65 Gas Tank Removal

[TonyC]

Well, I do have to admit that my situation is different, as I have access to a facility with lifts. Most people don't have that luxury, unless they're personal friends with someone who has a lift. That is really the best, safest way to lift the car high enough to remove the tank.

The jack points in Fraser's above attachment would be where to place the jack pads to raise the car safely.

---Tony

[Mike]

Hi everyone! I realize this thread is a little old, but currently working on this exact same project. We have detached the shocks from the top and jacked the car as far up as we can. Unfortunately, the tank doesn’t seem to budge past a certain point. We jacked the car up pretty far, but I’m guessing it needs to go further? Where should we be jacking? Currently doing it around the trunk floor.

Thanks!

If this is the 61 or 62 in your signature there's no dropping shocks or anything special. There's even an access hole in the trunk to disconnect everything at the sending unit ahead of time. The rest is pretty straight forward. There's at least a bolt or two at the filler neck also.

[papawayne]

Hey Mike, 63 is pretty much the same also...Wayne

[Mike]

Hey Mike, 63 is pretty much the same also...Wayne

Yeah thats what I did it on Turned out in my case I didn't have to remove it but I guess if anything it might have made replacing lines easier and cleaning 60 year old dirt.

Not sure what year of car comtinentalguy is working on.

[continentalguy]

Everyone, sorry, I forgot to say I am working on a '65 convertible. We do have access to a 4 post lift, but the vehicle is currently on the lift.

[TonyC]

Wait... the vehicle, meaning the 'vert, or a vehicle, meaning something other than the 'vert? Sorry for my confusion; so you have a 4-post lift, meaning a drive-on lift, available? Then the job should not have all that much in complications. If the 'vert is on that lift now, then get on with it! If it isn't on that lift, then determine how long it will take to fix the ride that is on the lift, and whether that takes priority over the 'vert (for any true Lincoln-lover, the answer ought to be obvious, but...). If the axle gives trouble with the car sitting on the lift–it shouldn't, but let's say it does–then try again placing jack stands on the subframe rails to adjust the axle's position until the tank clears. It is a harder job than a horizontal tank, like "normal" cars have; but it should not be that hard.

---Tony

[frasern]

I have a 2 post frame lift, any 4 post lift will normally leave weight on the suspension, but you will need that to hang free. Taking the tank out using axle stands will work, but you need very tall, truck type, axle stands. I did my '63 and '68 that way, but have not had the displeasure of working on a '65 tank.

[TonyC]

I agree there. The '65 should not be all that different from '68. In fact, I'd think it may be a tad easier, because the '65 axle housing isn't quite so massive as the '66–9 housings.

---Tony

[continentalguy]

Correct! We do have a drive on lift. However, if we use the lift as a hoist that means the car has to be moved off and moved underneath, but currently the car has the gas tank completely disconnected. I am not sure we can push it back into position.

When you used a drive on lift as a hoist, did you just use chains around the lift and connect to the bumper?

[frasern]

Perhaps I'm not following, but I think you have the car on a storage lift, not a service lift, they are not designed for servicing.
I would lift the car, put tall stands under the axle, (to floor), and lower lift gently. remove back wheels and block the frame, next to the front of the leaf springs, high enough for the diff to drop, then raise the lift to do your work. Brace it well, front and rear.
Trying to lift from the bumper may cause the body unit to flex, or even bend, that is too much weight.

[Mike]

A lot of drive on lifts serve both purposes.

"When you used a drive on lift as a hoist, did you just use chains around the lift and connect to the bumper?"

Hoist and lift are different terms for the same thing. You're not using it with a chain to lift the car.

I think what people are trying to say is that you might not be able to to the gas tank on a drive on hoist/lift too well because the weight of the car is still on the axle and the axle needs to be suspended as low as possible for the gas tank to clear it. You pretty much need to jack the car up and have it on decent height jack stands to get the tank out. Or have a 2 post hoist/lift.

[frasern]

Many 4 post hoists are designed for commercial service, we used them when I worked at the BMW dealership in Edmonton, but the ones being sold today, for storage, are designed for just that, storage.
I cannot drive anything bigger than my T Bird under my hoist, it is not high enough, a storage lift will usually go higher, and have no built in framework, to support the chassis, for wheel service etc. They will work great for oil changes, or other light maintenance, but for servicing a vehicle, it is best to use a commercial hoist design.

[TonyC]

Something else I thought of regarding those lifts: They have pretty wide platforms, the idea being to reduce the risk of driving off the lift in a way other than the correct way. The wider the platforms, the less service can be done, especially a job like removing a tank.

No, the best deal is to get a suspension hoist, one that holds the car off its wheels. I mean, yeah, you can raise the rear of the car as high as you possibly can as an alternative; just remember to block the hell out of the front wheels, make sure that car doesn't roll off on you. That year already has that rep.

---Tony

[frasern]

Tony, yes the platform gets in the way, A commercial type has a frame built in, you can lift the car, lock the frame to the posts, then lower the platform out of the way. the frame is still going to support the chassis, so that really won't work either in this case, and the base is now a tripping hazard. That is why I chose a 2 post frame hoist, it was better for my intended purpose.
Actually, the frame hoist is not the best for Lincolns either, as they have no frame, On mine, the arms will contact the pinch welds, so I have to either tip the pads up, and be very careful with placement, or use wooden blocks, which I don't like. I have gotten some rubber pads, designed for jacking, which I will be trying next time I lift the Lincoln, just still have to fabricate mounting plates.

[Mike]

It's one of those you get what you pay for things with 4 post ones. Most I've seen are good for service because they expect thsts what people are going to do with them once they have them. But some are pretty light weight just for storage.
I haven't seen the kind that doubles as a full contact frame one in ages. It was an old piston type drive on kind. I'd love a hoist but it would need to be the newer 4 post type that you can wheel around and I don't have the money for that or a utube channel to get one from a sponsor.