Pickup fuel pump replacement - lifting bed

[Tractorbaja]

Hey guys I need to replace the fuel pump on my 06 Ram 2500 short bed. I've gone back and forth debating which method to access the tank - drop the tank or lift the bed? I'm still on the fence but could use a few questions answered to help me choose if yall don't mind?

First, how do I rig the bed to use the tractor to lift it? Do I used chains or ratchet straps? If so, where do I attach? Corner pockets or down at the corner tie downs?

Or instead should I use a lifting bar setup of some kind to support under the bed rails? Like those H-shaped bed lifts? Do they have to be metal or could a 2x4 jig be fabbed?

Backfilling some other info here on the rest of the scenario...

As for the tractor, I've got pallet forks or I can remove the forks from the SSQA mount and use the lifting shackle on the receiver hitch slot. Tires are filled w beet juice and I've got a box blade attached. I'm confident there's enough counter weight for the lightweight stock box (probably several hundred pounds?). I plan to remove the cross bed tool box. It has a few items in it, not heavy, but enough to cause a balance issue when lifting.

If I drop the tank I do have several floor jacks to assist. I have a Badlands 3T offroad jack and a Strongway motorcycle lift jack. Some assorted bottle jacks too. I would be working outside on an uneven caliche driveway, no flat cement here.

As for the truck, I've calculated I have 13-15 gallons of diesel left in the 34 gallon tank and don't have any place to transfer the fuel too. The fuel in the truck is treated w tcw3/atf for the 5.9 and I cannot run it in the tractor nor the 07.5 6.7 truck. And I think my utv is mostly full w a 7gal tank. I've only got a 5gal diesel jug on hand. I could go buy more jugs, didn't want to, but I could...

Anyway, that's the scenario I'm working with. Help on ready-ing the bed would be great. Or if you've done this before, I'm ears.

I just finished pulling the bed off my 97 Dodge Ram 2500 long bed last week to replace a leaking fuel line. I use my 4000 # forklift with a set of 8' extensions I fabbed up. After the 8 bed bolts are out and the fuel filler, rear light wiring, ground strap to cab, and license plate plastic housing are removed, I use two 3"x6" wood beams that go across under the side rails at the front and rear and just pick it off from the back..

 

[CoyPatton]

Hmm, interesting. I do have an air hammer and compressor. Not sure about the room to work yet. I'll keep this in mind. Thank you.

Hopefully bolts don't fight too much. The truck has always been in South Texas where we don't salt roads unless the groceries fell out the truck. Rust isn't as much of an issue than in other areas but that don't mean it still won't fight. Especially on a 19yo truck.

How far south texas? If close to ocean, then you have a serious salt issue. A description like south texas is almost like saying mid west.

 

[Squirrel's242]

Well yall, after pulling the toolbox, draining a little more fuel via the fuel cannister WIF drain/running the lift pump, I ended up dropping the tank It was so darn hot yesterday that I wimped out and opted to lay under the truck in the shade to work. After all that info and mentally prepping...

I have the new pump in and the tank is technically ready to be reinstalled. Before I do I'm going to review a tank vent mod and I need to address the two leaking fuel lines from the tank to fuel canister. Much easier while the tank is down.

I found that if you lift it from one central point that you don't have good control. it is very likely that you will end up scratching something badly.

I noticed in videos that the lifting methods seemed to vary on results. Of course it's hard to tell how much operator skill it is vs method. I'm guessing the central lifting point being less controllable due to the tension being applied in a diagonal direction vs a more vertical way?

The Torx bolts are not Torx. They are Torx Plus. That is why regular Torx bits break. 81090 TP-50 Torx Plus® Bit

I gantry lift would definitely have helped me. Out here on this property I have started to consider building one to help. I seem to have a lot of more heavy unloading situations now.

Have you thought about installing an electric pump, installing a new line and just bypassing the old line and/or tying into it closer to the engine.

I have not.

I figured out on my 2000 F150 4x4 that by far the easiest way to do it was take the back bumper off, remove the 4 bolts that held the bed to the frame and used a chain hooked to my tractor to pull the bed back far enough to get to the top of the tank. Was about a 2 hour job.

That sounds like a smooth job. My luck wouldn't be so good lol I thought about this method of puling the bed back but I didn't want to remove the replacement bumper too.

