Mounting brackets for Scepter military fuel canisters?

OutOfBounds

Adventurer
Considering how fuel thirsty my 2005 Tundra is, I only get about 400 - 450 kilometer range on a tank of fuel. I'm planning to pick up 3 of the good 20 liter (5 gal) Scepter military fuel canisters and 1 20L water canister. However, I'm going to need a way to mount them in the box of my truck. I want to put them in pairs, behind the wheel wells near the tailgate.

I can't seem to find any jerry can mounts that fit these canisters though. All I can find are ones that fit NATO spec, which from my reading is different and won't work (eg. Frontrunner's description says theirs won't work).

I could fabricate my own and may have to resort to that, but I'm not very good at the design process and honestly have better things to do with my time and would rather just purchase some.

Any thoughts or ideas? Canadian sourcing/pricing would be ideal as well, since our dollar is worthless....
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
NATO jerry can holder OUGHT to fit a Scepter MFC. That's the whole point of milspec. Are you instead referring to Scepter's 'civilian' fuel and water jugs with the smaller black caps that look superficially like their MFC and MWCs? Because those are trapezoidal, fatter at the bottom and taller and thinner at the top and certainly do not fit a NATO jerry can dimension holder.

I built a snug fitting plywood box to socket (3) MWCs into, but as it was going in the back of my Suburban I didn't make any provision for locking them in. Although I did outfit it so the jugs could be lashed down with a ratchet strap - http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/135929-Jerry-Can-MWC-MFC-stowage-box-build


The problem with the metal mounting brackets mostly comes down to the shape of the corners. They're more rounded, suited to the metal jerry can shapes. And the squarer bottoms of the MFCs don't quite fit.

There are lots of aftermarket metal strap type carriers, which lock, and which typically have a squared-corner cage design which fits milspec MFC and MWCs just fine. You're going to have to ask each manufacturer directly and just google for some discussion topic somewhere that has more autism.

I would suggest googling specifcally for "scepter MFC mount" and looking at image results to find mounts that specifically show the plastic Scepter MFCs / MWCs in the holders and then backtrack the makers from there. If you just look for 'jerry can mount' it's a crapshoot that they'll work with Scepter MFCs / MWCs
 

OutOfBounds

Adventurer
NATO jerry can holder OUGHT to fit a Scepter MFC. That's the whole point of milspec. Are you instead referring to Scepter's 'civilian' fuel and water jugs with the smaller black caps that look superficially like their MFC and MWCs? Because those are trapezoidal, fatter at the bottom and taller and thinner at the top and certainly do not fit a NATO jerry can dimension holder.

I built a snug fitting plywood box to socket (3) MWCs into, but as it was going in the back of my Suburban I didn't make any provision for locking them in. Although I did outfit it so the jugs could be lashed down with a ratchet strap - http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/135929-Jerry-Can-MWC-MFC-stowage-box-build


The problem with the metal mounting brackets mostly comes down to the shape of the corners. They're more rounded, suited to the metal jerry can shapes. And the squarer bottoms of the MFCs don't quite fit.

There are lots of aftermarket metal strap type carriers, which lock, and which typically have a squared-corner cage design which fits milspec MFC and MWCs just fine. You're going to have to ask each manufacturer directly and just google for some discussion topic somewhere that has more autism.

I would suggest googling specifcally for "scepter MFC mount" and looking at image results to find mounts that specifically show the plastic Scepter MFCs / MWCs in the holders and then backtrack the makers from there. If you just look for 'jerry can mount' it's a crapshoot that they'll work with Scepter MFCs / MWCs

Definitely talking about the MFCs/MWCs, like you have. I have the orange civvie version and quite frankly, they suck.


I came across this over on Tacoma world. Unless I come across a reasonably priced production option, I think I'll fab up something similar, only extending the lock bar to cover the caps so fuel can't be siphoned out. I don't have a cap for my truck yet, so they'll be in plain view in the bed.

full


The dual can carrier by CBI that One Shot mentioned is sweet, but crazy expensive I was thinking $50 - $75 Canadian pesos but maybe I'm out to lunch with my pricing estimates.

Oh well, I'm a welder and can likely snag some excess flat bar from work so I'll probably just have to make my own
 

Ovrlnd Rd

Adventurer
NATO jerry can holder OUGHT to fit a Scepter MFC. That's the whole point of milspec. Are you instead referring to Scepter's 'civilian' fuel and water jugs with the smaller black caps that look superficially like their MFC and MWCs? Because those are trapezoidal, fatter at the bottom and taller and thinner at the top and certainly do not fit a NATO jerry can dimension holder.

