short box saddle tank differences

[roaddogg]

Truck is a 74 crew cab I just shortened the frame and and need the short box tanks. The bed I have has fuel doors so I know I need 79 and up but they list 2 different ones and lmc doesn't know a damn thing when you call them so anyone know of any differences before I buy. The bed according to lmc appears to be an 84 and up by the way the filler neck bolts to a housing that bolts to the bed and the prior years the filler bolted directly to the bed.

 

[bucket]

If the filler necks have the plastic housing at the bed, then get the later style tanks to go with those filler necks. The '87 tanks have an internal baffle that would be nice to keep the fuel from sloshing around so much.

 

[rich weyand]

The differences are that the 1982 and later tanks had a 1/4" greater diameter filler neck for easier filling with modern higher-delivery-rate gas pumps, and 1987 and later had anti-slosh plates to keep the electric fuel pump used with TBI from sucking air, since there was no carburetor float bowl to vent the air.

I bought mine from Classic Parts because they had a guy they put on the line who explained that all to me when I was buying mine, and LMC couldn't answer my questions, other than to say, buy the one for your year truck. Except that I have a 1978 chassis and cab with a 1986 bed....

 

[roaddogg]

I did quite a bit of more searching and checking out the box I bought, after I posted this and think I came to the same conclusion and that the box I have had the filler housings but are gone but I can see where they would bolt up. The filler necks I have appear to be the 79-81 style possibly as they have a two bolt pattern on them 180° apart that doesn't look like it would fit the newer (82-87) filler housing (going off lmc pics). The old 8' box had the fuel doors on it so it had been replaced at sometime. Good idea on the tank with the sump as I was just thinking go with the 82-86 but will do the 87. I did find some differences in filler neck size on rock auto as another thought to throw in there and that's more than likely the difference in part numbers for anyone else needing the info so I'll probably just order the tanks from them since they had the info needed.

 

[bucket]

It sounds like you are describing the earlier style filler necks that would take the earlier tank. But, if you are replacing the tanks and you have the later bed, it might be worthwhile to update the filler necks too and just run the later style on all of it.

 

[roaddogg]

Yep didn't realize I had choices on this one until I had some parts that didn't match up. Now I have an idea why the tanks are different and approximately what year bed I have I need to gather up everything in between and buy some tanks so tanks for the help hahaha

 

[roaddogg]

I'll see if I can get some pics up to help others in the future to show what they look like from different styles of parts and pieces