Fabrication Ideas Needed to Cover Hole Over Sending Unit

[DuaneD]

What ideas would you have to create a hatch that would allow access through the bed of my Jeep to gain access to my sending unit when needed? I aquired a gas hatch cover designed for a Hummer that has a key lock built in. However, the need to mount this hatch cover flat on the top of the bed will allow debris to key into the lock, not allowing the key to get in to oen the hatch. Also, how can I flatten the ribs in the the bed around the hole opening so I can mate a cover to that will be in contact with the bed floor all the way around? I have attached a picture of the situation needing a cover. What ideas to you have. Thanks

[bandhmo2]

My old CJ had a hole cut in the floor for access. It was covered with a simple 16 gauge sheetmetal square held down by about 8 screws. I can't remember what was done about the ribs in the floor. It was simple and worked well.

[TeamRush]

The PO overlaid the rusted out floor with flat metal in mine,
So the patch was Easy.

What I would do is two things,
First,
I would simply take a flat piece of metal and form in the ribs to match the floor, then cut it to shape (round, square, triangle, trapezoid or whatever!)

Secondly,
I would pop rivet it into place.
Pop rivet heads are EASY to drill out... Remove/Replace if you ever need to get into the sending unit again,
And they hold VERY well, are cheap and easy to use.

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Will that fuel door you have stand up to the beating and banging that happens in the back of a Jeep?
Looks kind of flimsy to me.

Anyway, to make that fuel door match the surrounding profile of the floor, you are going to have to take a die grinder/sander to the sides...

It's going to be time consuming and slow, and if you screw up, you are going to scar up the 'Pretty' fuel door!
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Anyway,
Tape around the hole with masking tape so you can locate the door right where you want it,
Then trace around it so you can locate that door in the same spots over and over while you are cutting the mounting flange to fit the floor profile...

Tape over the mounting ring of the fuel door so you won't scratch things up so easily and you can mark stuff like 'Witness Marks' and were material needs to be removed...

'Witness Marks' on the fuel door mounting flange to the tape will speed the relocation to see where you need to take material off...
A 'Witness Mark' is nothing more than a mark from your fuel door frame to the tape around the hole so you can line up the marks when sizing things up.

Lay the fuel door on the floor, and mark where the mounting ring needs to be cut away to fit the profile of the floor,...
Then start grinding/sanding/filing away until it fits the profile of the floor.

Don't forget to full the mounting ring full of epoxy or something so it doesn't dent up when something gets thrown on it or someone stands on it...
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As for the lock, you are going to have to remove the lock cylinder,
And remove the pins from the lock cylinder so you can open it with nothing more than a screwdriver...
It won't be a 'Lock' after that, it will be a 'Latch' with a slotted opening for 'Latching/Unlatching'...

With the pins removed from the lock cylinder, you don't have to worry about crud getting into the key hole...

[Jim_Lou]

Yeah, I wouldn't use that. It's pretty, but not really practical. Stuff will get caught on it, it'll get scratched and banged up and look like crap pretty soon. The formed piece of sheet metal and Pop rivets is the best way to go. How often do you need to get to the sending unit anyway?

[TeamRush]

Originally Posted by Jim_Lou

Yeah, I wouldn't use that. It's pretty, but not really practical. Stuff will get caught on it, it'll get scratched and banged up and look like crap pretty soon. The formed piece of sheet metal and Pop rivets is the best way to go. How often do you need to get to the sending unit anyway?

There, you have it from a (sheet) metal worker...
Does this stuff every day, all day long!

With Jim_Lou, I'm surprised he didn't recommend you use STAINLESS STEEL!

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One other thing I would do before you button up that hole!
Take those connectors off and coat them with dielectric grease!
Fill up that boot until it squishes out when you push it on the connector, then wipe down the excess!

Moisture LOVES to creep into those boots and terminals!

I actually SOLDER/SEAL my connectors on before I install so the connections CAN'T draw moisture and rot out!

Since you can't really solder around a FULL gas tank,
You should settle for grease and/or that liquid electrical tape stuff...

[DuaneD]

Thanks guys! Sheet metal it will be I just have had that gas hatch cover laying around for a long time I thought I might use it. I will pass on the hatch cover. Thanks for the tip on the use of dielectric grease for this application. Make it a Good Day.

[Raduckal]

I wonder if you could cut a piece from a junkyard tub.

[TeamRush]

Originally Posted by Raduckal

I wonder if you could cut a piece from a junkyard tub.

Around here, in the 'RUST BELT' you can't find a junk yard tub with the rear floor still in it!

This state salts the crap out of EVERYTHING all winter long!

[Raduckal]

Originally Posted by TeamRush

Around here, in the 'RUST BELT' you can't find a junk yard tub with the rear floor still in it!

This state salts the crap out of EVERYTHING all winter long!

I bet you are within 50 miles of me.
And lots of rusted tubs around here still have decent metal in the bed area.

[jeepjunky]

one way you could use the gas cap mount wold be to cut the floor larger thatn the cap, weld a piece of flat plate in its palce then mount the cap to the flat plate.