My gas tank fell out while driving

[60eldo]

     I dont believe this story. I filled gas to the brim my 60 cad. Drove around the block with music blerring, and heard thunder or jets flying over. I slow down music off and pulled over , thunder stopped. Got out of the car and my gas tank was on the ground dragging with 20 gallons of gas pouring out. Seems the straps came out of the front.  The straps dislocated at the front, came out of the slots. Anyone know why or how this could happen.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The only thing that would cause that is rust.

Plus, how could the filler neck come out of the rear crossmember when it is virtually butting up to the back of the tank.   The filler pipe connector must have fractured, or the clamps not done up tightly.

Then there are the clamps holding the hanging straps.   Plus, all the hoses from the tank to the front would have had to be broken.   But then, 20 Gallons of a lot of weight.   And both straps to let go at once.

Bruce.

[60eldo]

  No rust, when I put the tank back in today. I checked for that. Thats what I thought, but no rust, They simply came out of the slots

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

All I can say is that the attaching bolts at the rear weren't done up tight enough.

Plus, you were very lucky that the tank wasn't destroyed through road rash.

Bruce.

[Big Fins]

Installer error! The only ways those "T" end straps could have come out is rusted straps or rusted hangers. Plus, like Bruce said, you have to run the nuts up almost all the way on the back to get that tank nested tight to the trunk floor.

Losing the gasoline would be one thing. Starting a fire under the car from the sparking of the dragging tank would be quite another.

[James Landi]

Thanks for posting.  After 65 years of service, it simply failed. Here's my cautionary note.  My 56 Cadillac developed two flat tires simultaneously  while I was commuting to work back in '72.  BOTH of the steel wheels had split from constant flexing at the bead. 

[Clewisiii]

The new straps that came with my new tank are very flat steel. That makes them very flexible.

The originals have a crown running their length that makes them stiffer.

I decided before I install my new tank I will run the new straps through my bead roller to make a stiffening rib.

[Clewisiii]

Obligatory Image.

[Clewisiii]

I would suspect that it dropped on the bolt end. There is a very shallow hook feature. And if there is any bounce or play, it only needs 1/4 to 3/8 movement to become unhooked and drop.

[60eldo]

No Chewii, they were intacked. It came off the other end. I just noticed in my 59, there is a bolt right above the strap 1/2 inch away,above, but no bolt hole above the 60. If one strap gave way, that would put alot of pressure on the other one

[dn010]

I've seen some installations where the strap isn't set or pushed down into the slot correctly and maybe one part of the T is down enough to hold it in while the other side is free to pull out. I always make sure the strap is all the way down in the slot both before I start tightening and after, and of course that the bolts are tight. There is no other conspiracy to the straps coming out of the slots, they were either: installed incorrectly, are the wrong straps/width allowing them to pull out of the slot easily, the bolts were not tightened enough or you have rust issues which you already checked for. Put them back in, check them twice and keep on driving.

[60eldo]

  So Dan. when installing the next tank, are you saying to bend the tabs down like on a 45 degree angle, then slide them in the groves. Not to put them in horazonticlly?

[Clewisiii]

Pictures to talk around.

[60eldo]

 So do these ends in the pic above just slide into the trunk? Nothing holds them in? My car has 4 slots one above the other so 2 slots on each side. Do they (straps) go in the lower or upper slots.

[Big Fins]

Whichever slot allows you to reconnect the rear J-hooks and the nuts.

[60eldo]

  At the back, the tank is resting on the fuel outlet in the frame, the straps are not holding it at all. Its dripping from the fuel outlet, and Ive taken the tank out 4 times. to try to correct this. Somethings not right. Ive put the straps in the lower hole, and now they wont come out, I dont believe this, whats holding them in?

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

From memory, the front end of the straps just hook into the holes in the piece that is attached to the trunk floor, and once in, and the "J" bolts tightened up, the only way they can come out is if the metal has totally rusted away

The Filler neck should never directly sit on any part of the rear chassis crossmember.   The "J" bolts hook up into holes directly above the line of the retaining straps when they are positioned rearward, and parallel to each other.

In my first picture, although the upper location of the "J" hooks is not visible, I believe that they hook to a position under the body strengthening piece, and definitely NOT to the Chassis Crossmember.   If they did, then the movement of the chassis would be detrimental to the construction of the car.

The second picture shows the "J" hook at an angle, but I believe that the hook is positioned in a forward position into the body crossmember.

Hopefully, someone has clearer pictures.   

Bruce.

[Moody]

Hey Clewisiii,
Clean car on the bottom! Looks fantastic!
What color is the paint?

[60eldo]

Thanks for the pics. I think I did something wrong.

[Clewisiii]

Well I tried quickly installing my tank. But the new straps from Auto City Classic are not long enough.  I will need to have my original straps blasted and powder coated.