oem fuel fuel tank replacement?

[nwoods]

The gas tanks are high strength polyethelene and are VERY difficult to puncture. However, the flimsy "shield" underneath it is VERY easy to bend, tear, deform, etc... The "shield" is actually the tray that holds up the tank, so you do need it.

A new "shield" is around $400 from the dealer, and the tank is over $1000. I have replaced several tanks, but only one shield. I eventually got smart and just pounded out the dents in the old shield and reinstalled it. The trick is sourcing the tank! There was a major recall a while back and all the tanks in North America were in very short supply. No idea what the situation is now though.

The problem is not puncture, but if you deform your tank to a certain percent, the fuel sender and/or the fuel pump will not work, and it's not serviceable, so you have to replace the entire tank, can't replace just the pump. This is because the pump is in the front of the tank and there is no access to it. Silly British engineering.

Even my third tank was slightly "trail modified" to the tune of about 2 or 3 gallons less capacity, but worked fine like that.

Edit: note, this is a photo of my first tank back when my LR3 was a low rider and I didn't have any skids or sliders.....

 

[Disco Mike]

With the tank nearly empty and a jack stand, you can brace up the tank, remove Rovers metal plate and the tank will pop back on it's own, so I wouldn't worry about that.
There are a couple of really good, both aluminum and steel skid plates designed to give you tons of protection for around $250.
I installed a 1/4" aluminum plate on mine a couple of years ago. I can take a picture and post it if you are interested.

 

[nwoods]

With the tank nearly empty and a jack stand, you can brace up the tank, remove Rovers metal plate and the tank will pop back on it's own, so I wouldn't worry about that.
There are a couple of really good, both aluminum and steel skid plates designed to give you tons of protection for around $250.
I installed a 1/4" aluminum plate on mine a couple of years ago. I can take a picture and post it if you are interested.

I wish that were true in my case! My second tank did not "pop out", even when charged with compressed air. What are your sources of LR3 tank skids? I sm aware of High Country 4x4's version, but haven't seen any others...yet

 

[Disco Mike]

After rereading it has dawned on me that this is about LR3's not D2's, boy I missed that one.
I have not seen any others for a LR3 either, not to say they aren't out there.

 

[davidfkon]

does anyone have the High Country Skid Plate?
I found this . . . http://www.seanmcwherter.com/2009/11/high-country-off-road-fuel-tank-skid.html

 

[duckdive]

Yep, here is what it looks like.

 

[davidfkon]

hmmmm . . . . looks good . . . not as dramatic as the link made it out to be . . . the other plate is compressor skid?

 

[duckdive]

Nope, it's for the T-case.

 

[davidfkon]

ahhh . . . can't seem to find highcountry's site . . .

BTW I thought I read you had rs sliders?

 

[Trynian]

I would take it off, then fill the tank like trynian said to allow the plastic to pop back into the original shape

Also, i guess you could fix your OEM skid for now (when you take it off anyway to let the tank fix itself) and then install the new skid when you get it

You have to put the skid cover back on first since it holds the tank. Then fill and and if it is not to deformed it will pop back.

Then the hi-country plate goes over the stock plate. The factory plate cover is really easy to pound back out if you warm it up a bit.