89 Caravan - FuelTankClipsBroke- TryingToRemoveFuelTank

89 Caravan - Fuel pump needs replaced. I drained as much gas out of the tank as I could out of the drain tube on the driver's side. Both of the clips that act as a nut for the 2 bolts broke. The bolt is down a little ways. I tried jacking the tank up to get some play right next to the bolt (away from the strap) but there is just a hair there, the tank doesn't want to go back up (I can't seem to get a hack saw in there). There is a little space between the strap and the frame (with a broken piece of clip there too - besides the broken piece of clip up inside the frame). Unfortunately - vise grips do not clamp the broken piece of clip that is up inside the frame - to keep unscrewing it. I do not have bolt cutters - I am not sure if they could get where they would need to get - to cut the bolt. I have been told a dremel would cut the straps - with the tank way one could grind off the bolt head - if one got the sparks to fly to the back of the caravan - would it be OK to grind thebolt heads with the tank still on the vehicle. Any ideas? Thank you!

Maybe a sawsall with a medal cutting blade. If the straps are broken and need to replaced anyway you could cut the straps with a sharp medal chisel. Than when the tank is out you could drill out the bolts. Sounds like you will have to drill them out anyway. With bolts of this age it would have been a good idea to spray them with liquid wrench and let it sit over night. But as always hind sight is 20/20. Good Luck. Ride On, digimon

The straps are OK - I kinda thought of a that saw but I don't have one and they are big and I doubt one could get the right angle. Would it be dangerous to grind the bolt heads off - I was thinking maybe one could get the sparks to fly toward the back - maybe something could be stuffed into the top of the back of the tank - if that would help. There are 2 gas feedlines there (where the lines go up to the top of the back of the tank) - I unscrewed the hanger so I could move them a little

I am still trying to get a handle on the difficulty that you are having with getting the straps to release the tank. When I did mine this part of the job was not any problem at all. The bolts came right out and the tank dropped right down. As far as using a spark producing grinder with the gas still being present I would be very careful the gas fumes may be a factor. If the clips for the bolts stripped off and are just spinning on the other side of the straps this is a problem. Can the bolts be held so you can drill them out? Needle nose vise gripes? Can you cut the clips off by cutting them with a sharp chisel? To every problem there is a solution. Lets keep trying to solve this one. digimon

Hi - I just picked up new clips and bolts at the Dodge dealer. The parts guy thought that grinding wouldn't be a problem. He said gas isn't the problem but the fumes are what is explosive. The gas cap being off would be important. I thought a wet blanket stuffed on the tank and hanging down would be added safety - also wrapping the 2 gas lines would be a good idea as they are right infront of the one bolt. +++ The bolt just spins as the clip is broke - the part of the clip that is inside the frame is spinning - not acting as a bolt. I tried the small vise grips but they are not strong enough and bigger vise grips do not fit into the area.

Go to the junkyard, grab some tank straps, go back home and cut those suckers off with tin snips. Then with the tank and its gas out of the way you can cut, grind, chisel, whatever to get the bolts out. For the price of used straps, it's not worth the time you are spending trying to save 'em.

My 2cent,
Geoff