2006, 04:26 PM
#5
Adminstrator-ess
Originally Posted by cLAYH
What was the point of this again?
04-23-2006, 06:32 PM
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
Well thanks guys that really helps bring things back into focus! I did a trip to the city today hauling my flat deck. Smoked a Ford even with the trailer on so now I feel better! And to top it off I looked down just in time to see it roll over 250,000kms. 
Seemed fitting that it was towing something at the time.
To ansewer the questions, installed the valve inside the driver's side framer rail under the driver's door. I used steel brake line to make the run from the rear tank upto the valve. 3/8s for the main and 5/16s for return, two 60" sections were coupled together to make the run. I believe though that 5/16s would have been sufficient for the main line as thats what the port coming out of the tank was and the main line coming from the stock tank is 5/16s as well.
To run the line I simply stuffed it down the frame rail and then at the back did a 90* bend and had about 6-8" sticking in to the center of the truck. At the same time I ran a piece of jacketed duplex wire for the sender. From there I used regular fuel line to go from the steel line to the port on the tank. I just pushed the comprssion fitting up the line a bit and slipped the rubber hose over the steel line and used two hose clamps. Also used two hose clamps on all connections back there as I really don't want to have to pull the tank again. EVER!
Up front I did the same thing for the connections to the valve but only used one clamp per line up here. Except where I spliced into the stock plastic lines. To do this I simply cut the line with wire cutters, I probably took out about an 8" section of line. I pushed the rubber hose on as far as I could and then double clamped it.
The swt got mounted next to the OD lockout swt. I wish it was a bit fancier swt, seems almost anti-climatic to the rest of the project. Anyway you've got me motivated agin so I'll go take some pics right now.
Seemed fitting that it was towing something at the time.To ansewer the questions, installed the valve inside the driver's side framer rail under the driver's door. I used steel brake line to make the run from the rear tank upto the valve. 3/8s for the main and 5/16s for return, two 60" sections were coupled together to make the run. I believe though that 5/16s would have been sufficient for the main line as thats what the port coming out of the tank was and the main line coming from the stock tank is 5/16s as well.
To run the line I simply stuffed it down the frame rail and then at the back did a 90* bend and had about 6-8" sticking in to the center of the truck. At the same time I ran a piece of jacketed duplex wire for the sender. From there I used regular fuel line to go from the steel line to the port on the tank. I just pushed the comprssion fitting up the line a bit and slipped the rubber hose over the steel line and used two hose clamps. Also used two hose clamps on all connections back there as I really don't want to have to pull the tank again. EVER!
Up front I did the same thing for the connections to the valve but only used one clamp per line up here. Except where I spliced into the stock plastic lines. To do this I simply cut the line with wire cutters, I probably took out about an 8" section of line. I pushed the rubber hose on as far as I could and then double clamped it.
The swt got mounted next to the OD lockout swt. I wish it was a bit fancier swt, seems almost anti-climatic to the rest of the project. Anyway you've got me motivated agin so I'll go take some pics right now.
04-23-2006, 07:12 PM
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
OK the pics are there in my gallery. If you have any questions just ask.
As for the different types of filler necks I would ay use the one with the male adapter, sounds like what I used and it woulf probably be easier to work with.
One little problem I still have is that the filler neck leaks when filliing the Aux tank. The factory fill port has a "bulge" in the bed of the truck to accomodate it. I didn't have one at the back so I had to cut/section/bend my ramchrager filler neck to fit in the fender well. Unfortuantly my weld job was not so good and it dripps when filling. Also I didn't get the angle quite right and there is a lot of stress on the rubber couple. I need to probably use a shorter pipe and a longer piece of hose to handle the angle. I probably just use some JD weld or something similar to sel up the pipe.
If you have the option putting the filler in the bed of the truck would probably be easier. I however have a slide in camper so that was not an option for me.
Heck if you don't have a slide in camper put a slip tank in the box and save yourself a ton of headaches!
As for the different types of filler necks I would ay use the one with the male adapter, sounds like what I used and it woulf probably be easier to work with.
One little problem I still have is that the filler neck leaks when filliing the Aux tank. The factory fill port has a "bulge" in the bed of the truck to accomodate it. I didn't have one at the back so I had to cut/section/bend my ramchrager filler neck to fit in the fender well. Unfortuantly my weld job was not so good and it dripps when filling. Also I didn't get the angle quite right and there is a lot of stress on the rubber couple. I need to probably use a shorter pipe and a longer piece of hose to handle the angle. I probably just use some JD weld or something similar to sel up the pipe.
