300 / 400 Series Fuel Tank removal

[JCM 10,639]

Anyone have an issue trying to remove the bolt through the tank / seat support underneath ?  I assume there is an insert nut molded in the bottom of the tank. Been trying to soak it the past few years when I remember. The bolt will move very slightly then stop. Tried going both ways. I do have 2 spare gas tanks . Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

[WHX?? 54,551]

Yep left side is impossible without removing the oil filter. Can get at better it if you remove the filter mounts down inside the pan stand. 

They are brass thread serts, I wanna call them, molded into the tank bottom. 5/16 Bolts are fairly short.  If you twist it out the tank may leak. Guessing the inserts are knurled to help hold them in. 

Keep dousing with your favorite juice  it and work back and forth may get lucky is all I can suggest. Might help to get at it if you disassemble the wings the tank sets on and remove the fender pan stand. 

Last one I wrenched on PO never even put them in. 

I got replacement tanks too Plunge. 

Edited Thursday at 03:55 PM by WHX??

[WHX?? 54,551]

Might add you should be able to disassemble everything to get the tank out and on the bench. 

Edited Thursday at 03:55 PM by WHX??

[squonk 45,379]

If the rivet nuts come out of the tank and the tank is undamaged, Horror Freight sells a fairly inexpensive kit. Very handy to have for other stuff. 

 

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-in-professional-rivet-nut-setter-kit-58078.html

[JCM 10,639]

3 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Yep left side is impossible without removing the oil filter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's when I first tried to remove the bolt when I was  servicing the Eaton 1100 I was lubing things up and she wouldn't budge. Might have to bring it out to the Love Shack to ger er done.  

[c-series don 11,246]

I went through this while restoring my C-175. Finally after soaking it and moving the bolt back and forth slightly for a week or more I got frustrated and yanked on it knowing that I had another tank. The bolt just spun in the tank, so I cut the head off and threw out the tank. I might have been more patient had I not had another tank, but I kept thinking why am I getting so frustrated with this when I should just cut the bolt and move on. 

[rmaynard 16,843]

I ended up removing that left side bracket, flipping the tank over and dousing the bolt with PB Blaster. It eventually (with help of gravity) went down into the threads.

[WHX?? 54,551]

I used stainless when I put them back in but hindsight being 2020 I should have used anti seize.

Assembled with the tank on the bench and then on the tractor to avoid taking the filter off. If changing the filter best to slide the tank in and bolt it. Kind of a pain to get the filter housing bolts started otherwise. 

Left the stand bolt out to vent when topping off but overfilled and tranny oil all over anyway.  

Edited 19 hours ago by WHX??

[Dan 312-8 425]

12 hours ago, c-series don said:

I might have been more patient had I not had another tank

Plus I believe the Big Show was fast approaching and it was the featured tractor that year (2023?) I'd have to dig out a shirt to confirm.

[lynnmor 8,566]

23 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Yep left side is impossible without removing the oil filter. 

 

I have removed them many times with the filter in place, a thin tappet wrench will do the job while shimming the tank up as the bolt backs out.  Just reverse the procedure to install the bolt.