Advice on accessing Gas Tank

chris_kucia · October 26, 2005

I read on one of the posts that its possible to remove the bed retaining bolts on the LH side and just loosen the bolts on the RH side, allowing you to tip the bed up on the LH side to provide access to the gas tank w/o removing the bed.

Anyone done this? Is it possible to lift up the side of the bed by yourself, or do you need a couple of guys to do it?

Anyone tried fixing the sender, or does everyone just replace it with new?

Shawn T · October 26, 2005

I read on one of the posts that its possible to remove the bed retaining bolts on the LH side and just loosen the bolts on the RH side, allowing you to tip the bed up on the LH side to provide access to the gas tank w/o removing the bed.

Anyone done this? Is it possible to lift up the side of the bed by yourself, or do you need a couple of guys to do it?

Anyone tried fixing the sender, or does everyone just replace it with new?

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The guy who mentioned that teqnique got some pretty harsh reactions. I have to agree, anyone who props a truck bed up and sticks their head and body underneath to work, just to save 5 minutes is a moron. Remove all of the bolts, gas filler neck, tailgate, and unplug your tail lights. You don't even have to comepletly remove the bed, just move it back far enough to access the top of the tank. The sending unit and fuel pump are integrated on the NBS trucks, I don't think they are repairable, just replace it. My brother and I picked up his bed and moved it back ourselves. You probably only need one more person to help you.

GM-Tech · October 26, 2005

I read on one of the posts that its possible to remove the bed retaining bolts on the LH side and just loosen the bolts on the RH side, allowing you to tip the bed up on the LH side to provide access to the gas tank w/o removing the bed.

This is sorta kinda the way we do it in service. We remove all the bolts, leaving just the two rearmost bolts very loose. We then tip up the front of the bed (rather than tipping it on it's side) so it looks sorta like a dump truck.

Keep in mind that we have the vehicle on a lift, and use a screw type jack under the bed. We then lower the truck down to lift the bed. The front corners of the bed have to be covered and closely watched so they don't dig into the cab.

Since it's on a lift and has a solid jackstand under the bed, there's no chance of the bed falling while someone's under it pulling out the fuel pump module. If you try something like this, be very careful. You don't want to die trying to save a few bucks by doing this yourself.

chris_kucia · October 26, 2005

Thanks for the advice guys.

I really hate dropping tanks. In my old S-10, after I replaced the sender, the fuel pump, and then the tank (three separate occassions), I cut a hole in the bed and put a marine hatch cover over the tank.

Of course, I never had to get to the tank after that.

Its tempting to do this with the Sierra.

I live alone, so I was hoping to find a way to do it myself, but I guess I could get a couple of buddies to come over if I stocked up on beers.

asilverblazer · October 26, 2005

How heavy are the beds? I doubt that unless it fell on your noggin' you may suffer a broke limb but death seems a little harsh...

Shawn T · October 26, 2005

How heavy are the beds? I doubt that unless it fell on your noggin' you may suffer a broke limb but death seems a little harsh...

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I don't know. I just imagine a bowling ball being dropped on my head from a couple of feet in the air. Ouch! I'm sure the bed (even hinged from the side or the rear) is quite a bit heavier. Why would anybody chance it? Man, this post sure went off on a tangent. I seen my neighbor rotating his tires last weekend, using a floor jack. The problem was that he would wait to break the lug nuts after it was in the air. It just made me cringe to see that car rocking back and forth on that jack with his leg halfway underneath the car. Sure it would'nt kill him, but heah what is a broken leg.

gmcjoe · October 27, 2005

4 guys or a cherry picker and a few minutes and the bed is off.

Easiest way to access the sending unit

97chevy350 · October 27, 2005

I did mine a few months ago, if u have a garage with a decently high celing, you can(Depends on how much you love your garage ceiling) cut a hole in the ceiling enough to get a come along ankered over one of the boards, and then take a fairly heavy rope, weave it through each corner of hte bed and bring it to a point in the middle of the bed and then pull it up wiht a comealong. I have a three car garage, kinda, two with room for the chevelle in front of one, so i just pulled hte truck in picked hte bed up, and drove the truck foreward, then i had complete access to the top of the tank, and the whole rear of the truck for that matter.