If you have the option putting the filler in the bed of the truck would probably be easier. I however have a slide in camper so that was not an option for me.
Heck if you don't have a slide in camper put a slip tank in the box and save yourself a ton of headaches!
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04-24-2006, 01:07 PM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Plastic. I have a skid to on as well but I'm going to hold off for a few weeks to make sure its all working correctly before bolting it on.
04-24-2006, 04:41 PM
#12
Registered User
Thread Starter
Pollak valve
http://pollak.thomasnet.com/viewitem...lve?&forward=1
Seats are custom from a local company, I think they're called Cobra's. I believe the rear bench is from a Ford Super Cab.
http://pollak.thomasnet.com/viewitem...lve?&forward=1
Seats are custom from a local company, I think they're called Cobra's. I believe the rear bench is from a Ford Super Cab.
05-15-2006, 02:09 PM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
Well I have gone thru about a tank and a half on the new RC tank. So far so good, does have a couple of glitches, the filler neck leaks where I cut and welded it and makes a mess when filling, I'll probably slather some JB weld on it. Also after using about a quarter of a tank the in line-filter that I installed before the Pollack valve plugged up. Probably because I didn't cap off the filler neck while installing it and dirt and silt fell in(DUH!). Good thing I followed the directions and installed that extra filter!
Last of all the gauge doesn't read correctly. I'm guessing that the OHM rating on the sending unit doesn't match my dash guage. When the tank is empty it reads about 1/4tank. Good thing I have a second one to switch over to! I think I'll just live with it for now but if I ever pull the tank I'll swap the sender out with a newer one. Or I might try installing a resisitor in-line with the sending unit, see if that helps.
Doing a backcountry camping trip this long weekend and am looking forward to having it as the gas station I normally filled up at is now closed. Whoever heard of a gas station closing with gas prices this high?
Last of all the gauge doesn't read correctly. I'm guessing that the OHM rating on the sending unit doesn't match my dash guage. When the tank is empty it reads about 1/4tank. Good thing I have a second one to switch over to! I think I'll just live with it for now but if I ever pull the tank I'll swap the sender out with a newer one. Or I might try installing a resisitor in-line with the sending unit, see if that helps.
Doing a backcountry camping trip this long weekend and am looking forward to having it as the gas station I normally filled up at is now closed. Whoever heard of a gas station closing with gas prices this high?
05-15-2006, 05:31 PM
#14
Can you take a picture of the truck from the back? How much of the fuel tank can you see sticking out below the bumper?
I went out and bought a tank out of an 1987 Ramcharger and then went to install it. The only way I could position it so that no more than 3-4 inches of it stuck out below the bumper was to chop out a rather beefy crossmember that goes between the two leaf-spring hinges.
I don't see how anybody installs these tanks without either removing that crossmember, which would strike me as bad, or having the tank sticking out like a sore thumb. Sure, I'm not usually that concerned about aesthetics, but with that ugly black beat-up tank poking out from under my baby's skirts, I just could live with it.
So am I missing something, or is my truck unique in having the crossmember between the two leaf-spring hinges?
I went out and bought a tank out of an 1987 Ramcharger and then went to install it. The only way I could position it so that no more than 3-4 inches of it stuck out below the bumper was to chop out a rather beefy crossmember that goes between the two leaf-spring hinges.
I don't see how anybody installs these tanks without either removing that crossmember, which would strike me as bad, or having the tank sticking out like a sore thumb. Sure, I'm not usually that concerned about aesthetics, but with that ugly black beat-up tank poking out from under my baby's skirts, I just could live with it.
So am I missing something, or is my truck unique in having the crossmember between the two leaf-spring hinges?
05-15-2006, 09:25 PM
#15
Registered User
Thread Starter
The crossmember has to go. The two RC crossmembers that hold the tank in should be more than make up what you lose from the stock one.
There are pics in my gallery, none from the back but there is one from the front and side, cann't see it at all from the side and from the front you can see its sits higher than my crossmember.
I'd be more worried about the hole you'll have to cut in the side of the box than how low the tank hangs.
There are pics in my gallery, none from the back but there is one from the front and side, cann't see it at all from the side and from the front you can see its sits higher than my crossmember.
I'd be more worried about the hole you'll have to cut in the side of the box than how low the tank hangs.