20201208 - Tank Removed

Hey crustyT, how easy do you reckon it is to undo the various fittings to drop tank without removing any part of the bed?
I am in a pickle here still with what to do with time allotted plus weather lol

In my case I think it would have been a challenge to remove all of the hoses without removing the bed. Several of the hoses were pretty stuck on after 16 years, and you'd have to contort yourself a bit to gain access to everything. The main fuel line has a plastic clip connector that took some convincing to remove, even with the fuel line disconnect tool. If you're set on keeping the bed on, I would watch this video and use his technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-HPp2-_PFM

Another approach to consider would be removing the 4 bed bolts closer to the cab, and then loosening the other two bolts near the bumper. You could then slide some 2x4s or 4x4s between the frame and bed and gain a bit more access that way. I've seen pictures of people using this approach, and those few inches of clearance will make things a good bit easier.

With the amount of time you spend doing rust treatments, I think you'd really appreciate the frame access you get from removing the bed. Looking down on the frame and tank is much much easier than looking up while laying on the ground. I always wear safety glasses when wrenching, but I still hate having dust and debris fall down into my face while under the truck. You might consider buying an engine hoist from Harbor Freight ($190 / $150 with coupon) and using this approach. I found this picture here on TW. Using the engine hoist turns removing the bed into a one man job.