Ammo can idea thread

[MOguy]

Testing the fit of a different sized cans on the inner fenders of my LJ. The can on the left is a 50 cal., fits nicely with no interference with the back seat. On the right is a 40mm, not sure if that would be uncomfortable for rear seat riders or not.

It won't not be the most comfortable if you carry passengers in the back seat. I dried it and quickly found that it was going to be a danger to my kids with the hard corners and edges. I do have a soft bags in that area where I carry a strap, TP paper, jackets or other soft items. Kids now use it as a pillow.

 

[java]

Stove!
Puts out a surprising amount of heat. There is a baffle inside to keep the heat from going straight out the chimney.

 

[trailscape]

This has been my modified Zodi setup for a while.. Pump and connections in one can, shower and propane hoses in the other.

You can fit a U1 size battery in the .50 cal can almost perfectly with careful cable management. I have one that also has a 400 watt inverter, solar controller and two 12 volt ports.

Been thinking of switching these ideas to the plastic MTM cans though.

 

[jscherb]

I made an ammo can tray for the JK side mount, this one holds a 30 cal. can:

I haven't made up a strap to secure the 30 cal can into the tray yet.

The 30 cal can is pretty small, so maybe it doesn't need an outside mount... I often carry mine on the floor behind the driver's seat. But for years I've used this one to carry a tow chain, some d-rings and some grade 8 bolts. I generally carry it all winter in case I have to yank someone out of a snowbank, and in the summer I use it for yanking out shrubs and stumps. My Jeep is my favorite garden tool .

The tray that comes with the JK side mount can hold larger ammo cans; the first photo below shows a "Tall 50",

a.k.a. AN/RVS-14 monocular night vision device case, it's the same length x width as a 50mm can but 6" taller:

And here's a 50 cal can:

 

[4x4play82]

Not mine but.......

Cool idea for trailers.....
.

 

[jscherb]

I sometimes carry a large ammo can or a cooler on a rack that hangs over my spare tire...

It's worked out very well, so I've been thinking about a similar mounting method for a dedicated ammo can carrier. It would hang over the spare, and carry two 50-cal/FAT 50 ammo cans, one on each side of the spare. A ratchet strap would run around under the tire to secure the rack in place, and make it easy to remove when necessary. The can holder would be adjustable so it would fit multiple tire sizes.

I've done some photo editing to create a few concept images...

A rack like this might not be on the Jeep at all times - because it's easy to install/remove perhaps you'd really only need to install this rack when you were making a trip where you needed to carry stuff in the cans. For example, recovery gear isn't usually needed in everyday driving, so maybe the gear would go in the cans and only be carried on off-road trips.

In addition to a can on each side of the spare, it would be possible to build the rack so that it could hold another can or two, or perhaps a fuel can or Rotopax container.

I haven't built one of these yet, so far I've just been playing with the photo edits above to figure out if this is a dumb idea or a useful one... ?

 

[brushogger]

My vote is useful x2!

 

[quino171]

I sometimes carry a large ammo can or a cooler on a rack that hangs over my spare tire...

It's worked out very well, so I've been thinking about a similar mounting method for a dedicated ammo can carrier. It would hang over the spare, and carry two 50-cal/FAT 50 ammo cans, one on each side of the spare. A ratchet strap would run around under the tire to secure the rack in place, and make it easy to remove when necessary. The can holder would be adjustable so it would fit multiple tire sizes.

I've done some photo editing to create a few concept images...

A rack like this might not be on the Jeep at all times - because it's easy to install/remove perhaps you'd really only need to install this rack when you were making a trip where you needed to carry stuff in the cans. For example, recovery gear isn't usually needed in everyday driving, so maybe the gear would go in the cans and only be carried on off-road trips.

In addition to a can on each side of the spare, it would be possible to build the rack so that it could hold another can or two, or perhaps a fuel can or Rotopax container.

I haven't built one of these yet, so far I've just been playing with the photo edits above to figure out if this is a dumb idea or a useful one... ?

What kind of roof is that?!?

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

[jscherb]

What kind of roof is that?!?

I'm not sure if you're asking about the hardtop on the black LJ or on the red JK, but the answer is the same for both - they're home-made. The black one I made several years ago; the one on the JK is still a work in progress, it's almost finished. Both are fiberglass; I made the molds and molded the parts here at home. I designed them both because I wanted more features and capabilities in my hardtop than the factory hardtops provide. For example, they're both modular designs, so they have features like removable hard side panels that swap out for roll-up soft sides.

 

[ober27]

It seems to me a bike rack could be added on the cross bars behind spare tire. The ammo cans could be used for tools and spare bicycle parts.

 

[jscherb]

It seems to me a bike rack could be added on the cross bars behind spare tire. The ammo cans could be used for tools and spare bicycle parts.

That's an interesting idea, thanks! (And, being a cyclist, why didn't I think of that? ). I was thinking of making the cross bars a mounting grid that a range of things could be mounted to, so as I build a prototype I'll keep bicycles in mind. I've been experimenting with a mounting grid that bolts to the tailgate hinges, and so far that's looking promising, so that's why I was thinking a grid for the cross bars, even though I haven't drawn the initial concepts that way.

 

[Comanche Scott]

I like the idea of hanging the boxes off the spare tire. :beer:
Does the spare tire rack adjust for a flat/damaged tire?
I have a rack above the spare, and it really gets used. The added "cans" would be excellent for support gear, snow chains, etc..
Nice to keep all the mud and muck outside the vehicle.

 

[jscherb]

I like the idea of hanging the boxes off the spare tire. :beer:
Does the spare tire rack adjust for a flat/damaged tire?
I have a rack above the spare, and it really gets used. The added "cans" would be excellent for support gear, snow chains, etc..
Nice to keep all the mud and muck outside the vehicle.

Yes, the plan is to have the rack adjust for the width and thickness of the spare, with the idea that it should work with anything from a stock TJ spare to a 37 or so. That's pretty much the range that the cargo rack has, so I was thinking it should be the same. Cargo rack shown here on a 32", with a 20mm ammo can sitting on it (not strapped in yet), if you look closely you can see the adjustment screws...

 

[Comanche Scott]

Yes, the plan is to have the rack adjust for the width and thickness of the spare, with the idea that it should work with anything from a stock TJ spare to a 37 or so. That's pretty much the range that the cargo rack has, so I was thinking it should be the same. Cargo rack shown here on a 32", with a 20mm ammo can sitting on it (not strapped in yet), if you look closely you can see the adjustment screws...

That's great! :beer:
I've seen some pretty torn up tires, so having this much adjustment could be the difference between finding another place to store stuff, or keeping it back on the spare regardless of the tires condition.
Very cool work Jeff.

 

[jscherb]

It seems to me a bike rack could be added on the cross bars behind spare tire. The ammo cans could be used for tools and spare bicycle parts.

ober27 - a concept drawing just for you... this view also shows the grid concept, which in this case the bicycle carrier brackets are attached to.