Best tool for cutting access panel

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someotherguy

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Sledgehammer. Hit yourself in the head with it but not before giving your truck away to someone that cares.

You're in AZ, it's not like you have some rust belt truck that is impossible to drop the tank. Why has it been down so many times? Not doing the job correctly the first time, buying cheap parts, etc.? So you're gonna punish the truck further by chopping a hole in the floor?

I don't get some people. Sorry not sorry

Richard
 

rob249

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Not cheap parts, the ONLY parts, this is before i knew we could just use the vortec pump. I would consider having an access hatch much improved and I would pay more for a car that has one. I have also explained why the tank has been out so many times. Why does this piss certain people off so much?

Its crazy how strong peoples opinions are on this, Its a damn hatch.

edit; One mans punishment is another mans improvement. Nice job belittling some guy on the internet for no reason, Good job there Dick!
 
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Schurkey

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I would consider having an access hatch much improved and I would pay more for a car that has one.
If it were properly-engineered, I might be able to agree with you. A D-I-Y hack-job is going to be a disaster.

I have also explained why the tank has been out so many times.
You had a pump failure, and a sending unit failure. Maybe some other bad luck--I'm not going to scour the thread for your "explanations".

Why does this piss certain people off so much?

Its crazy how strong peoples opinions are on this, Its a damn hatch.
We're trying to save you and yours from a horrible tragedy, and us from having to pay for the welfare and medical bills your kids may be on if they survive and you don't. Take the advice. Your own opinion is "crazy strong" but it's also a very poor course of action with predictable/knowable bad potential results.
 

rob249

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Was my pickup a hack job? I thought it came out pretty well, posted pics. I suppose you put new window and door seals in your truck every year to keep fuel out? I'm sure my glass wont break when I roll over and make all of this pointless. What makes everyone think this would be a half assed job, Ive done lots of fabrication and welded professionally.

The whole point of this was to find a shallow cutting metal tool, never needed something like that.

By the way, I have an excellent job with awesome insurance, retirement, 401k, 20 years. Since you felt the need to add all that welfare stuff.
 

bretcopsey

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The whole point of this was to find a shallow cutting metal tool, never needed something like that.

Shears don’t require much room to operate and have the added bonus of no sparks. but would need the drill a hole the get started. There are air and electric versions available.


 

RichLo

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Was my pickup a hack job? I thought it came out pretty well, posted pics. I suppose you put new window and door seals in your truck every year to keep fuel out? I'm sure my glass wont break when I roll over and make all of this pointless. What makes everyone think this would be a half assed job, Ive done lots of fabrication and welded professionally.

The whole point of this was to find a shallow cutting metal tool, never needed something like that.

By the way, I have an excellent job with awesome insurance, retirement, 401k, 20 years. Since you felt the need to add all that welfare stuff.

I get it man, and my last post with the torch was just to try and get some comedy relief into this thread.

I've done it before to pickup trucks in rough shape for the same reasons your looking for... My current plow truck being one of them. I see both sides of the argument because you want an easy access point for future repairs... but then the other side sees an Arizona Tahoe that has already had the tank out a couple times.

These trucks are starting to become collectors if they are in good shape and not hacked up. I haven't seen any pics of your truck but it truck would probably qualify for that category, where somebody from my area would buy a plane ticket and drive your truck north just to have it virtually rust free and un-touched.

There has been enough back and forth about the whole safety thing but Tahoe vs pickup access panel has a different consideration. I'll only mention that I would not do that cut on an interior floorboard for a gas tank access panel for a different reason... The gas fumes would be constant with ANY sort of evap leak near that access panel. New cars have significant seals around those access panels to keep those fumes out of the cab. A pickup doesnt have that problem, cut a hole in the bed and let it air out behind you.

Do what you need to do but please consider everything (including resale value) before you make the cut.

Its already been mentioned but there are thousands of Tahoes/Burbs that run 200k+ before needing to access the fuel pump.
 
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