Fuel Tank

[Dodgeb4ya]

There are three different seals for the gas tanks. Depends on serial # and year of production. I found this information  in three Dodge parts books... 1948-49, 1948-50 and the master 1948-53.

Shown is the early type seal.

Bob

Edited November 27, 2013 by Dodgeb4ya

[Dodgeb4ya]

The four small screw holes around the tank  hole are used to screw down a block off plate on the big heavy trucks that use large external frame mount saddle tanks.. and don't use the  under cab tank. Pic shown is of my 4 tonner with saddle tank

 

The B3 trucks use just a piece of flat 1/8" rubber as a seal around the tank elbow up through the floor. Possibly B4 too. My B3 1 ton still has it.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Dodgeb4ya

[JBNeal]

I took a break to test the frame on the 1-ton, just to see if those springs on the fuel tank moved as much as some folks think.  So I oiled up the tractor jack and eased up the beast high enough on one frame rail to just pick the opposite side front tire off the ground.  The bumper measured to be 25" at the driver frame rail and 22" at the passenger frame rail.  The rear axle was firmly planted.

 

 

I then measured the tank mounting springs as shown:

 

 

 

I then lowered the truck carefully to the ground...by the 4th downstroke, the jack leaned over and sat the truck firmly on the ground a tire width south of where it had started...WEEEEE DOGGIES...this put the bumper about 16" above the ground.  I then measured the tank springs again:

 

 

 

After I took these measurements, I kinda wondered if the rear bolts were canting over as the frame rails were no longer on the same plane.  But that angle is small enough that I do not have an accurate way to measure this movement.  At any rate, the Dodge Truck engineers put these springs on here for a reason, so keeping them in place is a safe bet

Edited December 12, 2020 by JBNeal
photobucket pics lost

[Dodgeb4ya]

I'm a believer?

Thanks for the exhaustive and dangerous testing!

[48Dodger]

Put a load of bricks in it and park the left side in a pothole.....then measure....I bet its more dramatic.

Like I say, its probably not as important now as back then....but its still a frame willing to flex under the right situation.

 

48D 

Edited August 8, 2018 by 48Dodger

[Don Coatney]

Driving over bumpy ground or rough rail road tracks might show more tank spring action.

[JBNeal]

Static testing is the only means at my disposal now, but thanks to GoPro, a camera and a fabricated displacement gauge could verify movement during dynamic testing... I dunno anybody willing to be strapped under one of these buggies while holding a ruler tho

Edited August 8, 2018 by JBNeal
added link

[bkahler]

I would have loved to see those pictures.  Any chance of reposting them?!

 

 

[JBNeal]

fixed it...looking through my photobucket account, I can see quite a few pictures that aren't even in there anymore, with 4 of these pics among those missing...yet another disappointment from the photobucket that said that no pictures would ever be lost, no matter what  

 

additional information - gas tank spring details

Edited February 8, 2021 by JBNeal
added link

[JBNeal]

additional information - Fuel Tank Installation for Pilot-House Express and Chassis Cab Trucks