Let's see your Chevy Express! - Page 9

WhitH · 01-24-2018, 10:25 PM

Funny, I was looking for some tank options myself today. I used Aero Tanks in SoCal for my Ford when I had it with good success. Agile works with them. Not sure if they’ve done any GM vans but I know they do custom work. I’m not sure if they do tanks for gas vehicles though? Worth contacting them though.

GAR · 01-27-2018, 03:33 PM

WhitH,

Further research has revealed that there are no “legal” options in California for auxiliary fuel tanks mounted under the van (Chevy, gas engine). One write up even claimed a guy that had one was unable to pass his CA smog check because the inspector would not pass the vehicle for failing the visual inspection part of the smog check.

Gar

WhitH · 01-27-2018, 03:56 PM

Bummer, that is what I feared. Land of the free....

MrGoods · 08-17-2018, 04:46 AM

There is a 55-gallon tank available (it was an option on cutaways) but it's SUPER expensive... Almost $1000 https://www.gastankdepot.com/cpu50-c...-gal-tank.html

I've searched the used market and even then they're $500+, factor in the installation (you'll likely need to buy factory mounts/straps or fabricate something), cleaning (since like me, you have a duramax, and used 55 gallon diesels are super rare) and the cheapest I figured I could get it done was $700-$1000. That's insane.

Since you're running diesel it's not insane to consider mounting a tank inside the van. Diesel doesn't require venting (and doesn't emit fumes/odor) like gas... Also worth mentioning that you can fill your tank quite a bit further after the pump clicks off, just pull the nozzle back and slowly keep filling until you hear it come up to the filler neck. The diesel vans still use gas style tanks which require far more "head" room for expansion and vapor dissipation, filling the tank all the way to the top will give you an easy 5 or more gallons after you hear the click from the pump.

GAR · 08-17-2018, 07:06 AM

Wow, that’s a good find! Its not cheap, but if more fuel is what one wants, that tank will do the trick!

Gar

WhitH · 08-17-2018, 07:27 AM

Interesting, and expensive. The site says it fits most all models, but it looks to me like it isn’t a tank for the stock location. At least on my 3500 regular length passenger van. This tank looks like a rear mounted one for a cutaway or something. I suppose the spare could be moved and it could go there.

GAR · 08-17-2018, 10:44 AM

Picked up and installed a swivel seat base for the van. What a difference it makes being able to swival the seat! The swival appeared to be well made, good quality welds, and came with mounting hardware. No instructions, but not too hard to figure out. I did replace the grade five bolts supplied with grade eight.

Ive heard this swival will not work with seats that have airbags installed inside the seat. I figured out how to make it work for me.

Disclaimer: I don’t recommend anyone do this. Serious injury or death may result if one does not properly install the swival and rewire the airbag. This write up is submitted for informational purposes only.

Note:
The swival is installed between the seat, and the seat base, and not the seat base and the floor. I had to modify the holes that the bolts pass through to the seat base a tad, but a rat tail file made quick work of it.

Had to trim the plastic cowling that covers the seat belt mounting hardware, and an angle grinder with a flap disc sander worked well. I also had to work a lil electrical magic getting the wires through the manufactured hole in the swival base main bolt that holds the two swival halves together, worked well, with no binding of the electrical wires i routed through the hole. I will make sure not to rotate the seat 360°, but only 180°, and then back the same direction to keep the wires from getting too tightly twisted.

Note:
After the swival base is installed, the seat is repositioned to the left when facing forward to allow it to clear the door when rotating. Additionally, the seat height is raised approx. 1.70 inches. I purchased another seat base (part that mounts to floor), to see if it can be modified to bring the seat height back down to stock height, and to see if I can’t fabricate a locking glove box under the seat using the seat base as the frame work. -We’ll see...

I ordered mine from:
Chevy Van Seat Bases,driver,passenger seat bases

Part #111614, $229.00

Gar

Swival

Airbag wires through swival

Seat airbag wires rewired.

Modified the swival base lever, it was just too long and got in the way.

Trimmed the plastic a little so it would not rub against the swivel

Picture of the seat base and swival, seat facing aft.

More pics of seat after swivel instal.

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...ture38406.jpeg