Adding studded fuel tank straps to your non-TRD Off Road Tacoma

Anyone?

 

I ended up ordering the Amazon straps but I did see a post where someone did exactly this. Drilled and added bolts to the oem straps.

 

Does anyone know if the straps (or part numbers) have changed over the years? I’m trying to buy them but everything I find either says it won’t fit my truck (even after changing my vehicle to “TRD Off-road”) or the description isn’t clear about whether or not they have the skid mounting nuts on them.

 

I got mine from Amazon as well. Painted them black and re use the rubber cover.

$85 Spectra Premium ST323 Fuel Tank Strap

https://www.amazon.com/Spectra-Prem...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2ADN0V2JXEJ1C0XJEMWZ

 

Thanks for the info. This should be a very easy mod with a drill press.

Still debating which skid plate to go with. The factory unit gives more protection than no skid plate at all but so far a used one at a low price as not been offered. I might as well spring for a lightweight aluminum unit (they weigh about 15lbs).

One concern I have is not off road but on road. Many of the hwys and roads around here still have steel reflector signs on the shoulders. If you ever have to take an evasive maneuver and mow down one of these steel signs they can slice right thru components under your truck. Happened to me long ago in the 70s and I was shocked to find the steel sign left a 10" gaping gash/hole right thru the floorboard under my driver's seat. No doubt it would have taken out my fuel tank had I been in my Tacoma. The state highway dept no longer uses that type of steel reflector sign, they switched to the flexible fiberglass type signs which bend and flex easily. However, there are plenty of steel signs out there on the road shoulders though.

Last year had to take evasive action in my new Tacoma about 1AM on a remote Nevada hwy, rounded a mtn curve and an oncoming semi rig had decided to cut the curve and was in my lane. I had to swerve off the road and could have rolled my Tacoma on the slick shoulder. Luckily there were no steel highway signs on that shoulder.

Aftermath showed no damage but was a close call, of course the semi never stopped to see if we were okay:


You can see the path and rut my truck left on the shoulder as I skidded my rig. Luckily no obstacles were in the way:

 

My only comment about this is that I would make sure that in no way do you have any rubbing against the gas tank itself from the boly. There is like a rubber strip along the strap and that probably gives you some clearance for a bolt with a wide, shallow head.

 

Here they are:
https://parts.olathetoyota.com/auto...e/fuel-system-cat/fuel-system-components-scat
With the two downward studs it is the kind that comes on the TRD Off Road etc (is used to mount the plastic gas tank shields it comes with; most after market gas tank armor requires these studs).

So, with studs for mounting armor:
77601-04060 (front)
77602-04060 (rear)

Without:
77601-04050 (front)
77602-04050 (rear)

Alternatively, RCI sells the OEM armor mounting straps:
https://rcimetalworks.com/product/toyota-fuel-tank-straps/

One thing: on mounting the new strap I actually stripped out one of the mounting bolts. And it was real easy. I hand threaded it a ways in and it was fine and then gently wrenched it in, felt a weird quarter turn and that was it. I'm serious. There is an easy solution (use a narrow wrench to just add another nut in the frame mounting cage) but for a minute there I was sweating a little. It was the weirdest thing. And since then I have helped a half dozen people change that strap without incident.

One other thing: if you should strip out that little nut welded into the frame mounting bracket and go my route (just using a narrow wrench to put another bolt on top of that) I would use some ant-seize agent becuase given the confined space in that little cage on the frame if that nut ever froze it could be a son of a bitch to undo it.

 

I'm glad you were alright man.

 

Adding to Sr5
Removed one strap at a time, using the jack and a block of wood to hold tank in place while strap was being worked on. Took the protective rubber off.
Drilled 4 holes... with Milwaukee battery drill and terrible old bits (would probably been easier, less time if I had gotten a few new drill bits).
added grade 8 carriage bolt (with rounded head)
Added some jb weld and let dry for a 1/2 hour. Put the rubber piece back on.
Reinstall and repeat process for the second one. All in all it took about 3 hours and 15 bucks. Skid plate was free from another member that upgraded from the plastic to steel. Just need to trim the excess bolt now, but it seems every place I go, no dremel cutting accessories are stocked.

 

Looks good, just needs a small trim with the dremel.

Thinking of using SS carriage bolts. What size carriage bolts did you use?

 

I think they were the m1.25 by 2 inches.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

My dad threw away my old straps with the rubber on them before I got the chance to put them on my new aftermarket tank straps... Does anyone have recommendations for what I could use in place? I can not find any replacements online. Do I even need the rubber?

 

I followed this write up and installed the OEM OR gas tank straps but they did not come with the nuts that secure the skid plate to the studs on the straps. I have the CBI Offroad gas tank skid plate and they did not come with the nuts either and their instructions say to use the factory nuts which I do not have since mine is a TRD Sport. Does anyone know the size of the nut so I can just go to Home Depot and grab 4 of them or know the part # for the OEM gas tank strap nuts? TIA!

EDIT: The 4 gas tank strap nuts are Toyota 90179-08241.

 

Does anyone have the torque spec for those? I can't find it anywhere.

 

Lower than the amount my impact driver used. Snapped one of these off and looking to replace the strap now lol. Don't use an impact driver on these bolts

 

Found it! That's why it didn't handle your driver well...

 

I recently got a deal on one of the two OEM studded gas tank straps. The non studded strap that came bundled with it needed to be modified. No big deal. And a while back, I got a killer deal on the OEM skid and I have to thank The Trafford (eBay) for that one!!!

Yeah I cancelled my Victory 4x4 steel skid in favor of the plastic OEM one. I’m not wheeling hardcore, there is no need for the added weight. It was more of a want than a need.

Controlling the heat was tricky, but she’s good to go. I gunked the cut steel as best I could. Stock Appearing Taco is finally good to GO.

 

Now that we’ve had a few years or R&D……

how are the aftermarket straps holding for everyone ? Trying to decide if OEM is worth the extra cost .. have not seen any failures noted here or on Amazon which is promising.

I will be adding a skid so the aftermarket seeming less strong than OEM is a concern