Delete 35 gallon fuel tank and add 100

[banman]

Size 9½ foot for scale...
Filler neck comes through here to the fuel tank.



Filler door, note the relation to the mud flap.


The tank is about 25" wide x 14½" high x 71" long. Your tank looks very similar to mine actually...
You can't really see the tank itself in this pic -- what you see is the cage going between the frame rails and the bottom support channels.

At the appropriate spot in your floor I'd cut an access panel to hook up the sending unit and fuel lines. Then remember to never screw through the floor into your filler tube like Thomas did to mine with the seat install...
(filler tube's tough so it mostly displaced the filler tube instead of puncturing all the way through...)

[BusT]

Originally Posted by banman

Size 9½ foot for scale...
Filler neck comes through here to the fuel tank.

Attachment 42624

Filler door, note the relation to the mud flap.
Attachment 42625

The tank is about 25" wide x 14½" high x 71" long. Your tank looks very similar to mine actually...
You can't really see the tank itself in this pic -- what you see is the cage going between the frame rails and the bottom support channels.

At the appropriate spot in your floor I'd cut an access panel to hook up the sending unit and fuel lines. Then remember to never screw through the floor into your filler tube like Thomas did to mine with the seat install...
(filler tube's tough so it mostly displaced the filler tube instead of puncturing all the way through...)
Attachment 42626

Man awesome thanks for that I can kind of see it ... so the filler neck is higher then the tank . Then the tube drops and routes through the floor and into the tank... that helps a lot man I can kind of see it ... I’m starting to wonder if it would be easier for me to turn my tank towards the rear bumper and on driver side Maybe it would be less of span if filler tube

[BusT]

Originally Posted by banman

Size 9½ foot for scale...
Filler neck comes through here to the fuel tank.

Attachment 42624

Filler door, note the relation to the mud flap.
Attachment 42625

The tank is about 25" wide x 14½" high x 71" long. Your tank looks very similar to mine actually...
You can't really see the tank itself in this pic -- what you see is the cage going between the frame rails and the bottom support channels.

At the appropriate spot in your floor I'd cut an access panel to hook up the sending unit and fuel lines. Then remember to never screw through the floor into your filler tube like Thomas did to mine with the seat install...
(filler tube's tough so it mostly displaced the filler tube instead of puncturing all the way through...)
Attachment 42626

So those channels running the width of the frame rails just bolt through the bottom flange and the tank sits on top? The safety cage that came with my tank is for a side mounted one and I’m starting to get confused when trying to mod it for my use

[banman]

Originally Posted by BusT

So those channels running the width of the frame rails just bolt through the bottom flange and the tank sits on top? The safety cage that came with my tank is for a side mounted one and I’m starting to get confused when trying to mod it for my use

I'll put the graffiti to work...
In my pic where you see the word "way" painted -- that's the chassis frame rail.
Below that (and inside that) are the sides of the cage extending below the chassis rail. the cage metal is not as thick as the chassis frame but it's probably 3/16" thick. The inverted U channel perpendicular to the chassis rails is bolted to the cage. There are rubber strips between the tank and the U channel.

I'd say the cage is over-kill for your purposes -- mine's built as stout as a class III trailer hitch with how it wraps under the bumper. You only need all that to avoid the embarrassment of burning children after a train hits the school bus...

You're only holding up ~800 lbs (600 lbs of diesel + 200 pounds of metal) total. I'm sure (but you can verify) that your tank has internal baffles so the sloshing won't add much force to the weight.

You just need to make / find some brackets to extend the depth of the chassis rails to accommodate your tank, and add some cross- members. Buy some U-channel or uni-strut if your existing cage doesn't give you the right material to make all you need...

Look at the Rusty 87 build -- his recent pix show how the tank is laid between the rails while he's had the floor removed.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by BusT

Well isn’t the hose like 2in diameter? I’m trying to figure how I’d be able to slope that into my tank and fill from the side while it runs through the floor

This is a pic of my fuel filler tube from inside the bus, with the metal cover removed:

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/attac...9&d=1572977733

(The yellow at the top is the inside of the little door for filling up the tank). There's a round opening cut through the chair rail, and a rectangular opening cut into the floor (with a piece of rubber underneath the filler tube) that allows the filler tube to pass through the floor and on to the top of the tank.

And then this pic shows where the filler tube comes to the top of the tank:

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/attac...2&d=1585337579

(I actually just covered this over yesterday)

Relocating one of the chassis crossmembers to accommodate a longer tank is solidly in the "impossible" category for me - kudos to you in advance for pulling it off.

