How to store fuel on your rig?

[olywa]

How does everyone store there fuel on the rigs? I am learning towards the Front Runner duel Jerry can holder to attach to the rack. Arb also makes a duel holder. What do you guys thing?

[Netpackrat]

There are various racks made for holding Jerry cans. I posted this here before, but I made a couple locking boxes and mounted them to the tire swing out on my bumper. The good NATO cans are expensive, and you can't get them new in this country anymore, so I wanted something that would protect them from the elements, and be a little more secure:

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[olywa]

Slick set up. I found a scepter Jerry can for $25. Killer deal. And a h20 Jerry can for $25. Now I need to hold them on the land rover. I am thinking about making a trip to Canada to get a few more.

[Netpackrat]

Never used the Scepter cans. The military surplus place here wanted $80 each for them; I passed. After the federal ban went through, I saw new Wedco (NATO style) cans like I have going for even more ridiculous prices on ebay. As with AK parts kits, I wish I had bought a few pallet loads instead of just enough for my own use. I could have doubled or tripled my money back in '09.

On their website, "Rovers North" in Vermont claims to have the 20 liter NATO style in stock for $45 each, which is the pre-ban price. Either they've never updated their site, or the ban just isn't being enforced. For carriers, the various Land Rover sites seem to have the highest quality options if you can't make your own. The only thing I would do differently if I were making mine again, would be to make them out of stainless steel. I wasn't sure how well they were going to turn out, so I didn't want to spend the extra money on SS.

[Dr. Brian Brzowski]

Check these guys out..

www.rotopax.com

[olywa]

Check these guys out..

www.rotopax.com

I have a can. Just looking for recommendations for mounting them. Like the http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/Fuel-Solutions/FRONT-RUNNER-UNIVERSAL-DOUBLE-JERRY-CAN-HOLDER-p241.html

[chad newton]

I fabricated a mount for my dodge for an 80 gallon tank off one of our old macks. I hooked up a pump and switch to transfer fuel. It works but I wouldnt do it unless you run a diesel.

[Winchester67]

Used to be a Jerry can opposite of my spare tire on the back of my old CJ. But with all the idiots driving/texting I am thinking a roof mount might be the way to go. And would strongly consider a fuel cell instead of a can of any type.

[Netpackrat]

Used to be a Jerry can opposite of my spare tire on the back of my old CJ. But with all the idiots driving/texting I am thinking a roof mount might be the way to go. And would strongly consider a fuel cell instead of a can of any type.

This is why I take the cans out for driving around town, unless I am actively using them. It's also why the spare is positioned so as to protect them, plus the boxes provide an additional thickness of steel over the cans.


Check these guys out..

www.rotopax.com (http://www.rotopax.com/)

Those are a little small in capacity but they seem to be popular with the ATV crowd. I've not real fond of plastic fuel cans, or of cans with screw on caps/nozzles. I'm especially not fond of plastic fuel cans with screw on caps/nozzles, so I avoid using them as much as possible. I was fueling my Jeep from one (fortunately in my front yard, and not out in BFE) a few years ago, and the nozzle retainer suddenly slipped the threads on the jug, which sent fuel flying everywhere. I spent an unpleasant afternoon in the ER with an opaque plastic "contact lens" with a hole and a tube in it stuck on my eyeball, running some sort of solution to flush it out, just in case my frantic home eyewash job was not enough.

Right after that, I bought a bunch of the metal jerry cans with the cam lock mechanism, and have gotten rid of all the plastic cans except for a 1.x gallon one for the yard equipment. I need to remember to be on the lookout for a small metal can to replace that one too. The caps and spouts on the NATO cans are far more secure, and pour better than any other can I have used due to the superior venting. I also started wearing safety glasses anytime I am dicking around with fuel.

My brother kind of sidestepped the issue of Jerry cans for his Jeep LJ. There is a company that makes a 33 gallon tank for the LJ (2 door stretch Wrangler), and he installed one of those. His range is just phenomenal for a Jeep, but he paid for it too. The tank/skid package runs about a grand. For a normal length Wrangler like mine, you can only go to 25 gallons, IIRC. Costs about the same, for half the increase, so it isn't as worthwhile.

[Netpackrat]

Oh, and one other thing that sucks about plastic fuel cans... Bears eat them. Seriously:

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If I wasn't so afraid of being responsible for a giant forest fire in the middle of the national park, I would have implemented my clever plan involving a half full plastic fuel can, a model rocket igniter, a car battery, and a suitable trigger mechanism. You've heard of Smokey Bear, right?

