Fuel Tank Hangers

[ehjorten]

So a couple of years ago I completely redid the fuel tanks in my '77 K20.  I removed the hangers and straps, had the hangers powder-coated and riveted on new straps.  New fuel tanks and senders.

Fast forward to today and I am starting the same process in my '91 V3500.  One of the fuel tank hangers is bent from a previous life and I need to replace it.  I had been reading about new, replacement hangers not having the weld-nuts on them and having to use bolts and nuts.  I am a bit anal-retentive when I redo stuff on my trucks and I wanted it to be correct, not to mention easier to disassemble and re-assemble!  So...I was going to look for a factory hanger.  However...

When I went to start taking my fuel tanks down, I found that they were already bolted to the frame with bolts and nuts!!!  What gives?  Did GM go away from the weld-nuts of the earlier trucks to bolts and nuts???  They were bolted together with GM factory, pointed-tip bolts!

Does anybody know if this is indeed factory?  I could see a hanger being replaced prior to my owning the truck with an aftermarket, but all of the hangers are bolt and nut!  I will say this...it was not easier taking apart when I had to reach up between the frame and tank to get a wrench on the top nuts.

[ehjorten]

Nobody knows?  Or I gotta be more patient? 

Uh oh...666 sign of the beast! 

[1967KaiserM715]

They are most likely aftermarket, my brothers parts truck had the hangers replaced, and they used the pointed body bolts, probably because it was easier to put the nuts on reaching around the frame.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Irish_Alley]

i welded my nuts on myself when i got used hangers from a friend. i think even my stock one they wernt welded

[Captkaos]

From memory on my 1991 I think it has bolts and nuts.  It has been a while since I messed with it though.

[ehjorten]

Curious why GM did that!  My '77 with stock hangers and nuts welded to the brackets make for easy removal and install!  Perhaps they had issues in the factory with tolerance stack-up and cross-threading bolts?!

I guess my hangers are stock.

Anyone know how the two pieces of the hanger are jointed?  Are they welded or just pressed together with that stud for the fuel tank liners?  Basically...how to you get to the rivets to replace the straps on these hangers???  My '77 didn't have that extra piece on the outside that wrapped around the tank.