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Wildhorses fuel tank

Wallajw

Contributor
New Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2026
Messages
17
Hello

Im installing a wild horses 23 gallon tank on the frame without the body bolted on and im wanting to make some brackets similar to the stock tank brackets that hold the corners rather than sucking it up to the bottom of the body. Since I dont have the body on the frame I cant measure and I dont have any good pictures before disassembly that show the distance from the the top of the tank to the underside of the body. Im not running a body lift. Im going to use the stock front fuel tank brackets as a guide but if I have more room to work with I would raise it up as much as I can for clearance. And also does anyone have a measurment of there the center of the fuel filler is to rhe shock mount or rear of the frame horn so i can get it close to where it needs to go

Thanks
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
8,777
the distance frame to body is the body mount puck thickness.

I would be skeptical of someone else's measurements for what you are describing.

You want a tank held by the top versus the bottom, do you want it to also mount onto the top of the frame? There is a real good reason every fuel tank is held on by a strap around the bottom vs the top, unless it is a flange around the top that rests rests in a mounting location like some BMW tanks. That is a lot of weight that moves around.
 
OP
OP
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Wallajw

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New Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2026
Messages
17
Im still going to have it supported on the bottom i just want to be able to install it without the body on the frame. The high capacity aftermarket tanks all seem to pull up against the underside of the body where the stock tank had brackets front and back it pulled up against. I have a skid plate that uses the j bolts into the frame to hold it in place but with nothing on top to tighten it again its just swinging around
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
8,777
yeah measure a body mount and thats how much distance frame to body
 

jamesroney

Contributor
Bronco Guru
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Sep 11, 2007
Messages
2,590
Loc.
Fremont, CA
You are overthinking this:

There is an easier way to locate the tank. The fill neck on your M1A1 tank is welded in place, and can only go in one place. So when you "hang" the tank with the fill neck above the rail, it has to sit 1/4-1/2 inch above the frame rail.

There is no adjustment fore and aft. You MUST push the tank all the way to the front crossmember. I know it looks like there's plenty of room between the rearmost part of the tank and the bumper. But when you look at the body, the rear channel of the body fits snug against the pocket in the tank. BELIEVE me when I tell you that it's tight. I did what you did and moved it back to clear my rear axle. And then I took everything I made back off and pushed the tank back up snug against the front crossmember.

And I'll tell you right now that there is not enough room for a bolt head there. The 5/16-18 self tapping washer head screw with the 1/2 inch hex head is too thick by itself.

Here's a couple of pics. Mine is 2-3/8 above the rail, but I have a 2 inch lift puck.

It is vastly more important to figure out how to vent the tank than anything with mounting. The bed floor is more than adequate for keeping the tank from exiting the Bronco. The vent is located lower than the fill pipe, and the fill neck, and it fills up with liquid every time you fill the tank to capacity. I'm not going to say it's the worst design ever, but it's the worst design I've ever paid for, and was happy to pay for again. Just because that tank is a work of art...
 

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JefeAZ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
3,088
Loc.
Tucson
When working on mine, I had some of the same concerns. When I saw this in person, I knew it was what I wanted.
No issues and mounted up just how I thought it should.
Did you install this on the M1A1 tank that has the sending unit and pump access in the middle of the tank?

Going thru the same ordeal and looks like ill be welding brackets on the sides of the M1A1 to bolt it up under the frame. Don't like the look of the J bolt mounted skid plate or strap
 
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Wallajw

Contributor
New Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2026
Messages
17
thanks all, I'm going to make some brackets to hold the 4 corners like the original. ill keep the fill tube 1/4-1/2 inch off the frame if i need to tweak things later i can but this should get me close enough
 

Bruners4

Full Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Messages
282
Loc.
1/2 way to everywhere
Did you install this on the M1A1 tank that has the sending unit and pump access in the middle of the tank?

Going thru the same ordeal and looks like ill be welding brackets on the sides of the M1A1 to bolt it up under the frame. Don't like the look of the J bolt mounted skid plate or strap
This is a complete tank setup that includes everything. It is not a tank mounting system where you supply your own tank. It is sold as a complete unit that includes everything needed to replace the stock fuel tank.
 
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