How am I going to get this lock ring on?? fixed

[green69rt]

Started getting the parts together to get my gas tank in and ran into something odd.

Got a new lock ring for the fuel sending unit and there's no way I'm going to be able to get it on.  Old lock ring came off fairly easy with a punch and hammer.  Picture below shows the old lock ring (rusty) and two new ones I happen to have.  You can see that the compression tabs that stick down from the ring are WAY too long.   Anyone else have this problem.  New ones came from Classic Industries.  Second picture shows how far the new ring stands away from the sender flange.  No way I'm going to get those flanges to mate!

I guess I could grind the new ones down..

[cdr]

clean the old one, the aftermarket ones are junk.

[charger Downunder]

As the above Use the original one or it will end in tears.

[cdr]

also looks like you have it upside down

[garner7555]

also looks like you have it upside down

Yes, it is upside down.  The tabs that you are referring to stick up and you use those to turn it.

[70 sublime]

Yes upside down in your picture

I just did the same thing about an hour ago
Putting in the new sender in my new tank
Put the new gasket on then the new ring
Not good
Had my old lock ring still
Put it on and all is good 

[green69rt]

also looks like you have it upside down

OK, now I feel like an idiot.  Thanks for the help.

[green69rt]

clean the old one, the aftermarket ones are junk.

Must have been the hot day yesterday 

Just examined my old one.  I can see that the metal is thicker than the new ones.  Maybe that's what makes them work better.

[cdr]

You are no idiot , we ALL make mistakes , & yes the new ones are thin & usually will leak.

[green69rt]

OK, as I go thru assembly I was test fitting the sender to the tank (no gasket) and with one of the repro rings.  I can look into the tank thru the filler opening.  I can see that the pickup sets about 1.5 inches off the bottom maybe more.  Does this sound right?  I would think it should rest closer to the bottom to make more use of the volumn of the tank.

[70 sublime]

This is what I started with
I took a picture inside my tank after the sender was installed
The sock on the end of the pick up is straight but it gets bent when in the tank because it is touching the bottom
Not sure how close the metal pipe is off the bottom

[70 sublime]

Another little trick
Make yourself a J bolt almost twice as long as a factory one
Makes it a lot easier to pull the straps up if you can use this to get one side started and snug it up enough to get the other side started with the factory J bolt
Then replace it with a factory bolt after the other side is started and tightened up some 

[cdr]

OK, as I go thru assembly I was test fitting the sender to the tank (no gasket) and with one of the repro rings.  I can look into the tank thru the filler opening.  I can see that the pickup sets about 1.5 inches off the bottom maybe more.  Does this sound right?  I would think it should rest closer to the bottom to make more use of the volumn of the tank.

bend it

[green69rt]

Thanks 70 sublime, your post made me go out with my camera to take a picture inside the tank.  My pickup sets of the floor quite a bit.  I think I'll bend it down till it's closer.

[A383Wing]

If that is a new reproduction sender that you bought from a Mopar Parts house, you better be prepared to find out that it's not going to work or read correctly......I just went through this with a sender purchased from Classic Industries....

Get your OE one rebuilt.....then it will read correct

There are numerous threads on this problem in this forum and in other Mopar forums.......the new units are junk

[green69rt]

If that is a new reproduction sender that you bought from a Mopar Parts house, you better be prepared to find out that it's not going to work or read correctly......I just went through this with a sender purchased from Classic Industries....

Get your OE one rebuilt.....then it will read correct

There are numerous threads on this problem in this forum and in other Mopar forums.......the new units are junk

Yes, I read about the problem.  What I intend is to use a Dakota Digital instrument cluster and with that cluster you can configure the fuel gauge for different senders.  You can even do a custom calibration.  But I'm still going to save my old sender in case my plan doesn't work.

[charger Downunder]

Thanks 70 sublime, your post made me go out with my camera to take a picture inside the tank.  My pickup sets of the floor quite a bit.  I think I'll bend it down till it's closer.

The new ones show 3/4 full so to fix it you have to bend the arm that the float is on. You have to bend it down where it comes out of the sender so that it will give more upwards movement on the sender inside the unit. Maybe the top stop should be moved back in production of the sender so you it would allow more travel on the arm, When done you may have to bend the float end as well.
That's what i did to mine to get it right.