Gas tank FULL or near EMPTY

I'm putting my lift on March 21st, RE6130. I've got everything I need (OME shocks, TrXuS tires, 4 degree shims, JB Conversions Super Short SYE) except for a driveshaft. A buddy of mine says that I should have my gas tank full, for weight when measuring the angle I need. Is this true and if so should I put more weight in the rear, or should I have it light, with near nothing in the gas tank?

You left out one option, "It doesn't really matter".

well... the gas is about 7 lbs per gallon, and the tank holds 20 gallons... I'd say about 210 lbs of gas. If you are that concerned about the angle, just compromise and measure it when half empty. Just make sure you are sitting inside it as well. :viking:

dogtired said:

well... the gas is about 7 lbs per gallon, and the tank holds 20 gallons... I'd say about 210 lbs of gas. If you are that concerned about the angle, just compromise and measure it when half empty. Just make sure you are sitting inside it as well. :viking:

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Must be the "new math" ... 7 x 20 = 210. Looks more like 140 to me. And that's from totally empty to toally full, and most times a vehile doesn't see either extreme for very long. Hopefully it never sees EMPTY.

I'd go with 1/2 tank. That way you're never more than 70 pounds from either extreme. The rear springs are each rated for about 200 pounds per inch, so that 70 pounds translates into a movement up or down of about 1/8"

oops, never was any good at math... heck, I don't even try to balance my checkbook! :looney:

dogtired said:

just compromise and measure it when half empty.

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I wouldn't do it at half empy, I'd do it at half full.

Sorry. couldn't help myself.....

JEONLYEP said:

I wouldn't do it at half empy, I'd do it at half full.

Sorry. couldn't help myself.....

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uuugh :viking:

evilpresence said:

I'm putting my lift on March 21st, RE6130. I've got everything I need (OME shocks, TrXuS tires, 4 degree shims, JB Conversions Super Short SYE) except for a driveshaft. A buddy of mine says that I should have my gas tank full, for weight when measuring the angle I need. Is this true and if so should I put more weight in the rear, or should I have it light, with near nothing in the gas tank?

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I'd say don't worry about it as much as it will change... full would be better (maybe full + EXTRA WEIGHT) as you will be settling for a while. When you install everything, make sure not to torque the spring pack bolts fully till it's sitting on the ground and you had a chance to jump on the rear bumper couple times. Then when you drive around it will still take a while for everything to settle: my 3.5" RE springs orignally netted me just over 6" (!!) and after towing a camping trailer to moab settle about an inch and after the trip back and some local wheeling in about 2 months they have settled to about 4" ~ 4.5" and have stayed there (btw that measurement is with a 31" spare in the back, a small rack built inside and a regular toolbox + rather sizeable socket set and a bottle jack and 1galon of water... when I remove all that I go up by almost an inch).
Anyways, you will get close on your first measuremnt and then after everything settles and lines up and so on you might have to do it all (measuring) again.

Your calculations might change a little if you consider that gasoline is closer to 6lbs per gallon at a specific gravity of .751. Hope that muddies the water more.

I can't imagine the angle would change much at all. I would be suprised if 150 lbs of gas would even change the angle by one degree.

I really didn't know and that is why I posted it. Also doesn't seem to have come up in the past either, probably because it's pointless - but hey now we know. Thanks for the replies.

Done....