I ran into this problem. I have several (10 I think) dual milspec Scepter can holders off of MRAPs. I thought I'd buy a gas version at COSTCO as I had plenty of diesel Scepters. Got it home and discovered it's wider than the milspec ones and won't fit the holders. Now I'm back to looking for some gas Scepters that will fit as I traded my diesel F250 for a gas Titan.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
...Oh well, I'm a welder and can likely snag some excess flat bar from work so I'll probably just have to make my own

well Hell, say no more and get busy. You can make exactly what you want / need. Two side by side is going to be wider than your wheel well and impede your ability to haul 4'x8' sheet products in your Tundra bed, if you do so. Maybe single holders placed before and aft of each wheel well?
 

krick3tt

Adventurer
The Baja rack scepter can holder is perfect for two of them. Military type. I have a Front Runner RR and just drilled different holes to allow it to mount. It is lockable and you could, of course, bolt it to the truck bed with the standard holes. I have since reverted to carrying water bricks (3.5 gal available thru Amazon or Sportsman's Guide) behind my seats as it puts the weight lower and lifting a 5 gal water or petrol can off the roof is getting a bit annoying for my 71 years.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
man, these things got heavier. Here's a few pics to illustrate the problem. The 'civilian' version AREN'T taller as I recalled. They are certainly much fatter / wider in the bottom.

scepterMFCvsCiv00.jpg
scepterMFCvsCiv01.jpg



They screwed up my storage box plan. Thought maybe with the trapezoidal shape I might get by with flipping one around, but no. Not even close.

scepterMFCvsCiv02.jpg
scepterMFCvsCiv03.jpg



I still have my (3) LCI MWCs. I'll still use those in that box. And I'll keep buying the newer 'Civilian' version Scepters. They're still nice enough, still thicker than any other plastic jug, and their price point of ~$20 can't be beat. I bought this pair a couple months ago, happened to be near a Tractor Supply store while they were open and while I had some cash in my pocket. They're great for my desire / necessity of storing potable water here in SoCal. I'll be buying many more. They're much sturdier than Aquatainers and priced at almost the same cost per gallon stored.
While I was buying the 'kerosene blue' containers I looked at the others in gas-red and they appeared identical. Just a different color of HDPE2. I didn't notice any 'diesel-yellow' but I'm pretty sure Scepter makes them.
It's funny to see all the vendors call these water containers. They are blue, typical color code for such. But that is also to old school fuels color code for kerosene, too. And given the product line all has the identical pour spout / cap parts, could just as easily be marketed as such. But that market is tiny compared to 'water' use. And few besides farmers / rural / preppers use kerosene for anything anymore.

eta here's the 'diesel' version, looks the same.

20l-scepter-jerry-can-diesel-manual-ventingImageMain-515.jpg
 
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OutOfBounds

Adventurer
well Hell, say no more and get busy. You can make exactly what you want / need. Two side by side is going to be wider than your wheel well and impede your ability to haul 4'x8' sheet products in your Tundra bed, if you do so. Maybe single holders placed before and aft of each wheel well?

I'm trying to avoid doing it myself, because I hate welding and want to spend as little time at work as possible. Staying after hours to work on my own projects is not enjoyable, though sometimes a necessary evil.

I don't mind a little over hang past the wheel wells. My box is 6' long and I've never hauled anything 4'x8' in any truck...ever. And I've worked in construction and oil/gas industries. There's a reason trailers were invented. LOL

I'm thinking of running them side by side, spouts facing into the truck, if that makes sense. Singles mounted fore and aft isn't a bad idea either though.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
fore and aft would also leave the central area open for bulkier cargo, or other outdoor gear or even sleeping in the bed.

Guestimating your wheel tubs are about ~9-10" wide at the bed floor, with the curve at the top maybe forcing the cans inward towards the centerline. So that puts the can and mounts projecting inward about 4-5" into the central part of the bed. That would narrow the central bed area down to about 39"

Too, have you checked the Tundra bed height against the height of the jugs? Did a timing belt change on my neighbor's Tundra and I wasn't paying real attention to it but the bed struck me as kind of shallow compared to my C-10. There are several interesting designs for can holders where the cans lay back n their spines. And that might also work well for piling in other cargo, depending on what sort of gear you haul.

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OutOfBounds

Adventurer
^^^ That's not a bad idea either.

This weekend I'll experiment with the cans I have. Although not the exact same as the MFC and MWC, they should give me a decent idea of the room I have to play with.
 

Tiktaalik

Supporting Sponsor
How are you mounting your Scepters MFC/MWC's?

Any updates to this?

I had the old dual can holder from Front Runner and as I recall the Scepters did not fit into the tray even.

There doesn't seem to be many options available for this.
 

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