Gas Can Carriers

[grahamfitter]

Going out on a limb here. Feel free to whip me if I'm crazy but this is my plan...

I don't think an elaborate exterior gas can setup is required at all.

Chances are most of the time gas will be available and the gas cans will be empty and therefore light. Just strap them to the roof rack.

When extra gas is required, fill the cans carefully and secure them inside the vehicle. Empty them as soon as possible and put back on the roof. (Don't try this with the nasty Blitz cans that leak!)

If necessary make space in the vehicle by putting some light stuff in a drybag and strapping that to the roof.

One of the ideas I'm floating around is to mount a couple of gas can holders in the back of my Jeep. Normally they'd hold a plastic container that can be used to store stuff and can go on the roof too.

This solution is light and cheap. Both are good in my book.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[kcowyo]

How about looking on craigslist for a cheaper reciever mounted bike rack. Then build a mounting system on each side to hold your can.

Very nice suggestion, a receiver mounted Jerry can holder. Very nice idea.

Lightweight, not permanently fixed to the vehicle, cheap to acquire and make, the spare tire stays underneath, optional for day trips, no loss of ground clearence, keeps the gas smell outside of the vehicle, won't leak onto the roof and down the sides of the truck.....

Ron, that's a great solution with a tremendous upside. :clapsmile

 

[MountainBiker]

Storing inside is a possibility, expecially with the scenario you describe of emptying the can ASAP.

Some people will want to carry extra fuel that could be used AFTER repairing a leaking main tank. In that case, it's obviously better to leave it in the can as long as possible

 

[TeriAnn]

Very nice suggestion, a receiver mounted Jerry can holder.
Lightweight, not permanently fixed to the vehicle, cheap to acquire and make,

Ever seen a receiver mounted carrier bend & break on a trail? I have. Put a lot of weight on one and that weight is virtually at the end of a leaver. Every sideways motion is a force trying to twist & bend that leaver. It is probably fine for pavement or light off road use, but be advised that if you are out on a rough trail with full cans, the central post holding things up just might bend.

As for putting fuel cans inside, well its your hide and many of cans have old seals that leak just enough to make you sick from fumes at the end of a day.

In my book fuel containers & carriers are not a place to economize or to go with the light duty solution.

Just a suggestion.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

After doing a little research, I have found out a few things.
About the max weight of 1 gallon of gas is 6.5lbs (depending on temperature) at 6.5lbs per gallon that is 32.5lbs.
The gas can holder that I am interested weighs another 2lbs

My 6 gallon water container weighs about 1-2lbs. I wouldnt think a Jerry can like the one pictured above couldnt be more than 2-3 lbs.

That is only 36.5 -38lbs max weight.

The gas can wouldnt be in the carrier (full) until those times I think I would seriously need the extra fuel. Otherwise there would be 4lbs on the back of the vehicle. Why put the carrier there? I think it would look good too. You know, "expedition bling".

I think with some decently extensive bracing on the inside that there should not be much of a problem. I do not drive rallye style when im out exploring... i tend to enjoy the scenary... especially if im in a place where i need the extra gas.

I still havent torn out the plastic to investigate under it. I'll do that first.
This guy did similarly on his Trooper, although the door swings out. (he used a different sort of mount, however.
http://myweb.cableone.net/bcanderson/trooper/Fuel%20Can/Fuelcan.html

Scott

 

[Casper]

Well, I have given this alot of thought. I to wanted to carry fuel cans on the back of the X. My advise is this. If you need it now, get a hitch mount cargo rack for your trip. They are not expesive and will serve the prpose for now. Then when you have the extra$$ buy a rear bumper that has a swing away you can mount a fuel can holder to. I bought what I thought I wanted, a calmini rear bumper. I wish I had saved my money and done it the way I was thinking in the first place. I am now in the process of doing just that. I guess what I am trying to say is don't just throw something together that you will not like down the road.
Just my 2 cents

Casper
:smiley_drive:

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Would mount on the left side.

Looking under the plastic, I'm beginning to think its alot more doable......

 

[Colorado Ron]

I think it would look good too. You know, "expedition bling".

The above quote I think is the real reason for this mod and Just for the record, I think youll regret doing that. Thats obviously my opinion but that metal on the door is no where near enough to support the weight of the gas can filled. Even with brackets, I think youll end up with it damaged.

 

[xtatik]

What is "expedition bling"?
I think you are contemplating something you will regret if you continue. It has been tried before on both 1st gen and 2nd gen X's. Disastrous in both cases. Attaching that much weight to an Xterra rear lift gate would be a tried and true mistake. Aside from the fatigue that will be introduced in the region of the mount, the hinges and latch mechanism will ultimately fail.