[olywa]

The Scepter cans are top notch. They are plastic but solid. The spout are expensive. I have one on order form a overland shop in MO. It is custom spout. I'll let everyone know how it work.

My plastic blizt cans are junk and have been regulated for the generator and lawn mower.

[Dr. Brian Brzowski]

I have a can. Just looking for recommendations for mounting them. Like the http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/Fuel-Solutions/FRONT-RUNNER-UNIVERSAL-DOUBLE-JERRY-CAN-HOLDER-p241.html

Here's their mounting hardware. http://www.rotopax.com/Mounting-Hardware/

The way they mold their tanks is top shelf too, so if you do end up needing more fuel containers, give them a look. I have these for my motorcycle where leakage is absolutely disaster.

[olywa]

Here are my 2 cans. The spout is from ajik overland exchange. These plastic one seem way more durable than the steel cans.

[Nanuk]

My rig carries 45 gallons between the two tanks.

[olywa]

An extra tank would be idea.

[Sho Kosugi]

Just spotted these on the FJ Cruiser Forums and Academy sells them online.

SecureStack 6 Gallon
http://assets.academy.com/mgen/68/10086168.jpg?is=500,500

If you had a roof rack, a couple of these would be ideal.

[Netpackrat]

Vermiform; those are usually used for outboard motors on small skiffs. You should be able to get them with quick release fittings to plug right into an outboard fuel hose, with a built in squeeze bulb pump. Those are meant to prime the line between the tank and the engine, but could just as easily be used to start the flow of a siphon to transfer fuel into your vehicle's main tank. Those lines are not usually a very large diameter, so it would be a little slow.

I prefer the regular fuel cans, because they're more versatile. I can leave them on the rack or in my steel boxes, and run a shaker siphon and use gravity to transfer fuel without moving the cans. Or, I can still put a spout on them and use them like that. Can you get a pouring spout for those marine jugs?

[Sho Kosugi]

Can you get a pouring spout for those marine jugs?

Can't find one on the net, It doesn't look like they make one for it, but it may fit a standard spout. I'll have to run by Academy and look at them up close. I do like the gravity feed idea. I think filling them with gas while on the roof rack would be a no-no, but they could be filled and then strapped back on the rack.

[Netpackrat]

Can't find one on the net, It doesn't look like they make one for it, but it may fit a standard spout.

Be careful. You want a spout that is designed to fit, not something that looks like it works, or is close enough. The plastic spout that slipped off the plastic jug I was fueling my Jeep from actually WAS designed specifically for the can I was using it with, and it STILL slipped out, and cost me a visit to the ER to get my eye flushed out. This is one of those areas where spending a little more for a proven, top quality solution is vastly preferable to trying to get by on the cheap. Just keep in mind that you are planning to use these to transfer, store and transport dangerous quantities of highly flammable fuel. And spend a few bucks on a set of goggles to keep in your rig for whenever you are transferring fuel.

It all seems pretty mundane to be overly paranoid over, and it is, until you find yourself sitting with a hose running IV solution onto your eyeball, for several minutes, thanking your stars that it happened in your driveway and not out on the trail. I forget what the bill was, but that money would have paid for a bunch of the steel cans that I ended up buying.

[Sho Kosugi]

Be careful. You want a spout that is designed to fit, not something that looks like it works, or is close enough. The plastic spout that slipped off the plastic jug I was fueling my Jeep from actually WAS designed specifically for the can I was using it with, and it STILL slipped out, and cost me a visit to the ER to get my eye flushed out. This is one of those areas where spending a little more for a proven, top quality solution is vastly preferable to trying to get by on the cheap. Just keep in mind that you are planning to use these to transfer, store and transport dangerous quantities of highly flammable fuel. And spend a few bucks on a set of goggles to keep in your rig for whenever you are transferring fuel.

It all seems pretty mundane to be overly paranoid over, and it is, until you find yourself sitting with a hose running IV solution onto your eyeball, for several minutes, thanking your stars that it happened in your driveway and not out on the trail. I forget what the bill was, but that money would have paid for a bunch of the steel cans that I ended up buying.

Good point, especially because in my case if I'm transferring fuel from my cans, things have gotten bad already.