Coolant Pipe Attachment Near Gas Tank?

[lazer_floyd]

Hi all, I'm in the process of replacing old steel coolant pipes with a stainless set. 1985 2wd model, with a build date in November 1984. I have all of the hose clamps and frame attachment brackets unfastened, except for a clamp in the cross-member just to the rear of the gas tank. Anyone have a pic handy of what this area looks like from the front (gas tank side) of the cross-member? You can see the clamp through the opening in my pic, but I need to know what's going on on the blind side. Ideally I would get this clamp loose and pipes swapped without dropping or lowering the tank. I've searched this forum and watched gas tank videos on youtube, but have come up short. Here is a pic of what I'm talking about, from the rear side of the cross-member:

https://e4f7b82ee430a99c-my.sharepoint.com/:i:/g/p...w?e=1dgWdj

[MarkWard]

No help. I dropped my tank. At the time I couldn’t see how you could get the replacement pipes in with the tank in place. I recall having to rotate them into place as I threaded them forward. The tank would have prevented that. That said I was trained, “When in doubt, take it out”. On flat rate it was often faster to remove something in your way than to work around it. Post up pics for others.
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[kamzcab86]

IIRC, it's a metal strap, not a clamp. I simply cut mine with tin snips, then got on with replacement (with tank in place).
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~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
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"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子

[ALIKA T3]

It's clamped on a welded tab to keep them up snug.
You can cut the clamp but you won't be able to reinstall the clamp easily...

To do it with the tank in place, the shifter rod has to get out of the way.

By the time you do all that and fuss, you might as well take the fuel tank out, it's a 10 min job to drop it.
Reseal it preventively with quality parts. Or if it has been resealed already, just replace the rubber hoses that you will have disconnected.

All you need to do is disconnect the balance tube first, disconnect the hose from the vapor tank to the metal pipe on the tank (if they haven't been crossed, it's the rear nipple on the vapor tank).
Disconnect fuel supply and return. If the tank has some gas, use the fuel pump to empty it, jump the fuel pump relay in the engine bay to run the pump. (install a longer hose out the pump or filter depending on your set up to go to your jerricanS.)
If it's not too full, just take the tank with hoses off, pinch them, you can replace them when you're done.

As you lower the tank, disconnect the gauge sender connector.
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[mtnhome]

Missed you have an '85.
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[kamzcab86]

[lazer_floyd]

I appreciate the feedback -- thanks all! It looks like my pipes are held up with a screw-type hose clamp. I assumed that wasn't a factory fitting but rather something courtesy of a previous owner. Thank you for the info about the tab on the cross-member, that was the piece of the puzzle I needed. Ideally I can loosen the screw and replace the pipes one by one, then snug it back up. The stainless replacement pipes I have are the 2-piece variety which hopefully makes re-installation easier. I'll take a sawzall to the old ones if necessary. There are some areas of major rust pitting so they're of no value.

I'll report back if I have something of value to share! Or more questions.

[t3 kopf]

i cut the strap off, then found 2 adel clamps that fit around the pipes individually. Drilled a small hole in the lip of the crossmember, and riveted the clamps to it. The advantage is that the adel clamps have rubber cushioning to dampen vibration on the pipes.
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