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Bronco Fuel Pump Access Hole

From 1983 Ford Bronco “That dirty old truck” — documented by Steve83.

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1983 Ford Bronco - $80 plus shipping by USPS Priority in the US from 38133. Each about 10" front-to-back and just over 3 ridges wide (as shown), so they'… 1983 Ford Bronco - Access Plate Kit Plate length (front-to-back) varies, but all are more than 3 ridges wide. This shows black butyl rubber sealant, which is… 1983 Ford Bronco - Raw cover plates cut from my old '82 body tub. I'll clean up the rough edges, drill the screw holes, and package them with sealant & screws… 1983 Ford Bronco - Installation of fuel pump access hole cover panel. Before cutting, make sure your new cover plate will span the hole enough for its [url=ht… 1983 Ford Bronco - Factory fuel pump access on a Land Rover Discovery & Discovery Series II. This is the idea behind this mod, and MANY vehicles are factory-b… 1983 Ford Bronco - Because of my jump seats, it's easier for me to roll the floor cover from the front. But for most Broncos, the fastest way is to remove the… 1983 Ford Bronco - This '93EB was abaondoned for ~6 years, resulting in (among MANY other problems) a seized fuel pump. 1983 Ford Bronco - For most Broncos, like this stock '93EB, only the rear threshhold has to be removed to fold the carpet forward and expose the target area o… 1983 Ford Bronco - Since I applied anti-seize lube when I installed them years ago, these bolts are easy to remove now; even with this cheapo cordless impact.… 1983 Ford Bronco - This procedure will make accessing the fuel pump or fuel level sender in any fullsize Bronco much easier, since the tank won't have to be d… 1983 Ford Bronco - Locate the line of spot welds holding the bed down on the body mount channel. The lip of the channel extends about 1/2" rearward of th… 1983 Ford Bronco - This shows the welds' locations in relation to the lip of the channel. Cut behind this lip; the front edge of the hole can be an inch or so… 1983 Ford Bronco - The front of the hole (at the back of the channel's lip) should be no more than 26" forward from the back of the bed, but 25 is probab… 1983 Ford Bronco - Find the line of spot welds, place the plate where it will go, then trace across its front & rear edges. (Ignore the sides.) Make the cuts… 1983 Ford Bronco - A 4 1/2" angle grinder with a thin wheel is probably the easiest BUT MOST DANGEROUS way to make the initial cuts. A drill or hole saw… 1983 Ford Bronco - Sketch the cut line corners INSIDE the trace lines, and along the crease in the bottom of the channel. Then place the hole saw upside-down… 1983 Ford Bronco - NOT following my own advice, I didn't trace the cover plate onto the floor first. This first hole is placed correctly. Using a hole saw lea… 1983 Ford Bronco - The rear holes are noticeably closer to the gas tank than the front, so don't punch down when the drill/saw breaks through. A slitting chis… 1983 Ford Bronco - NOT following my own advice, I didn't trace the cover plate onto the floor first. The front L hole is slightly too far forward, but it's st… 1983 Ford Bronco - If you use a saw, make SURE you don't puncture the gas tank or cut the fuel lines & wires. Even if it doesn't catch fire, it's still expens… 1983 Ford Bronco - Before ripping through the tank, I checked the depth against the fully-lowered blade. At the rear L corner, there was ~1/4" interferen… 1983 Ford Bronco - Be aware of the distance from the floor to the tank at all times, and remember that the fuel lines, pump wiring, and vent hose are in there… 1983 Ford Bronco - The front edge has the most depth clearance for the tank & fuel lines, so I cut it 1st. The lip (visible in the front L hole) juts rearward… 1983 Ford Bronco - This is about where the hole should be. DO NOT CUT everything out like this pic shows - I'm harvesting the floor from this body to make cov… 1983 Ford Bronco - This is where the hole should be. DO NOT CUT everything out like this pic shows - I'm harvesting the floor from this body to make cover pla… 1983 Ford Bronco - I tilted the jigsaw for the remaining 3 cuts to ensure I didn't puncture the tank below. A slitting chisel in an air hammer is a FAR-BETTER… 1983 Ford Bronco - An air chisel is probably the quickest & safest way to cut the floor, because it doesn't risk damage to anything under the floor, or throw… 1983 Ford Bronco - An air chisel is probably the quickest & safest way to cut the floor, because it doesn't risk damage to anything under the floor, or throw… 1983 Ford Bronco - An air chisel is probably the quickest & safest way to cut the floor, because it doesn't risk damage to anything under the floor, or throw… 1983 Ford Bronco - If you look closely in the shadow at the top, you'll see that I cut the vapor hose. Fortunately, it's easy to repair. I missed everything e… 1983 Ford Bronco - A quick way to make sure the plate will cover the hole. All the screw holes in the plate should be visible around the floor scrap. If not,… 1983 Ford Bronco - The lock ring is ~5" across, so a hole only 7" front-to-back is more than enough to work through. Before attempting to disconnect… 1983 Ford Bronco - Even this is plenty of space to remove & install the pump, so don't cut a massive hole. Smaller is better for floor strength. And you CAN c… 1983 Ford Bronco - Tank Clearances for standard body mounts in good condition (these are Energy polyurethane). Collapsed mounts will provide less clearance; a… 1983 Ford Bronco - After the repairs to the pump &/or sender, clean the floor around the hole, expose the sealant on the edge of the plate, & set it into plac… 1983 Ford Bronco - Along the front edge, the screw tips MAY contact the beam under the floor. To avoid this, position the plate slightly rearward when marking… 1983 Ford Bronco - If the plate ever has to be removed again, remove all the screws & pry up the sealant. It's MUCH easier on a hot day, but the goo will come…