 

[njtaco]

I think you are all thinking about this wrong...He should have no issues with mounting a 10LB (combined) gas can and mounting bracket to the rear hatch. As long as there is no fuel in it, it should be light enough, and for bling purposes, it will never have fuel in it...

OK, just kidding. I have to vote no on a liftgate mount, because in my limited experience, I've seen too many accessories ripped free of the sheetmetal they are mounted to. This goes for fiberglass and other composites, as well.

A receiver mounted solution could work, if the "moment" is kept within the ratings of the hitch, and it is made to be very stable. By stable I mean it does not rock side to side or front to back at all. The hitch is probably rated for 350# of tongue weight, About 3-6 inches from the receiver. It is not rated for leverage from above, peeling the hitch away from the truck. Keep the weight as low and close as you can, overbuild the "drawbar" part, and install a rattle-free accessory. I have seen hitches fail and frames bend (once on a 22,000 lb chassis) due to improper loading, so I genuinely believe this is worth considering. Oh, these failures were on-road, "normal" driving. You know, "I was driving along with granny in the car and the darn thing just fell off." :sport_box

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Ok, after getting several votes NO and only two votes YES I am going to heed to yall's advice and figure something else out.
I'm going to probably fabricate something to one of the hitch mount bike racks as recommended.

 

[kcowyo]

In my book fuel containers & carriers are not a place to economize or to go with the light duty solution.

Just a suggestion.

I fully agree.

For my situation, I've been trying to decide which is preferable, keeping the spare tire or spare fuel exposed to the elements. Both are better suited for being underneath the vehicle but that won't work. In travelling the US, I've used more spare tires than I have extra fuel, so I tend to lean towards keeping the spare underneath in it's stock location. Furthermore my truck is my DD so I like to keep mods as adjustable as possible.

In addition, I've been debating the permanent weight of an auxiliary tank vs a good location to temporarily carry a spare fuel can. In most cases I coast into the petrol station on fumes or maybe mooch a gallon or two of a buddy. So I don't need an extra 20 gallons of gas. Five gallons would be plenty so why have all the weight and plumbing for a permanent tank? Plus more weight will increase drag and decrease my mileage, albeit a small loss but a loss, facilitating the need for more fuel.

I don't want the can up top where it's hard to place & reach and could potentially leak all over the truck & camper. The back wall of my camper has not been reinforced like the Turtle Expeditons unit, so no mounting it to the camper. Fabbing a rear bumper to carry a fuel can on occasion brings up the permanent weight argument again. Plus a custom bumper with a spare tire or fuel can carrier will need to be adjustable, so I can remove the carriers for clearance to slide my camper off. That would be a big investment for the 3-4 times a year I need an extra 5 gallons of gas.

But Ron's idea of a receiver mounted carrier, not necessarily a modified bike carrier (although I would think a bike carrier designed to carry two bikes could support a 5 gallon can as well instead) but perhaps one with additional bracing could be a good solution for a temporary, removable fuel can carrier. He got my wheels turning and looking at a different location for those times when extra fuel would be nice but I won't have to be saddled with it fulltime.

It's a vicious cycle TeriAnn.....:REExeSquatsHL1:

 

[DaktariEd]

I'd agree with TeriAnn's thoughts on breaking a rack made for a bike. Why not take the idea for the very large Hitch-Haul receiver rack (shown early in the thread), and just make a small one....just large enough for the Jerry can to fit. It would be cheap to make, short (little leverage) and ride down at the receiver level....or a tad higher if wanted..
Basically it could be a drop down hitch flipped so it lifts the ball mount surface a bit higher....and you weld onto that...

Just a thought...

Ed

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

I was just looking at the rear bumper.... the stock rear bumper is rather flimsy so throw it out. It woudl be simple to get a new piece of steel to span the gap, even the frame mounts would be simple to fab. Doing that, I can slightly move the reciever hitch out to fit a larger spare.... orrrr if i'm careful enough, i could put a reciever in the bumper.

AND

Hinge the thing to go downwards.

 

[Colorado Ron]

I'd agree with TeriAnn's thoughts on breaking a rack made for a bike. Why not take the idea for the very large Hitch-Haul receiver rack (shown early in the thread), and just make a small one....just large enough for the Jerry can to fit. It would be cheap to make, short (little leverage) and ride down at the receiver level....or a tad higher if wanted..
Basically it could be a drop down hitch flipped so it lifts the ball mount surface a bit higher....and you weld onto that...

Just a thought...

Ed

Well yea, technically all he has to do is have 2 inch square tubing come direct from hitch about 10 inch and mount his gas can carrier straight to it.