Fuel pump replacement-- thinking it through

[JBrost76]

First time poster, but not new to Dodge/Ram. I had a '09 1500 that I loved. Before that a Durango and before that a Dakota. I recently traded my '09 in on a new-to-me 2019 RAM 1500 classic (5.7, crew-cab, 6'4" bed) that needs a new fuel pump (went out on me 6 days after buying it ). I replaced the pump in my '09, so I know what's involved. I've seen & heard of it being done both ways, either dropping the tank or lifting the bed. Opinions vary on which is easier/better. But what's less clear is when you have the option of doing it via bed-off. On my '09 (5.7, crew-cab, SHORT 5' 7" bed) I had to drop the tank. The fuel pump was right where the cab met the bed and there was not enough clearance to pull the pump out even if the bed was off. But it seems there might be enough clearance on the crew-cabs with the longer 6'4" bed for a pump replacement via the bed-off method. Can anybody confirm? If I'm thinking right, the bed off method should be usable for quad cabs and standard cabs regardless of bed length.

I'm sure there will be people who will say "just drop the tank". And that's fine. You do you. But as far as I'm concerned, if I can take the bed off and do it that way, that's what I'm going to do. The fewer fuel & vapor lines I have to mess with the better IMO. In doing my '09 I broke one of the rollover vent lines that almost derailed the entire project. And it was a major pain to get the lines all re-connected and not kinked so they wouldn't leak. I don't want to do that again if I don't have to. Add in a non-lifted truck with low step bars that will make sliding the tank out more difficult & its really looking like the bed off method is a winner to me. Plus I have access to a forklift that I can use to lift the bed off, so its not like I'm going to have to try and lift it off by myself.

 

[BenWade]

I'm the guy that's going to tell you to drop the tank. When you do it this way you can empty and clean the inside of the tank with fuel tank cleaner. You don't want to put a new pump inside a used, dirty or contaminated tank.

 

[14RAM1500BG]

I dropped mine.

 

[rzr6-4]

I live in rusty sht box country, so a big part of it for me is that dropping the tank is 2 small bolts vs 6 big ones or whatever it is, so lower odds of having to spend an hour fighting one bolt. That said, if you have experience doing a bed-off replacement and you trust your bolts to actually, you know, turn, then I could see it being a preferred method. As far as figuring out if you have clearance to the cab, 5 minutes underneath with a measuring tape should tell you everything you need to know.

 

[crash68]

seems there might be enough clearance on the crew-cabs with the longer 6'4" bed for a pump replacement via the bed-off method.

You should be able to crawl under the truck and see where the pump is located, the fuel filter is 9" further back on the 6.4' bed compared to the 5.7' bed. There's only two fuel tanks available for the 1500 and either on is available on both the 5.7' and 6.4 bed trucks with four door cans, good probability you can get to the fuel pump by lifting the 6.4' bed.

 

[Papa Red]

Welcome to the forum.

Red

 

[Harley Harrold]

 

[JBrost76]

Thanks for the welcome & advice! Thought I'd drop a summary comment on here just in case someone else finds this thread in the future with a similar question. 1) Yes, the fuel pump on my '19 crew w/6' bed was located far enough back that taking off the bed was a valid option. For a number of reasons I opted to do that. In the future, if possible, this is the only way I'll do it ever again. It was that simple. The entire job, including removal and replacement of the bed took me less than 2 hours. Of course YMMV, but with little rust on the underside and access to a forklift to actually lift the bed it was really a breeze. The most difficult thing was getting the stupid electrical plugs for the in-bed lights disconnected & re-connected. Even if I felt there was a good chance I'd have to drop & clean the tank, I still think I'd pull the bed off next time. Access to the fuel lines & electrical connector was so much easier with the bed off. I've seen a few videos where guys just partially lifted or set the bed up on blocks. Honestly I wouldn't do that. Find a few friends and take it all the way off if possible. On my '19, there was a fuel line INSIDE THE TANK that connected to the pump assembly that went back toward the rear of the tank. I'm guessing some sort of fuel vapor line. So I had to partially lift out the pump assembly, disconnect the line, then drop everything back down in the tank before I could lift the pump back out. Then I had to fish the line back out to hook it up to the new one & try to cram it all back down and in. I can't imagine trying to do that with the bed propped up on blocks above where I was working.