Can any one recommend a fairly economical way to mount a gas can to a stock Jeep (2014 Freedom Edition Unlimited). It seems the majority of gas can and other accessory holders require an after market bumper and swing out tire carrier etc. While I'd like to do that eventually, I'm not looking to drop $1500 at this time. I just want to be able to carry some extra fuel.
Have you looked into a smittybuilt jerry can holder? Might be able to fab it up to a trailer hitch extender or I have seen them mounted to rear spare tires (not sure exactly how)
Most economical way to carry a gas can is to buy a surplus NATO can, or a Wavian repro, and carry it in the cabin.
There is no venting at all when the gasket is intact and they all but completely drop proof, leak proof, water tight, air tight, etc. I tested mine by filling it on the way to work and left in the car for 9hrs with all the windows up. I didn't smell any fuel at all when I opened the door. Compare that to an order of french fries which you can smell for 2 days after carrying them for 10mins. I also took it camping two weeks ago and sloshed it around on 80mi of forest road and 300mi of highway across 2 days without smelling a hint of fuel. Even carried it on the spine (instead of standing up) half the time, for whatever that's worth.
And some others vouching for the NATO style can inside the vehicle here.
I will eventually be fabbing a mount for two of them inside my cab using the Smittybilt or Wavian holders. Much cheaper than any external carry system (unless you happen to have most of the system already).
People use them for all kinds of stuff they don't want in the Jeep like firewood, garbage and gas. Buy a $10 gas can at Walmart and throw it in the Trasharoo.
People use them for all kinds of stuff they don't want in the Jeep like firewood, garbage and gas. Buy a $10 gas can at Walmart and throw it in the Trasharoo.
Just be careful adding extra weight to the spare tire mount/tailgate. Some of those mounts push the extra weight pretty far out from the mount and the leverage/extra weight can do some damage over time. I'm not saying not to run a setup like that in the short term, but in the long term it may not be a good idea.
I've been happy with my Rotopax. I have 2 three gallon tanks that actually hold 3.5 gallons each. I usually only run one of the tanks unless I'm going on an extended trip where I know I won't see a gas station. My Rotopax is always empty unless I am going to the trail so not much worry about stress on the tire carrier. Plus, 3 gallons of fuel (~18 lbs) and the can weight (~5 lbs) shouldn't add too much stress to the rear end if you don't always carry it full.
Bumping this thread in case the OP ever found a solution. I'd like to carry some extra gas as well without replacing my stock bumper. I researched the rotopax mount and the reviews I've seen so far haven't been very good.
Jeff Scherb has his mount which used a jerry can mounted on the side of the wrangler right in front of the door. Although I like Jeff's ideas.. The placement of the jerry can in front of the door like this limited the doors travel. Clearly the wrangler doesn't have a space for these types or jerry car etc to be stored and carried. We're grabbing at straws trying to figure out what would be the best most creative way to carry these can/rotopax.
One idea could be to create a dead passenger door on the unlimited as to mount the jerry can or extra fuel container. I would do this because there's only going to be the 2 of us in the jeep at any time.. the rear or second row doors would be half doors and left closed or conversions in place as to allow for some sort of cubbyhole/storage system within the second row seats which can only be access from the half doors.
Typically ti would seem the most direct approach would be the mount bracket locate either on the tail gate or swing our spare tire carrier. The issue is we're dealing with the same design jerry car or rotopax.. Then there's the AEV type container which mounted behind the spare sort of concealed from plan sight. The issue here is, when one has to refill and one has a support shelf above this fill point.. access to the fill point has been limited or hindered.
Although I like the rotopax type design and mounting flexibility.. we tend to load the rear of the jeep with as much stuff as possible without thinking of dispersing the weight equally about the jeep/vehicle. I would rather opt for a larger fuel tank or even a second fuel cell located somewhere on the jeep as to replace the stock fuel tank already on the jeep.
Jeff Scherb has his mount which used a jerry can mounted on the side of the wrangler right in front of the door. Although I like Jeff's ideas.. The placement of the jerry can in front of the door like this limited the doors travel. Clearly the wrangler doesn't have a space for these types or jerry car etc to be stored and carried. We're grabbing at straws trying to figure out what would be the best most creative way to carry these can/rotopax. One idea could be to create a dead passenger door on the unlimited as to mount the jerry can or extra fuel container. I would do this because there's only going to be the 2 of us in the jeep at any time.. the rear or second row doors would be half doors and left closed or conversions in place as to allow for some sort of cubbyhole/storage system within the second row seats which can only be access from the half doors. Typically ti would seem the most direct approach would be the mount bracket locate either on the tail gate or swing our spare tire carrier. The issue is we're dealing with the same design jerry car or rotopax.. Then there's the AEV type container which mounted behind the spare sort of concealed from plan sight. The issue here is, when one has to refill and one has a support shelf above this fill point.. access to the fill point has been limited or hindered. Although I like the rotopax type design and mounting flexibility.. we tend to load the rear of the jeep with as much stuff as possible without thinking of dispersing the weight equally about the jeep/vehicle. I would rather opt for a larger fuel tank or even a second fuel cell located somewhere on the jeep as to replace the stock fuel tank already on the jeep.
