abrogate932
Newbie
I was digging though my specialty tool drawer last week and found a tool I made and have since forgotten. When I first inherited my Bronco it was in poor condition in nearly every way. The main fuel tank was really rotten and it was one of the first things I decided to replace. I wasn't sure what kind of contaminants I would be dealing with and it had some seepage from the seams. I got a new stock replacement along with a new sending unit, o-ring and lock ring. I prepped everything out side of the truck then installed the tank. The o-ring must have shifted when I installed the lock ring and it was very apparent once I started filling the tank. I drained the tank and struggled with the lock ring with the tank installed due to the rear crossmember. I ended up removing the tank to investigate. After I installed the tank the second time, I filled it and found that something was still wrong. Rinse and repeat, but this time I had ordered new o-ring. I installed the tank and took the truck on a test drive and ended up having to get a tow back to our farm. The tank was hemorrhaging fuel at the sending unit.
I was frustrated with the situation and determined to fix the problem in place without removing the tank. I wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but I suspected that the twisting of the lock ring was causing the problem. I was using a mallet and flat head screwdriver to pop it in place, which has always worked on other cars. With the sending unit on this tank being on a vertical surface, the o-ring wasn't staying in place and the tapping of the screw driver was allowing stuff to move around. My solution was to make a tool that would engage the four tabs on the lock ring and would easily twist the ring while I was applying hand pressure to the sending unit to keep the o-ring in place. I drew the tool in CAD and cut it out on my plasma table. I made it from 1/4" plate, which is thin enough to slip behind the cross member and the ring can be installed/removed in place. I have never had an issue since and the ring is very easy to deal with now.
I was frustrated with the situation and determined to fix the problem in place without removing the tank. I wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but I suspected that the twisting of the lock ring was causing the problem. I was using a mallet and flat head screwdriver to pop it in place, which has always worked on other cars. With the sending unit on this tank being on a vertical surface, the o-ring wasn't staying in place and the tapping of the screw driver was allowing stuff to move around. My solution was to make a tool that would engage the four tabs on the lock ring and would easily twist the ring while I was applying hand pressure to the sending unit to keep the o-ring in place. I drew the tool in CAD and cut it out on my plasma table. I made it from 1/4" plate, which is thin enough to slip behind the cross member and the ring can be installed/removed in place. I have never had an issue since and the ring is very easy to deal with now.
