Fuel Tank Safety

Just wondering if anyone has ever modified the frame or changed tank location for safety reasons?

I'm sure the new bumpers they make these days provide much more protection than my 66 bumper, but wondering if maybe boxing in the rear frame would provide as much protection as a newer bumper.

On the scale of things to worry about regarding safety in a Bronco, I think fuel tank location or mounting is not even on the list, imo.

That rear area is pretty tight and if you ever decide to mod the tank, bumper, etc, you run into issues you may not have planned for by adding another brace. I think a good bumper is all you need, even a stock one.

If your not going to stay stock, save those mounts as they are hard to find.

You are looking for a solution to a non-problem.

If you are worried about that, sell the bronco and find a new hobby. Maybe collecting vintage motorcycle helmets so they are no longer on the streets.

I think making the bronco the safest it can be is pretty smart, I think if you are worried get a skid plate for yours, then get a roll over valve for the vent and if you are running efi or electric fuel pump get a roll over kill switch for the electric fuel pump motor.

If you don't want to change your bumpers put something like these behind them:

My take on "Stealth" Rock Bumpers


Another option is the 1/4 inch steel bumper made by LoCoFoMoCo Racing with the factory bumper profile.

But I would also do as duffymahoney recommends, good ideas for any Bronco that is driven.

Broncobowsher said:

You are looking for a solution to a non-problem.

If you are worried about that, sell the bronco and find a new hobby. Maybe collecting vintage motorcycle helmets so they are no longer on the streets.

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Forgive me for thinking of my family's safety, no need to be a DICK

Thanks for the links syk, those stealth bumpers are pretty dang cool.

Duffy I've got the skid plate, will look into kill switch.

I was simply pointing out you are paranoid over nothing. It's not like these have a history of being a Pinto. If you are hit in the back hard enough for this to be a problem, the lack of crumple zones and your head rattling off the roll cage are going to be bigger problems.

The rear tank is pretty safe being under the floor boards and surrounded by frame. Include a bolt in trailer hitch and now you have frame all around. There is nothing protruding to puncher the tank in an accident. (Alla Pinto) Now the side tank is much more vulnerable but putting rock sliders there can help some and its below the floorboard too so in a rupture the fire would be below the truck and not in the truck. Like early cars with gas tanks in the trunk doing double duty as floors. (Aka early Mustangs) In my 40 years of dealing with Broncos I have never even seen a Burned out Bronco unless it was an under hood fire or maybe an electrical fire under the dash but a gas tank fire I haven't seen yet. I'm sure there are some but i haven't seen it yet.

But in the search of safety with modern cars this hasn't been achieved either. Hundreds of cars burn on our highways everyday. Everyone who has owned a Bronco has dealt with gas leaks sooner or later but Broncos don't just jump up and burn down. One of the best safety mods would be to replace your fuel lines with Marine A1 hose of modern construction. This is superior hose by design. use good quality hose clamps and route hoses away from exhaust. Any hoses after the fuel pump are under pressure. They just don't leak they spray fuel when they leak so keep hose connections away from exhaust and route hoses so you only need a short straight piece of hose to make a connection over the engine areas. Bent hoses will fail sooner then a straight piece of hose. Ford wisely used this type of connection on the stock Bronco engine fuel line. They brought up a steel line right up to the carb and used a very short piece of hose to make the connection at the fuel filter. Also when you bought a good fuel filter it came with a new piece of fuel hose. Gm ran steel line right into the carb. But how many people modified their fuel systems when swapping stuff and run a big chunk of hose. Worse than that cheap hose to boot. If you look at the fuel system. take your time and think what if you can minimize exposure. Also think what if when your redoing your exhaust system.

To the original post it is wise to think about your families safety. It is wise to check over your Bronco due to age of the Bronco systems and the fact the previous owners may have not been as safety minded as you are. By the best fuel related parts you can and inspect and change as necessary.

A heavy duty bumper is a great barrier. Trust me, I've been there.

1strodeo said:

Forgive me for thinking of my family's safety, no need to be a DICK

Thanks for the links syk, those stealth bumpers are pretty dang cool.

Duffy I've got the skid plate, will look into kill switch.

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throwing steel at different areas and guessing what areas to throw the steel at is not making it safe.
its throwing steel at a bronco.

proper engineering and testing is the way to make it safe.

how about a true fuel cell ,it is easy enough to have a custom one built to replace the stock one ,have it with all the fittings and openings in the tanks fill plate .the inner bladders are tough as nails ,we use harmon fuel cells out of orange co here in so cal ,by far not cheep but probably the best .the aluminum outer tanks are works of art .we send them a tank model that we fabbed out of card board ,where we need the openings and they take it from there .

1strodeo said:

Just wondering if anyone has ever modified the frame or changed tank location for safety reasons?

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Really comes down to the fact that there aren't many other locations available on a Bronco chassis. Not much real estate under there to begin with.

1strodeo said:

I'm sure the new bumpers they make these days provide much more protection than my 66 bumper, but wondering if maybe boxing in the rear frame would provide as much protection as a newer bumper.

Click to expand...

Since the rest of the frame is already boxed, I presume you mean another crossmember at the back, or what would normally be behind the bumper?
Maybe. Not too bad of an idea if you integrate an entire skid plate to it, like others mentioned. If you were able to design in some form or directional distortion to it so that it moved away from the tank in a collision rather than just crushed the tank behind it, that might be beneficial. But the tank is still squeezed in between the crossemembers in front of and behind it.
Not sure if it's a benefit or not.

Replacing the tank with a racing fuel cell design which, if I'm not mistaken, is for reducing the fuel escaping during an impact?

Paul