[BusT]

Originally Posted by banman

I'll put the graffiti to work...
In my pic where you see the word "way" painted -- that's the chassis frame rail.
Below that (and inside that) are the sides of the cage extending below the chassis rail. the cage metal is not as thick as the chassis frame but it's probably 3/16" thick. The inverted U channel perpendicular to the chassis rails is bolted to the cage. There are rubber strips between the tank and the U channel.

I'd say the cage is over-kill for your purposes -- mine's built as stout as a class III trailer hitch with how it wraps under the bumper. You only need all that to avoid the embarrassment of burning children after a train hits the school bus...

You're only holding up ~800 lbs (600 lbs of diesel + 200 pounds of metal) total. I'm sure (but you can verify) that your tank has internal baffles so the sloshing won't add much force to the weight.

You just need to make / find some brackets to extend the depth of the chassis rails to accommodate your tank, and add some cross- members. Buy some U-channel or uni-strut if your existing cage doesn't give you the right material to make all you need...

Look at the Rusty 87 build -- his recent pix show how the tank is laid between the rails while he's had the floor removed.

I want to design something similar to the stock tank cage but probalay not as overkill.
Then tie off of that and have some under storage on each side of the tank... so it would kind of triangulate and act like a truss on bridges ... similar to sojuneers under storage framing..
another thing is the crossmember I want to possibly delete and maybe push back is like 3 feet away from 2 other cross members more toward the rear axle .
Which are actually opossimg each other where ones facing to the axle the 2nd away from. Then while adding back my tanks cage I can also brace as needed while towing into the frame and regain that support

[BusT]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

This is a pic of my fuel filler tube from inside the bus, with the metal cover removed:

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/attac...9&d=1572977733

(The yellow at the top is the inside of the little door for filling up the tank). There's a round opening cut through the chair rail, and a rectangular opening cut into the floor (with a piece of rubber underneath the filler tube) that allows the filler tube to pass through the floor and on to the top of the tank.

And then this pic shows where the filler tube comes to the top of the tank:

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/attac...2&d=1585337579

(I actually just covered this over yesterday)

Relocating one of the chassis crossmembers to accommodate a longer tank is solidly in the "impossible" category for me - kudos to you in advance for pulling it off.

Man the fact that you said it was a solid impossible to you kind of has me a little worried ... I took another look and there’s 3 crossmembers behind the rear axle ... the first two i won’t touch and are opposing each other . On facing in towards the axle the other out... and then 3ft of space then the one I’d want to delete and re support with a tank cage . That will also share the load of under storage for either side of the bus....

I was also playing with the idea of having a rear deck / dirt bike storage and could possibly leave that cross member alone and extend enough to where I fit my tank and cage and support the dirt bike with a small ledge ....

But that would also kick my weight of the gas tank further back which I’d like to be closer to the rear axle

[banman]

How are your cross-members fastened? bolted, riveted, or welded to the main frame?
Regardless, you should have no issue relocating any of them aft of the rear axle to accommodate the tank. If you're moving one, you can incorporate it into the tank's cage/support structure.

I don't think I have any crossmembers aft of my rear axle -- just the tank cage and rear bumper structure all of which is structural of course...

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by BusT

Man the fact that you said it was a solid impossible to you kind of has me a little worried.

Ha, I'm a dog in a thunder storm when it comes to the chassis - don't let my fears stop you. It would mainly be impossible for me because I don't have a big enough wrench or impact driver to loosen the rusted bolts for these things.

[BusT]

Originally Posted by banman

How are your cross-members fastened? bolted, riveted, or welded to the main frame?
Regardless, you should have no issue relocating any of them aft of the rear axle to accommodate the tank. If you're moving one, you can incorporate it into the tank's cage/support structure.

I don't think I have any crossmembers aft of my rear axle -- just the tank cage and rear bumper structure all of which is structural of course...

There just bolted on ... I just need to design a way to tie it all together now... I’m thinking since I already have those other crossmembers I should be alright.

As long at the tanks cage acts structural like crossmembers which it should .

[banman]

Originally Posted by BusT

There just bolted on ... I just need to design a way to tie it all together now... I’m thinking since I already have those other crossmembers I should be alright.

As long at the tanks cage acts structural like crossmembers which it should .

Just compare the thickness of the cage to the thickness of the oem crossmembers. Mine are the same gauge metal.

As long as they're close in gauge --
Then as long as the cage is fastened in a similar manner if will add a simililar structure reinforcement...

