Freelander 1 Fitting Fuel Tank Cradle

So, I've embarked upon the right of passage in being showered by bits of flaking fuel tank cradle, and the odd bit of rear sub frame to replace the rotten carrier. Following the advice on here in several threads it was an ok-ish job. Just dirty with rust really.

I've put a new Bearmach replacement on, and it lines up readable well, with the four bolt holes aligning with the body too. But the problem I have is that for the life of me, I can't get the two (breather protrusions?) at the front of the tank to line up with the apertures in the cradle. At the closest point of jiggling they seem to be out by about 5-10mm. See photo.


To anyone that has done this job, is there a special knack to getting them into position? I've tried all sorts of loosening, trying to jack up the rear of the tank, wobbling and forcing. But with no success.

When the four bolts are done up tight, there is absolutely no movement in the tank. But my worry is if I were to leave it not lined up, I'd be putting two pressure points on the tank, rather than letting the plates hold it. (Mind you, with what had disintegrated previously, it was only really the pipework holding the tank in place!)

Any advice on how to line it up would be most welcome.

Jim.

did you have straps around your tank to keep it up if not I might have moved and something is in the way of the tank not sitting right

Thanks.

Yes it was strapped while I took the old cradle off. There was some slight movement it terms being able to push the tank up further into the body, and with all the jiggling around I've done to try get the holes lined up, it definitely has moved now. What I cant understand is why I cant pull the tank down any closer to the cradle plates, so as make them line up, because it seems as low as it will go, and there was nothing under the tank other than the heatshield and plastic.

I'll take another look, and see if I can work it into position. Thanks again.

Maybe the replacement cradle isn't the correct shape, it is from Bearmach after all.

Is there enough old cradle to check the placement of the holes?

Simple enlargement with a tank cutter would seem simplest remedy.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was a bit dubious about if the Bearmach pattern part perhaps had slightly different dimensions and was the cause. Still, having not been inundated with people saying it’s a known problem with that part, I’ll do some more investigating and manoeuvring. The old cradle, although looking like a Titanic relic, is just about intact enough to measure the hole positions. So’ll start off doing that too.

I’ll let you know how I get on. Thanks again.