Bolting jerry can mounts directly to tailgate? Talk me out of it...

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thanks. See con #2! Intended for this? Of course not-- that's half the fun. Kinda like 80's Rangers weren't "intended" to have V8s... that's a sweet build!

Kinda like I had to upgrade everything that V8 touches so it would stay together...

Thanks for all the comments so far, folks. Good points that underscore my list of cons above.

Should also mention that one of the reasons that I'm anti-swingout is that one of the various configurations of this truck is FWC hauler. The camper overhang would be a problem, then there are the ever- present GVWR gremlins.

Do you have your tailgate on your truck with the camper?

Right now my camper is in the truck and tailgate, swingout and Jerry can is in the garage.

 

[jbf]

I think there area some mixed signals here.

MOST of the time, the truck has a fiberglass camper shell/topper/canopy/whatever they call it where you're from (see first post). In that configuration, it obviously has the tailgate on, and that is the configuration that would need external jerry mount.

Occasionally (more occasionally than I would like), the truck hauls a FWC (sans tailgate, with overhang). The FWC is one of the reasons I don't want a dedicated swingout bumper-- I'd have to remove the swingout portion to run the FWC and any bumper that could support the swingout is just more weight off the back end that I don't need.

I'm leaning toward a no on the tailgate mount, mostly due to the weight/ latch. There are workarounds to this also, but they defeat the cheap/easy appeal.

I will probably end up building something for hitch (like below) and dealing with those inherent cons.

 

[Ozarker]

Mickey is right. And my wife didn't like riding with gas cans either. She'd have to sit in the bed after we'd ford a river till she dried out.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thanks for all the comments so far, folks. Good points that underscore my list of cons above.

Should also mention that one of the reasons that I'm anti-swingout is that one of the various configurations of this truck is FWC hauler. The camper overhang would be a problem, then there are the ever- present GVWR gremlins.

My stupid Skamper outsmarted me on that.

I was building my bumper/swingout between me telling the guy I would take the Skamper and me driving from almost Omaha to almost Chicago to pick it up. I had him measure the length of the camper that sits in the bed so I could make the swingout work with the camper if I needed it to.

Finish the bumper and get the camper home and put it in... he measured the side of the actual camper body... the door frame sticks out an extra inch. 🤬

 

[lugueto]

I think there area some mixed signals here.

MOST of the time, the truck has a fiberglass camper shell/topper/canopy/whatever they call it where you're from (see first post). In that configuration, it obviously has the tailgate on, and that is the configuration that would need external jerry mount.

Occasionally (more occasionally than I would like), the truck hauls a FWC (sans tailgate, with overhang). The FWC is one of the reasons I don't want a dedicated swingout bumper-- I'd have to remove the swingout portion to run the FWC and any bumper that could support the swingout is just more weight off the back end that I don't need.

I'm leaning toward a no on the tailgate mount, mostly due to the weight/ latch. There are workarounds to this also, but they defeat the cheap/easy appeal.

I will probably end up building something for hitch (like below) and dealing with those inherent cons.

View attachment 855858

This is actually a smart idea. Not invasive, cheap (or DIY), you can use it only when you need it. I would add bracing to that 90deg weld, don't underestimate the force 30-40kg will apply.

 

[s.e.charles]

Believe me, I would love to go full swingout, but it's not in the budget or really necessary 99% of the time.

I hear you on the weight, which is why I would probably through-bolt the entire tailgate and use massive washers or some sort of backing plate-- not really looking for fit-and- finish here. In terms of lifting it, at the risk of sounding like an ********, I think I can manage that kind of weight. It would definitely be annoying day-to-day, but for limited use I think it's doable.

did you want advice or agreement?