Smittybilt Gas Can holder

28016 Views 27 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Kevin-jeep, Dec 12, 2013

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · Nov 18, 2012

Just bought a Smittybilt 2798 Jerry Gas Can Holder that in the picture shows it mounted to the spare tire. However, when I got it yesterday in the mail from Amazon, I discovered it is a universal mounting system. I tried searching google and on here, with no luck. Any one have any ideas on how to mount it to the spare tire?
Thanks.

1 - 20 of 28 Posts

Jacqui

· #2 · Nov 18, 2012

Installation instructions on Amazon

It's a universal mount. It's not designed specifically for a tire carrier. So, if you want to mount it there, you need to fabricate something in order to make that happen. Misleading marketing on Smittybilt's part.

Jerry Bransford

· #3 · Nov 18, 2012

Not to mention that mounting a full jerry can onto the spare tire is a very (!) bad idea. The added weight and leverage of a full jerry can positioned outboard of the spare tire is going to place an enormous overload on the OE spare tire carrier. And also not to mention I'd hate to have a full-jerry can in such an exposed location... like if a truck hit it from the rear and it sprayed 5 gallons of gasoline everwhere.

Based on designs like that, it's my firm opinion that Smittybilt is no longer run by anyone that knows anything about Jeeps and designing good products. They are however experts on how to import junk from China.

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 18, 2012

I got that paper with the part. Very misleading on their part.
Any idea on how to mount it there? or another good mounting location?
I was thinking of bolting it to the inside of the tailgate. any pros/cons to that?

scott howard

· #5 · Nov 19, 2012

I mounted mine by taking two pieces of all thread and bending them into u-bolts and
making them fit around the spokes of my spare and using thick fender washers and nuts to attach it to the mount.
I can take picture in the morning if that would help ya.

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 19, 2012

scott howard said:
I mounted mine by taking two pieces of all thread and bending them into u-bolts and
making them fit around the spokes of my spare and using thick fender washers and nuts to attach it to the mount.
I can take picture in the morning if that would help ya.

that would be awesome. I won't have time to mess with it for a few days, so take your time on the pics. no rush.

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 4, 2012

scott howard said:
I mounted mine by taking two pieces of all thread and bending them into u-bolts and
making them fit around the spokes of my spare and using thick fender washers and nuts to attach it to the mount.
I can take picture in the morning if that would help ya.

hey. any word on those pics?

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 18, 2013

scott howard said:
I mounted mine by taking two pieces of all thread and bending them into u-bolts and
making them fit around the spokes of my spare and using thick fender washers and nuts to attach it to the mount.
I can take picture in the morning if that would help ya.

any pics on your mount?

Jerry Bransford

· #9 · Feb 19, 2013 (Edited)

The last place, in my strongest possible personal opinion, that you want to hang a 35 lb. jerry can is on the rear of the spare tire. Not only is that a highly dangerous and exposed location to carry gasoline, it also places an enormous load on the spare tire carrier bracket. That's just too much leverage against a mount that simply isn't up to carrying that kind of load for very long. The further away something is from its mount, the more leverage it has against it.

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 19, 2013

Jerry Bransford said:
The last place, in my strongest possible personal opinion, that you want to hang a 35 lb. jerry can is on the rear of the spare tire. Not only is that a highly dangerous and exposed location to carry gasoline, it also places an enormous load on the spare tire carrier bracket. That's just too much leverage against a mount that simply isn't up to carrying that kind of load for very long. The further away something is from its mount, the more leverage it has against it.

roger that.
I think I'm just going to get a swing away tire carrier bumper and get a mount for that. Thanks for the advise.

Jerry Bransford

· #11 · Feb 19, 2013

OR-Fab makes an excellent combination swing out tire carrier and jerry can holder. I ran one on my previous TJ for years and it never sagged or rattled.

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 19, 2013

Jerry Bransford said:
OR-Fab makes an excellent combination swing out tire carrier and jerry can holder. I ran one on my previous TJ for years and it never sagged or rattled.

I'll look into it. Thanks.

is this the one?
http://www.orfab.com/details.php?Ap...SWING AWAY SPARE TIRE/CAN CARRIER &Active=Yes

callbob

· #13 · Feb 19, 2013

Good point Jerry. Just saw an ad for the 3 gal modular can that has a mount that goes on the spare tire. The one shown was on a tire carrier bumper, but the first thing I thought about was the potential for a bad situation with that location.

Jerry Bransford

· #14 · Feb 19, 2013

JPetru82 said:
I'll look into it. Thanks.

is this the one?
Jeep | JEEP TJ SWING AWAY SPARE TIRE/CAN CARRIER | 85201

Yes that's it, that is their jerry can version. It's truly a very nice solid design that will hold up for many years.

JPetru82

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 19, 2013

Jerry Bransford said:
Yes that's it, that is their jerry can version. It's truly a very nice solid design that will hold up for many years.

it looks really nice, it's just the price tag that isn't so nice.

Jerry Bransford

· #16 · Feb 19, 2013

JPetru82 said:
it looks really nice, it's just the price tag that isn't so nice.

That is their MSRP price, check pricing using Google or with their dealers. Last time I heard, Gerald at Savvy Offroad was a dealer for ORF who sold at a discount. Email him at [email protected] to see if he is still an ORF dealer.

jscherb

· #17 · Feb 20, 2013

Here's another place to mount jerry cans...

I've got one on each side:

The jerry can mounts install in receivers that are bolted to the frame, so I don't carry the cans or the mounts all the time - I just put one or both mounts in the receivers whenever I'm going on an adventure where I think I might need more fuel.

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Jerry Bransford

· #18 · Feb 20, 2013

So you're comfortable carrying 5 gallons of gasoline at those locations?

mckey73

· #19 · Feb 20, 2013

Jerry Bransford said:
So you're comfortable carrying 5 gallons of gasoline at those locations?

People drove Pintos and Silverados with the "saddle bag" tanks for years, it's just gas.

jscherb

· #20 · Feb 20, 2013

Jerry Bransford said:
So you're comfortable carrying 5 gallons of gasoline at those locations?

First I'll say that I don't think there is a 100% safe place to carry gasoline on the outside of a vehicle, but yes, I am comfortable, and here's why:

1. I only carry the cans when I am on a trip where I want to have extra fuel, which is maybe 1-2 weeks per year. The other 50 or so weeks I don't carry the cans or the carriers - because of the design of these jerry can carriers, they install/uninstall in about a minute each, so there's no reason to carry them when I don't need them.

2. Even when I am carrying them, they are empty until the "last mile". For example, for the trip I'm planning up the Alaska Highway, they'll be empty from my home in NY until probably Dawson's Creek, BC, at which time I'd fill them before going into places less civilized. So even when I am carrying them they're empty most of the time.

3. I empty them at the first opportunity when there's no longer a need for extra fuel. Example: last summer I did several hundred miles off road in Colorado. Once I was back on pavement to begin the trip home, the spare fuel went in the tank.

4. All of the multi-car crash statistics I've see indicate that the most common multi-car accident is a rear-end collision, so it may be that statistically, carrying the cans on the side is safer than carrying them in the rear.

For all those reasons, I am comfortable with the side-mount solution.

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