What Else Should I Do While I Have The Bed Off?

Lobanz

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'93 F250 4wd 5sp Ext Cab 7.3 NA Diesel.

Truck got hit from behind and I'm replacing the bed with a flat bed. Have flat bed and have brushed, Ospho'd, primed and painted the underside.

Here's what I'm doing so far:
  • Pressure wash everything, prime and paint.
  • Clean out tanks, replace pickup tube strainers so I can get pas 1/4 tank.
  • Replace rear leaf spring bushings. (Will be replacing front leaf springs too at some point -- they're shot)
  • Add some Hellwig helper springs.
  • Replace rear shock absorbers.
  • Chase down a fuel line leak causing engine mounted mechanical lift pump to suck air.

Some things I'm considering:
  • Maybe replace fuel level sending units. They work fine, but they are dang expensive: over $100 each -- almost twice as much as a new tank. Any strong opinions about replacing them? Any way I can clean them up or rejuvenate them? Sure is easier without bed on. But I don't want to spend the money if I don't have to.
  • Maybe replace fuel tank selector valve. But it also works and none of the replacement units seem to have the same port configuration, which seem like it would make it a pain. Not really any easier with the bed on or off.
  • Anything else I should be looking at?

Some questions:
  • Those nylon fuel line connectors... Just looking at them, I'm not sure I trust them not to leak. Should they be replaced or are are they pretty reliable? And replaced with when, more of the same, or rubber hose and hose clamps?
  • Any advice on chasing down fuel line leak letting in air?


Thanks!

--- Lobanz
 

franklin2

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Look for any wetness or oilly spots in the fuel system that would be a sign of leaks. The new fangled fittings are hard to deal with if you need to replace them I just use hose and hose clamps. But when they work, they work and are pretty reliable, they have a o-ring in there that works pretty well so long as the metal tube doesn't get rusted up that it sits on.

The flatbed opens up different possibilities and uses. Later on you could make it dump. And look at all that room in front of the rear wheels on each side. That is a good place for a storage box.

I have been doing some research on flatbeds, one bug-a-boo is the open area in front of each rear wheel. Most people end up retro fitting a short mud flap or shield right there. If you don't, mud/dirt/water gets thrown all the way to the back of the cab and makes a mess. You have lost the wheel well that the original bed provided.
 

franklin2

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P.S. A little planning is sometimes involved in mounting the fuel fill hoses, especially if you decide to make it dump later.
 

Lobanz

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[...]I have been doing some research on flatbeds, one bug-a-boo is the open area in front of each rear wheel. Most people end up retro fitting a short mud flap or shield right there. If you don't, mud/dirt/water gets thrown all the way to the back of the cab and makes a mess. You have lost the wheel well that the original bed provided.

Thanks franklin. The flat bed does have a mud flap behind the wheel, but not in front. Don't think I've ever seen one with a mud flap in front of the tire. Probly just never noticed it. But I see what you're saying.
 

ironworker40

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I would put trap doors in the bed so you never have to remove the bed or drop the tanks
to get to sending units again. Then you don't have to replace the sending units until they fail.
Also you can calibrate sending unit with bed off by bending float arm slightly so they read more accurately. I did mine with 4 gallons in them and set that to read just at a 1/4 of a tank. Before one read 3/4 when full and ran on empty forever so I had to keep track of milage.
 

nj_m715

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I used gasoline senders from the same year, they were much cheaper and needed minimum mods to fit right
new tanks are cheap, if you have steel you might want to replace them
it's hard to not spend 75 bucks to replace 25 year old tanks
40gal rear tanks are great
 
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Lobanz

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I used gasoline senders from the same year, they were much cheaper and needed minimum mods to fit right
new tanks are cheap, if you have steel you might want to replace them
it's hard to not spend 75 bucks to replace 25 year old tanks
40gal rear tanks are great

Cool.

I looked at new tanks. My tanks are steel and the inside seems perfect inside. Just a little rust on outside so I'm gonna paint em.

Can you point me at a 40 gal rear tank? I've been looking at ways to get more fuel on board. I suppose that you give up the spare tire when you do this right?


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Lobanz

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I would put trap doors in the bed so you never have to remove the bed or drop the tanks
to get to sending units again. Then you don't have to replace the sending units until they fail.
Also you can calibrate sending unit with bed off by bending float arm slightly so they read more accurately. I did mine with 4 gallons in them and set that to read just at a 1/4 of a tank. Before one read 3/4 when full and ran on empty forever so I had to keep track of milage.


Awesome. I will definitely do the calibrating this way. Thanks!
 

nj_m715

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Lobanz

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I have a single tank conversion kit that is coming out very soon, it uses a 38 gallon tank and eliminates the problematic factory style pickup.[...]

Do you have a website address?
 

ironworker40

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I have a single tank conversion kit that is coming out very soon, it uses a 38 gallon tank and eliminates the problematic factory style pickup.
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Thats a nice tank. Were is the return line? Does it work with stock gauge? Does the spare tire carrier work with it? I like the idea of updated fuel pickup and sender unit.
 
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