Sidekick 4-door Gas Tank Lift

[crikeymike]

Who has done one of these with specifically a 2" body lift?

I searched here (no luck), and spent hours searching zukiworld and still had no luck on solid info.  It looks to me like the tank mounts (on the lip edges of the tank, not the body mounts), will be sitting halfway between nowhere if i raise it 2-3" upwards, so nowhere to bolt to.  This is what's confusing.  Maybe i need to make drop brackets of sorts from the top of the chassis rails and crossmembers down to the tank for something to bolt onto?

Whit, you done a tank lift yet?  Yours is a 3" bodylift, though, right?

[CurreyRob]

I'll let ya know when I get my 3" BL done in a few weeks 

The research I've seen (for only 2") seemed to indicate welding some tabs or angle iron onto the frame rails and/or xmembers to fashion new tabs.

Another thing I've heard done and I'm considering is to cut a hole in the rear deck floor as an access hatch to the pump/sender assembly. Some scrap sheet, sealer, and poprivets to patch the hole.

[CurreyRob]

I take it you saw this ...
http://www.zukiworld.com/month_080102/feature_hagen_gastanklift.htm
But I'm fairly certain that requires a minimum of a 3" BL.

[CurreyRob]

Here's a pic I'd saved a link for a while back ... I like this approach since you're forming a new rear xmember and can get the tank wherever you can ...

[Whitfield]

I like that approach, I'd incorperate a new rear bumper into the program too. 

I'm 2" bl and stock tank that is beat all to pieces.

I spent a good 1/2 hr under the rear section looking at teh tank mounts the other day.  Also looks like the side seams will have to be folded flat / flush.  Not impossiable but a lot more work then I'd look to do for now.  I still have other more pressing issues to tend with.   If I get to building the Kick buggy I'd probally just swap to a cell.

I've got current issues with the alignment on my 2-dr daily driver.   I replaced the upper strut bolt with a size smaller to correct the camber and this threw off the toe (Toe'd out now).  I could scribe and set but I'd prefer a pro alignment, But I'd liek to hold off until I make the A-arm mount widening mod to get the tires out of the back of the front fender.   

                      But none of this can start until I get the rear axle(s) back in the 4-dr trail Kick....     

[Digger]

Well, I can shed some more light on this. The cross members on the back end of the 2 door frames are round 2" tubes. On the 4 door frames it's a formed sheetmetal bulkhead sort of thing. The 4 door tank is slightly wider than the frame rails, which hampers it's ability to raise any further in the frame. You'd be able to get a 2 door tank to slide up in there nicely, but at the cost of a little range. There is a tubular crossmember at the front of the tank which would facilitate clamping the front of the tank in place with heavy duty muffler clamps, but in the rear with that sheet metal bulkhead, you almost have to do some custom welding/fabrication...  I'm lifting the tank on my project 4 door kick, but also have the entire body off right now to make it much easier to fit stuff together. Plus I'm planning on using the slightly narrower tank from my 2 door...

[Digger]

I also discovered tonight that the width of 2 door and 4 door frames are exactly the same, but the 4 door's tank is around 5" longer front to back than the 2 door's tank. What this means is the 4 door tank wont fit in a 2 door frame without major modification/fabrication. The 4 door tank is even too wide to lift in a 4 door frame without cutting off or bending in the pinch welds on the sides of the tank. The 2 door tank is small enough to fit easily into a 4 door frame, but you'll lose range and still have to fabricate mounts to make up for the 5" gap in the mounts...

[aftermarket4x4]

We lifted the tank in Krusty about 2-3 inches to keep from gashing it on rocks.  It is hard to see, but I actually used a few chunks of a Samurai radiator mount to secure the rear of the gas tank to the gas tank protector in the rear.


It was a very quick way to get the tank mounted and next time I would definately install the tank using a method similar to what is on the green one in the post above. I like the idea of strengthening the rear of the frame and installing a receiver.

Here is a link to Krusty: http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,18044.0.html

Sean

[SiKiD_01]

I like that approach, I'd incorperate a new rear bumper into the program too. 

i do have a rear tube bar that will mount up seperate, but i am in the process of moving it up a couple of inches so it sits nice under the tail gate and covers the tank. i will have this done tomorrow, and so i will post up pics for u all.

i have more pics on how i made my rear crossmember too. originally, i was going to just weld it in place, but i have actually just bolted the rear xmember inplace. i'm still considering welding it in place, or at least a few runs of weld to keep it where i kno it should be.

ps. sorry, i forgot to mention that the green POS belongs to me.

cheers

here's a link:

swb
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modules/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=48700

[Uncivilized]

i have actually just bolted the rear xmember inplace.

Is it bolted in the factory  holes for a hitch?

[SiKiD_01]

Is it bolted in the factory  holes for a hitch?

yes, at the moment it is. where the factory hitch/tow bar is mounted, with the 4 bolts. if i undo the 2 bolts for the gas tank, and then the 4 bolts under the chassis, then that xmember drops out. well, u migth have to tap it a bit with a bfh, cos its sorta a pretty tight fit. thats how i wanted it, so it can give some form of rigidity to the rear section.

[Uncivilized]

yes, at the moment it is. where the factory hitch/tow bar is mounted, with the 4 bolts. if i undo the 2 bolts for the gas tank, and then the 4 bolts under the chassis, then that xmember drops out. well, u migth have to tap it a bit with a bfh, cos its sorta a pretty tight fit. thats how i wanted it, so it can give some form of rigidity to the rear section.

I'd leave it, if you need to change your tank having just bolts will make it easier.

[SiKiD_01]

my vit: 3" BL, 3" tank lift, raised rear bar.

[CurreyRob]

Here's how mine turned out ...



rear mount is an old class I hitch notched to fit a 2" receiver tube scavaged from an old rusty bumber mount hitch. The whole x member was then notched into the frame, welded and then caps put on. scavanged the old mount tabs, and welded them onto the square tube. It's a tight fit, but tank and skid plate can be dropped fairly easily still.

Here's how the front mounts were done ...

Again, just cut up stock ones to fit around the front tube at the right height ...

[Chief]

Soooooooooooooooooo

Anyone know how far you have to lift to move the rear axle back and not hit the tank???

I'm just gonna cut the floor out. Me no likey body lifts! 

[CurreyRob]

the tank will want to move back the same as you move the axle (I was wondering too ...)

I think you have about 40mm or so of clearance when the diff is fully stuffed (and the tank lift might give ya another 10mm or so).

[Whitfield]

New Tank lift info for The FAQ