Fuel Tank Installation - Tips
For the first set of tanks going into my left wing (I have extended range tanks in my EX) I did it like Frank Sinatra...."my way". Second wing, we did it Mitch's way. Here's a few tips that he gave me and we learned through the process that made the job go really well. Some of this stuff, I'm just repeating what's in the manual but they were key points that really made the difference....
1) Insert your tubing (42 1/2") into the channels in the tanks.
2) Tape the short fuel tank straps back to the spar to keep them out of the way.
3) Pull your heavy drag wire back just enough to get it started into the tank. The best way to describe this part of the install is to "thread" the drag wire into the tube and through the tank. I'd say it would almost be impossible to do this part of the job on your own. The tanks are very light so anyone could help out here.
4) When you get the tank to where it's fully in but still above the ribs, square it up to the bay and insert the outboard edge of the tank down into the bay.
5) If the tank doesn't slip down past Rib #1, there's a couple things you can do to help it along. Carefully bend the ground tab on the inboard tank in towards the tank. Just an 1/8th of an inch is all you'll need.
6) You may have to flex the #1 rib back to allow the drain fittings to slide past Rib #1. You can do this simply by gripping the web of Rib#1 and push with your thumbs against the tank and before you know it, the tanks are settled down into place.
7) Once the tanks are centered right where you want them, put some weight on the tanks (bags of sand as suggested in the manual work well and are the least likely to damage your tanks).
8) When you pull the straps together to start connecting them, you'll feel certain that the wrong bolts were spec'ed for this connection. They are the right ones. In fact they're designed to actually bottom out when you've got them tightened just right.
9) There's a couple methods that you can use here. Channel lock pliers work well to squeeze the sleeves together and you can thread some wire through the sleeve and tighten it to hold the sleeves close enough for you to catch the bolt with the washer and nut.
10) What I found worked well was some large vice grips, opened up wide and AFTER you INSERT THE BOLT from the underside, apply the vice grips to the head of the bolt and the very edge of the top sleeve.
11) Once you've got the vice grips locked, you can easily slip the washer on and turn on the self locking nut.
12) Tighten the nuts until they bottom out on the bolt and you're golden.
Hope this helps.
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