Workers’ Compensation Application Process.Social Security Disability Appeals Process.Social Security Disability Application Process.Medical Device & Pharmaceutical Litigation.I was able to get the inlet line off and then spin the filter off while holding the flare nut secure to the line. As it was I couldn't get the flare fitting to spin on the outlet side of the filter it was so rusted in place to the fuel line. It turned out that mine didn't have that but I didn't know that until I dropped the tank.Īlso with the tank out of the way I had a lot better access to replace the inline fuel filter which is packed in there pretty tight. I had also seen that some Astros had a shield above the tank that also needed to have an opening cut along with the floor. Also, the carpeting is still in place in the van so I would either have to remove the moldings and trim to get that out of the way or cut a hole in the carpet as well, and neither of those options sounded all that great. One, the metal shield around the tank was all rusted out and falling off, and the only way get rid of the remains of that was to remove the straps. I opted to drop the tank for a couple of reasons. With the Astro I kept changing my mind on the best way to do it. As it turned out it was a line leaking but it was one of the lines that is a part of the fuel pump assembly that was rotted out so a fuel pump replacement was the fix once again. With that one leaving the tank and lines in place and sliding the box back let me start the truck to see what was leaking with everything still in place. It seemed to be a line leaking and I figured I might need more than just a small access hole in the truck bed (and that one doesn't have a bedliner) so I decided to remove the rear bumper and the box bolts and slide the bed back enough to see what was leaking. A year or two ago I had to access the same area on my 2010 GMC Sierra because of a bad gas leak at the top of the tank.
#HARBOR FREIGHT JACK STANDS PATCH#
In that case I had a plastic bedliner to hide the patch when I was finished. I've gone that route before with my 2001 GMC Sierra and that worked out well. Then after a lot of cussing and grumbling, dirt and rust falling in my face and ears, promising myself that I am going to sell this van and get it out of my life, I was finished and thinking "That wasn't all that bad and I wouldn't want to pay someone else for that job." Maybe I can keep that van a little longer.Ĭlick to expand.That seems to be a pretty polarizing topic on the Astro/Safari forums and facebook groups. I started off siphoning about 21 gallons of gas out of the tank with a piece of 1/4" fuel hose, which worked well but is an exercise in patience for sure. The job went well but half way through I found myself wondering why I still talk myself into working on rusty junk like that. And finally I put two large blocks of wood under the rear tires. I also put a fifth jack stand under the frame near where I was working under the vehicle.
Then I also left one floor jack under the rear differential and one floor jack under the front frame crossmember as a backup like I normally do. I shook it and bumped it and made sure it was solid. Once I had my van jacked up it was solid as a rock. After the Harbor Freight recall I closely inspected all of my jack stands and am as confident as I can be that they are safe enough. My heavy homemade stands would normally be my top choice but they were at my house and not readily accessible. That wouldn't have improved my confidence level in them had I known that in advance. I did later find out that they were purchased at a Pamida department store maybe 25 years ago or so. But the brunt of the support ended up being two 6-ton Harbor Freight jack stands under the rear axle housing, and two smaller jack stands- probably 3-ton but there aren't any markings still visible on them- under a frame crossmember up front. I have to admit with all the fuss lately about jack stands that I was a little more paranoid than usual about supporting it safely. Earlier this week I had to get way under my 4200lb Chevy Astro Van to drop the fuel tank to change the fuel pump.