ARB sells, in Australia, something called The Longranger. It is a 20 gal aux tank that mounts underneath the jeep on the driver side. It is filled via the standard fill neck and uses its own transfer pump to move the fuel to the main tank. Can also be had with an extra skid plate mounted to it. I like the fact that it's mounted low thus lowering th CB. Also is out of sight and takes up no space. Comes with hardware to modify the front muffler and to relocate the evaporation canister. ARB America does not import it or sell it. You have to order it from Australia. I've been looking at this for a while but have not pulled the trigger yet.
Question regarding filling up external canisters such as rotopax.
I've been filling up my rotopax that's mounted to my maximus-3 tire carrier. I was filling up gas a couple days ago and noticed that external tanks should be removed from vehicle and be placed on ground. should I be doing that from now on? ... now if I do that, it will take up more time since I have to remove my hi lift jack to access my rotopax.
Question regarding filling up external canisters such as rotopax. I've been filling up my rotopax that's mounted to my maximus-3 tire carrier. I was filling up gas a couple days ago and noticed that external tanks should be removed from vehicle and be placed on ground. should I be doing that from now on? ... now if I do that, it will take up more time since I have to remove my hi lift jack to access my rotopax.
I just wanted to share you what @jscherb said to me a few weeks back when I told him I have arthritis in my hands and I wouldn't be able to unscrew the rotopax caps..
Door travel is not limited by the side mount. The door can open fully to the limit of the factory check strap with a Jerry can or Rotopax on the side mount, neither the door or the mirror contact the container or the mount.
Yup, Jeff is right - no contact. I've got two of them on my rig. The only way that I would see contact is if I replaced my stock door straps with longer ones or ran with tube doors without a strap. In either case, that's not the mounts problem.
If you want the cheapest option possible, buy a Jerry can and carry it inside the cab. If you're planning on buying a bumper with tire carrier someday, you might also look into buying the Teraflex tailgate hinge instead. It replaces your stock tailgate hinges and it can carry a large tire and accessories. Other advantages are that you keep one handed operation of your tailgate and you can keep your stock bumper if you want. I had an expensive bumper with tire carrier. I sold that and now have an LOD destroyer bumper without a tire carrier. I am using the Teraflex hinge. I have a 35" tire and also a Titan fuel tank back there too. It holds something like 12 gallons of fuel. This setup is rock solid and there's no hassle or rattles like you get from a bumper with tire carrier. The Titan fuel tank I have was just discontinued a couple of weeks ago. They are getting to release a new model here in the next couple of weeks. The old one is already pretty awesome. I'd guess the new one will be even better. Here's my setup.
Here's my external jerry can carrier shown with five gallon water can. Easy install and the opened door/mirror does not make contact with can. Primary use is packing water to remote campsites.
Jscherb posted that just above you. Retrofit Offroad and Extreme Terrain both carry them.
I picked up both sides awhile back. I love them. I remove them when I don't need to carry fuel 'cos they stick out a little bit farther than the mirrors and I don't want to clip my narrow garage. But it is a really simple process.
To some of the concerns mentioned above...
The only issue I've had with movement of the mounts is from user error when I forgot to snug up the bolts under the hood. Made a very annoying rattle for 300 miles. But, even then, there was no body contact issue; just noise.
There is some contact with the mirror on my NATO cans when the door is opened hard, making the limit strap stretch. This is due in part to the filler neck and lid on the NATOs. It is in no way a concern and no chance of damage other than a dash of red paint on the mirror mount over time. And if you just normally open the door to the end of the strap, there is no contact.
I put in some door openers on the jeep that made removing the mount problematic. So I installed some 5/16" nut-serts in the mount so that I could remove the tub/tray and leave the mounting bracket in place.
Back side of the modified mount. The 17/32" drill bit to open up the holes cost more than the bag of nut-serts did. The nasty looking black stuff on the A-Pillar mounting point is 3-M 2228 tape that I put there to save the paint. (Probably not needed but she's my baby!) Normally I would use 3-M 130C as a buffer but I had ran out, so I used the 2228. It turns out that 2228 migrates under pressure, something that I did not know before.
Hey @bobchase how did you swage these in place?.. Reason I ask we have loads of different size swages in the show and we had to build a custom compressed air system to swage these in place. Last time I used this machine, it took the tip of my index finger off.
Grade 8 bolt, three grade 8 washers, grade 8 nut. Long handle socket and a gear wrench to turn the nut. Then you just have to put your back into it.
Here's how to set a blind nut-set into a TJ's frame thanks to Mr. Blaine of Black Magic Brakes: Nutsert Instructions However with the mount, you have access to both sides of the nut-sert and you can then observe the compression and not worry about under or over compressing the fitting. The important thing is to use multiple washers so that they act as a bearing.
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