I'm in desperate need of a set of gas tank straps for an 83 D250 with a 30 gallon tank.
NOBODY shows them. I've seen them listed for like 89-93, 91-93 but NOBODY shows a damn thing for the 81-88s.
If I absolutely have to I guess I could make something out of some stainless steel strapping, but I shouldn't have to... It's us Dodge guys getting the shaft yet again /for which having owned Nothing but dodges since I became licensed to drive in 1983 ... (No I'm not the original owner of this truck, it's just coincidence that it was new at the same time I became old enough to drive) . Who here knows what about a source for these .. and DO NOT say LMC. I don't want anything thru them even if they're the last parts place in existence.

My search came up with these?

https://www.carparts.com/search?q=fuel_tank_straps&refinements[part]=Fuel_Tank_Strap&itemperpage=20&currentpage=1&sort=best-match

I have one from a 83 D350 but I will have to try and find the other. There is only 2 on that tank, right?

"Hit the link and it came back as "page not found".
And Hugh , yeah.2 straps. It's been a while but I think it was some of the vans and ram chargers that had the tank behind the axle that had 3rd strap

It was from cars.com, and the site led me to straps for an 83 D150. Now I see where it says "universal fit" and I'm sure that's not what you're looking for.
Sorry for the wild goose chase...

I have this one but may have sent the other one to the scrapyard with the frame.


I'll keep looking.

What's the difference between '83 straps and 88 - 93 straps? Length?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/164683131122

Here's a couple of tanks pics....


To answer your question, I don't know. I just kept mine as a spare in case I need one someday. We don't really have the rust/breakage problems down here in Tejas.

I can add this
A few years ago my son had an 80 d150
Somehow his tank cracked, and we hunted all over for a tank for that.
At one point I got one from a junkyard out of like an 84. I remember the interchange notes from the receipt said "1981-87 ALL" . I didn't get under that truck with him when he tried to put that 84 tank in his 80 all I remember was hin saying "it won't work" and couldn't tell me what was in the way or what wasn't where it needed to be, and I told him "c'mon it HAS to " I eventually found one out of a 79 that went right in. I ended up selling that 84 tank and ended up getting back what is paid for it like 6 months later. It wasn't a short bed/long bed deal as the replacement came out of a long bed and his was short bed (step side actually) and that one went right in .
Later ( could have even been on here I don't know) someone else told me that if is have gotten the cross member out of that 84 then it's tank would have fit the 80. But it still comes down to why in the fark can't I open a damned catalog and get anything for my Dodge, that any idiot can get for a freaking shivvy or Furd? That's the boiling question that's pissed me off for years.
I'm gonna be pulling that tank out so I can blast and paint that frame anyway when it warms up outside. . I can use the one that didn't break as a pattern and make one if I have to, but I believe that the front and back straps are different from each other. My front is the one that is rotted out. I may have to pick up a set of used ones from the local junkyard (they have a few 80s trucks there) to use as a pattern.... I really don't want to put it back in with a set of used ones if I can help it... Do you know which strap you have pictured there, Hugh?

mine is the wide one closest to the rear leaf springs.

Nobody makes new straps because there's so many variations. Tank capacity, wheel base, frame height and the attendant cross members are all factors.

Roll your own is the best bet.

Wrong. Nobody makes them because I'm not talking about a damn Chevy

Chevy used the same gas tank straps that fit nearly every truck they built for a 10 or 15 year run. Dodge couldn't even use the same tank straps for 5 years in a row, at then they had to be for a specific size truck, or size of tank.

If you are going to invest large sums of money into making parts, do you make parts where one application fits millions of trucks over 15 year time span for every truck the company made, or do you pick a brand where the best chance you have at selling the tank straps is a 5 year run on a specific size truck with a specific size tank where only 50,000 trucks used that tank strap?

I know a lot of Chevy guys, I can assure you that when it comes to parts with limited quantities of vehicles those parts fit, the parts availability is just as scarce as it it is with the Dodge stuff. I have a buddy that is restoring a 69 Camero. He can not buy new replacement inside door panels at any price. Millions of Cameros built, but too many different interior options, so none are made!

The aftermarket parts industry has always been about reproducing the parts with the highest parts demand. No one is going to sink money into producing parts there is little or no need for.

But to be fair, You can always step up and make the parts you think should be made. If you need them, someone else probably does too. Then you can sell the parts to the other guys that need them. If you step up and make the needed parts, another supply chain shortage will be solved.

I don't know about a big run of them, but it looks like I'm gonna be making the set for this truck anyway.
Was looking last night at McMaster Carr and a few other places for (preferably) stainless " T" bolts for that purpose. I have a line on some stainless strapping the right width.... If I'm gonna make em they will be stainless. Cuz I only want to do it once

I would have to agree! Do you have a pic/details of the straps? Seems something could be fabricated from similar ones that are available.

I may have to get out to my son's house and pull that tank (will have to anyway to paint the frame) and pull the unbroken one, then see how it compares to the one that Hugh posted above and either ask him for measurements or see how much he would want for it so I can at least have it as a template maybe? As I remember the front and back ones are different lengths on these.
Come to think of it my son had a 90 and a 92, 90 was gas,92 was diesel, and he had one break on one or the other of those. He only used the one that matches the broken one. He may have the other new one around that I can compare? Don't know why I just now thought about that
From what I understand that broken strap was why my cousin parked that truck....
Speaking of which I also need to find a good (not necessarily new) sending unit for that tank... I have seen my son go 0-for-4 on new aftermarket sending units for various vehicles he has worked on... 2, 72 fury wagons a ramcharger and an 80 d150 short bed. They all read empty with a 1/2 tank left in them
I lucked out and found an NOS one for the wagon he now has and it worked fine out of the box.
The problem with the sending unit in this one is it's rotted off about 1/3 of the way from where the sock attaches. It still has the original one in it. Maybe I could solder a new puck up tube in this one? That's plan B right now