A cracked or leaking fuel tank is a problem you cannot ignore — it is fuel on the ground, a truck that cannot work, and a safety issue all at once. Fuel tank repair is steady work at Ames Hydraulics, where we weld and fabricate steel and aluminum tanks that other shops will not touch.
Steel and Aluminum Fuel Tank Repair
Most fuel tank repair is welding, and the metal matters. Aluminum tanks — the kind on most modern trucks and a lot of trailers — take the right machine and real skill to weld, which is exactly why so many shops turn the work away. We weld both aluminum and steel, so a cracked, holed, or corroded fuel tank gets a proper structural repair instead of a sealant patch that lets go down the road.
Tanks We Repair and Build
We handle diesel and gas fuel tanks, hydraulic reservoirs, transfer and auxiliary tanks, saddle tanks, water and ag tanks, and the product tanks on tankers and trailers. From a pinhole leak to a tank that needs a whole section replaced, fuel tank repair and tank fabrication is in our wheelhouse.
Leaks, Cracks, Baffles, and Seams
Tanks fail in predictable places — cracked seams from vibration, fatigue around mounts and straps, corrosion at the bottom, and broken or loose baffles that you can hear sloshing. We find the failure, clean and prep the metal, and weld it back so it holds. Where a baffle has come loose inside, we open the tank, repair it, and close it back up correctly.
Aluminum Tank Repair Most Shops Refuse
Aluminum fuel tank repair is the work we get sent the most, because welding aluminum that holds fuel takes experience. A bad aluminum weld looks fine and then weeps fuel a week later. We do it right the first time, so your fuel tank repair is a permanent fix, not a temporary one.
Custom Fuel Tank Fabrication
Need a tank you cannot buy, or one built to fit a custom application? We fabricate custom fuel and transfer tanks to your dimensions and capacity. It is the same welding and fabrication skill behind our fuel tank repair, pointed at building exactly what your truck or equipment needs.
Why Aluminum Fuel Tanks Crack
Aluminum fuel tanks crack for predictable reasons — constant vibration, stress at the mounting straps and brackets, and metal fatigue after years of road miles. The crack usually starts small and weeps, then opens up. A proper fuel tank repair does not just weld the crack; it addresses the stress point so the same spot does not split again next season.
Hydraulic Reservoirs and Wet-Kit Tanks
It is not only fuel tanks. We repair hydraulic reservoirs and wet-kit tanks too — the steel and aluminum tanks that hold the oil for a dump hoist or a wet kit. A cracked or leaking reservoir loses oil and pulls in air, which takes out the pump, so getting the tank fixed right protects the rest of the system.
Repair or Replace? An Honest Answer
Most tanks are worth repairing — a weld is a fraction of the cost of a new tank, and a new tank for an older truck may not even be available. But a tank that is corroded through in many places may be past saving, and we will tell you straight when that is the case instead of welding up something that should be replaced.
Tanks for Trucks, Trailers, and Equipment
From a saddle tank on a semi to a transfer tank on a service truck to the product tank on a trailer, fuel tank repair and fabrication is steady work here. If it holds fuel, oil, water, or product and it is steel or aluminum, we can repair it or build you a new one to fit.
Done Right and Done Safe
Welding on a tank that has held fuel is not something to take lightly, and we follow the right process to do it safely. You get a tank that is properly repaired and safe to put back in service — not a risk waiting to happen.
How We Weld a Fuel Tank Safely
Welding on anything that has held fuel is serious business, and we treat it that way. A tank has to be properly drained, cleaned, and purged of vapor before any heat touches it — skipping that step is how shops end up with a fire. We follow the right process every time, so your fuel tank repair is done safely and comes back ready to put fuel back in without a worry.
Fast Turnaround So You Are Not Parked
A truck with a leaking fuel tank is a truck that cannot legally or safely run, so we move on fuel tank repair. Drop the tank off or bring the truck in, and we turn the weld around quickly instead of letting it sit for a week. The faster the tank is fixed, the faster the truck is back to earning.
Tank Repair for Farms, Fleets, and Contractors
Farmers with diesel and transfer tanks, fleets with saddle and product tanks, and contractors with equipment and service-truck tanks all bring us the same kind of work. Wherever the tank lives and whatever it holds, our fuel tank repair and fabrication keeps it in service across central Iowa.
Free Pickup, or Bring It In
Within 60 miles of Ames we will pick up the tank or the truck, and many customers drop off or ship tanks to us. For tank trailers and tanker barrels specifically, see our tank trailer and fuel tank repair page. For fuel tank repair in Ames and across central Iowa, call or text Ames Hydraulics at 515-292-2599.
Written by Josiah Ragsdale
Owner, Ames Hydraulics — Ames, Iowa
Josiah owns and operates Ames Hydraulics. He has worked on hydraulic and heavy equipment since he was 18, and every hydraulic cylinder his shop rebuilds is pressure tested before it ships back to the customer. More about Josiah →
Got something broken? Call or text 515-292-2599