There's not much torsional load on the frame aft of the rear axle. Unless you're planning to tow a heavy trailer...

[BusT]

Originally Posted by banman

Just compare the thickness of the cage to the thickness of the oem crossmembers. Mine are the same gauge metal.

As long as they're close in gauge --
Then as long as the cage is fastened in a similar manner if will add a simililar structure reinforcement...

There's not much torsional load on the frame aft of the rear axle. Unless you're planning to tow a heavy trailer...

That’s what I was thinking . Frame is probably 3/16 to 1/4 inch and the safety cage I’m cutting up will be the same ... or close . I’d like to have the ability to tow or at least have some kind of hitch setup which I could also mount a cargo rack on that acts as a rear deck ... but stable enough to carry the pig ... Honda xr650l for now...
and some more weight ... maybe have some diagonals that also bolt up

[shorthair]

I had a filler tube made by a local exhaust shop from aluminized exhaust pipe with a short piece of 2" fuel line to the tank. Worked fine for a gas motor for several years. Question if the tank is going to be between the frame rails do you need a cage ? You'll have the frame for protection.

[BusT]

Originally Posted by shorthair

I had a filler tube made by a local exhaust shop from aluminized exhaust pipe with a short piece of 2" fuel line to the tank. Worked fine for a gas motor for several years. Question if the tank is going to be between the frame rails do you need a cage ? You'll have the frame for protection.

Well mainly a cage to support the weight... also tie into right and left under storage ... and protect from scrapping ... kind of a cage ..

[shorthair]

Originally Posted by BusT

Well mainly a cage to support the weight... also tie into right and left under storage ... and protect from scrapping ... kind of a cage ..

A skid plate could make a lot of sense if you plan on off roading.

[BusT]

So now I’m getting ready to take out box and wiring ...
And relays and all those goodies that powered handicap lift ... I’m getting back about 20 ft of battery cable 2-4 awg

And want to remove that box and put else where ... probalay near my new entry door location... I’m also thinking of either removing the original stairs ... or keeping them .. I already cut the low point off them and made it flush with my bumper and started te welding ... there made to contour around the air filter and engine but there’s also more space I can get right there if I decide to modify once again....
Either way battery’s might be house under new passenger seat in storage locker ....

I need to move cross brace still and started identifying what needs to be done ... I’m now sure what this is ... looks like cable for trailer lights or something ... it says 24v to 12 converter ... but this needs to be moved along with what I’m guessing is some module or valve thing that controls rear air ride ... which I might just move forward and zip tie lines tight . From whatever slack I make ... the right way would be to go back and cut to fit leaving a little play once I get this whole set up done with....

As far as a skid plate goes I could buy some 3/16 plate or 10 gauge or something ...
i also might dovetail ... not sure if that’s the right word....
But taper the whole backend up a little since I’ll be cutting the lower body sheets for storage ... that’s a maybe ... I do think it would look pretty cool...
another option I have is extend the bumper ... I have some 2x2 1/4in ... very rusty but I think that limits me on towing ... which I don’t plan to yet but I don’t want to cancel that out

[shorthair]

BTW while I'm not up on the numbers if the tank is DOT approved it is rated for a pretty good impact. I've seen saddle tanks on Semi's with big dents that never leaked.

[BusT]

So I have a few questions ....
I’ll get pictures tonight in the daylight to help but ...
As far as fuel lines go .... I have 2 sensors .
Temp and pres on the side of the stock tank...
Then I have two fuel lines ... then one breather tube ... then the sensor for fuel gauge ....
Is there a way to know what line is which ... return or pickup by the size of the coupling nut ?
Will I have issues extending the fuel lines and priming or with the fuel pump after all this?

[BusT]

This is from International ... I think the bigger fuel line is pickup ... 1/2
Return is 3/8

But I contacted international ...
Really wish I had the on command parts database login so I could have a all the information at my hands...
well they gave me this picture which doesn’t really help

[Booyah45828]

Originally Posted by BusT

I need to move cross brace still and started identifying what needs to be done ... I’m now sure what this is ... looks like cable for trailer lights or something ... it says 24v to 12 converter ... but this needs to be moved along with what I’m guessing is some module or valve thing that controls rear air ride ... which I might just move forward and zip tie lines tight . From whatever slack I make ... the right way would be to go back and cut to fit leaving a little play once I get this whole set up done with....

That in the picture is a back up beeper. The 12-24 volts shows it's for both 12 and 24v systems. Take a picture of the other item and I'll try and ID that as well.