dropping the tank or taking off the bed I don't think we can beat just reaching down through the bed.

 

Yep. I'm going to lift the bed off just so I'm 100% sure I don't cut any of the hoses or wires. In the long run if the fuel pump dies again I can just remove the bolts from the access panel I'm making and it's a 5 minute job.

 

What year and Model is your Dakota??I have a 94 slt extra cab V6 Dakota and I can't see any ground strap??Also does the tube for lowering the spare tire have to come off?It looks like it might catch on the bed when I raise it ??

 

no it doesnt have to cmoe off. Remove the bolts go to the back of the bed and disconnect the brake light connectors. the go to the gas flap on the side of the bed and remove those 4 bolts holding the neck to the bed. once you get that far the bed should lift off.

 

mines an 88, there's a ground strap from the bottom of the cab to the bottom of the bed on this year anyway the spare tire tube will pivot and slid out as you pick up.

 

I had a leak coming from the top of my 94 Dakota's tank that I could not see. I took the 4 bolts off the drivers side and only loosened the 4 on the pass side,took the 4 screws off the filler cap flange,loosened the tail light harness and used a bumper jack to tilt up the bed.The leak was 6 inches away from the pressure regulator on the shiny plastic hose,just a scuff there that shoots a stream of fuel with the key on,can't figure how it got cut it's free of touching any body or frame part,had to be something that got kicked up off the road ??Now I need to replace the line up to the fuel rail,hope the dealer will have one on Monday.tilting it was much easier than dropping the tank when I replaced the pump a few years ago.Glad I saved that old bumper jack.

 

I have removed a bed twice...actually, the one time I just took out the bolts, disconnected the wires, and just slid it back far enough to get at the fuel tank. Easy, even an old man can do it.
The other time I removed the bed entirely, and the cab/front clip. In the process of putting it back together, hope to have it running before winter.

 

Follow the advice of Hahns5.2 in post#10. He is right on.
How ever you do it, make sure you index the pump so the gauge float works right.
Removing or sliding back the bed, as suggested, would be my second option.

 

I took the bed off last night and fixed it. WAAAAAAAY easier than dropping the tank. It took 15 minutes to remove the bed.

 

I'm glad it worked out well for you, DupermanDave. Obviously you had some help. I removed my bed by myself to do some repairs, but had to set up scaffold and rigging. WAAAAAAAY longer than 15 minutes.