 

[CoyPatton]

You said I think an 06. If it is a work truck, consider cutting an access hole through the bed floor. It won’t be pretty, but lots less work. Drape a welding blanket over the top of the tank and fuel lines and cut with a cut off well. Find an scrap piece of sheet metal larger than what you remove and rivet it in place after job completed. If you want it to look nicer buy a replacement panel for the bed floor. Paint it if desired.

 

[Dunno]

Just get under there and drop the tank. Cutting bolts, breaking this, scratching the bed - not worth it. Siphon out fuel, Undo two or four strap bolts, and lower it by hand or on a jack with plywood and/or 2x4s.

 

[Squirrel's242]

I just finished pulling the bed off my 97 Dodge Ram 2500 long bed last week to replace a leaking fuel line. I use my 4000 # forklift with a set of 8' extensions I fabbed up. After the 8 bed bolts are out and the fuel filler, rear light wiring, ground strap to cab, and license plate plastic housing are removed, I use two 3"x6" wood beams that go across under the side rails at the front and rear and just pick it off from the back..

That is exactly what I originally had in mind. Although I have this job about wrapped up after dropping the tank, I plan to keep this in mind for the next truck that goes down. I've got a 3500 Ram at 265k...

How far south texas? If close to ocean, then you have a serious salt issue. A description like south texas is almost like saying mid west.

No, there's no serious salt issue on any of my trucks. I'm living far enough from the coast, which is where I'm from originally. This truck has not lived the on the beach. Also the trucks I did drive to the beach didn't have salt issues either because I washed them thoroughly often. I grew up 20min from the beach, and all the trucks we had, trust me, the north has us beat on the amount of rust their trucks develop. As for my generalness on where I am exactly, that's intentional.

 

[Squirrel's242]

You said I think an 06. If it is a work truck, consider cutting an access hole through the bed floor. It won’t be pretty, but lots less work. Drape a welding blanket over the top of the tank and fuel lines and cut with a cut off well. Find an scrap piece of sheet metal larger than what you remove and rivet it in place after job completed. If you want it to look nicer buy a replacement panel for the bed floor. Paint it if desired.

Yes, 06. No, not work truck. No to cutting access hole. My truck is still nice lol I've got a Linex bedliner as well.

Just get under there and drop the tank. Cutting bolts, breaking this, scratching the bed - not worth it. Siphon out fuel, Undo two or four strap bolts, and lower it by hand or on a jack with plywood and/or 2x4s.

That's what I ended up doing yesterday Drained about 8 gallons too. The 34gal tank has two strap bolts actually, which one gave a hint of fight but relented with the 27" breaker bar. The threads had a bit of gunked up residue, I think either some gear oil or atf that had combined with general dirt/dust. I didn't pb blast a whole lot. I can't stand the smell of it. I used both floor jacks I had, wasn't that heavy to get down. Instead of weight I ran into height issue scooting the tank out while still on the jack. So I wiggled the tank and the jack out one at a time. My nerf bar mount off the body mount is just low enough it interfered. Nothing some finagling didn't fix.

 

[olenjohn]

Go from the top or expect crap / dirt / rust in your face. Remove the fuel filler tube, wires connectors and tailgate. Put the rear axle on blocks and remove the rear tires. Three people can lift / slide the box enough to get to the fuel tank pump. The box will sit on the frame but may need a couple wood blocks to help hold it. The box only weighs 300 / 400 pounds depending upon 6 or 8 ft. I’ve done this before and is 100x easier than laying on your back. Last one was a F150. Start to finish - 3 hours and no in my face / eyes.

 

[sreeb]

On my GMC, I loosened all bolts, pulled some connectors, and tilted up the driver side of the bed. Youtube will be your friend here.

Still, cutting an access in the bed my be preferable in the long run. I'm on my 3rd replacement after 25 years/250K miles.

 

[bmanmg]

Hmm, interesting. I do have an air hammer and compressor. Not sure about the room to work yet. I'll keep this in mind. Thank you.

Hopefully bolts don't fight too much. The truck has always been in South Texas where we don't salt roads unless the groceries fell out the truck. Rust isn't as much of an issue than in other areas but that don't mean it still won't fight. Especially on a 19yo truck.