Fuel Cans on Swing-out tire carrier

[Oman Jeep]

Ok, time to start planning the rear bumper so that it's built and ready and shipped before summer.

I'll be going with a RoadArmor rear bumper with swing-out carrier, to match the front bumper, but their standard fuel can mount is covering the tail lamps, because they have LED mounts in the bumper...

Now I'm not sure the local police will like that, so I'd rather not give them a reason to ask questions...

Has anyone with a BUMPER mounted carrier with 2 cans on it had any problems with the hinge, or the bumper mounts themselves?

In the interests of keeping visibility, I want more of an OR-Fab layout, with the two cans side-by-side behind the tire.

I think Bulletproof used to do it this way, not sure about any others... I know Jeeperman has the cans beside the tire but up high, keeping the tire tucked in.

I'll be keeping 33 inch tires for a while... and will be looking to avoid ever exceeding 35 inch diameter. Width may go up to 15 inches... rims would never be steelies. Gas cans will be empty unless venturing into areas where I know there's no gas stations

What concerns me is putting the cans behind the tire means the tire is further out, so has more leverage.

Has this caused an issue for anyone running a similar set up?

Also, anyone kept the stock third brake light on their custom carrier? I'm thinking if I can get them to just have a plate in the right place to bolt it on to, I should be fine? Well actually space it up a little to match the current 33's, then add a spacer on it if the tires ever get bigger still... I'd just like to keep all the stock lighting in-tact in the rear for when the cops are in traffic behind me. I may have to have them put a mount really high so the cans can tuck underneath it... which would mean shortening the actual light mount, bonding it back together and repainting it... but I like the OEM look of it.

Thanks

[NakedJeeper]

Originally Posted by Oman Jeep

Has anyone with a BUMPER mounted carrier with 2 cans on it had any problems with the hinge, or the bumper mounts themselves?
...
I think Bulletproof used to do it this way, not sure about any others... I know Jeeperman has the cans beside the tire but up high, keeping the tire tucked in.
...
What concerns me is putting the cans behind the tire means the tire is further out, so has more leverage.
...
Has this caused an issue for anyone running a similar set up?
...
Also, anyone kept the stock third brake light on their custom carrier?

I have the Bulletproof setup and ran with the cans and a 33x12 BFG AT for a couple of years. The hinge pin can take it. Still tight and no rattles. The latch is also still tight and works well.

The frame tie-in gussets are a big help in supporting the weight and keeping the rear cross member from ripping away from the frame. A must buy.

The swing out presses against the tailgate and the body below the tailgate. They supply a wide steel plate to mount on the tailgate where the rubber bumpers were (The spare used to press against them). Over the years my tailgate has started to bow inward. I think a longer steel plate would have prevented this.

They also sell a third light relocation mount. You might be able to fab up something better, but it works. I did have to trim some of the plastic from the third light to make everything fit around the tire, but it does fit. You will need to extend the wires.

There is also a small lever that flops down to hold the swingout wide open should you be on a hill which would make it close via gravity.

In this pic you can see how close the tire is to the third light riser. That's where I had to trim.

http://www.nakedjeep.com/Projects/Bullet/BulletRear01.html



The Frame Tie-In

[Oman Jeep]

Thanks

So is one of the original rubber bumpers mounted on the top of the swing-out to contact that plate?

I won't be able to use the original lower mount on the tub because the RoadArmor bumper covers that completely. If you have any close-up shots of how the cans are mounted and so on that would be a big help too.

[NakedJeeper]

You do not reuse the rubber bumpers. There is an adjustable rubber bumper that hits the metal plate on the tailgate.

I took the gas cans off a few months ago, so no photos them on up close for now. But on one of these photos you can see the ridge they rest on. Bulletproof has a shelf you can use for the gas gans that don't have the lip that would lock onto the ridge. The cans clamp down in place from the top. You can padlock them in place. If it wasn't Mothers Day, I'd have time to take a couple more photos.

This shows the adjustable rubber bumper and how they raised the 3rd brakelight. Look past that and you'll see the hi-lift mounting studs are burried inside the spare. You need the cans on to make room for the hi-lift.

http://www.nakedjeep.com/Bulletproof/Pix/RearOpen2.jpg


Here you can see the small ridge the gas can would sit on and the latch that holds it closed. The flat metal riser that goes up the center of the can is where the clamp would be. It comes up out of the top of that and curls over the top of the can. The lock is on the inside.

http://www.nakedjeep.com/Bulletproof/Pix/RearClosed.jpg

[Oman Jeep]

How does that work, the tire slides in and out? Is that like a hitch set up? Any shaking issues with the tire?

The lip on the bottom looks the same as the OR-Fab one... we can't get those cans in Oman but I could have them shipped over, or use a different mount for local cans.

What secures the top of your fuel cans?

[Oman Jeep]

Actually thinking about it, unless someone can convince me otherwise, I think I prefer the Wedco NATO gas cans...

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/wedco/

Similar to what we have available locally, but those appear to be very nicely built. I'm not sure that our local ones have the special inner coatings, they appear to be just painted.

I just need to find a good way to mount them... found one good mount but it only holds them side-by-side... may have to design something myself for it.

[NakedJeeper]

OK, Oman, you have me feeling like a schill for Bulletproof

I added 3 pages to my web site that covers all of these gas can, hi-lift and brake light questions.

See if this helps. Starting on page 8, go forward through to page 10.

http://www.nakedjeep.com/Projects/Bullet/BulletRear08.html

Cheers!

[Oman Jeep]

I had to look up what Schill meant... LOL

Those pics help, for some reason I couldn't find those looking through your site.

I like how it clamps the handle... anyone know if those rails are perhaps something they outsourced and just welded on to their carrier (i.e. where I could get them, or at least the latches that are on it?)

I still think I prefer the NATO cans though, so I need to find a way of securing the bottom of them as they have no lip to pinch...

Unless I can find a ready-made NATO can carrier that I can tell RoadArmor to buy and weld on, I may ask them to ship it with the swing-out arm bare and just completely do it myself...

[blackZZR]

this guy does great bumpers
but he only does one can with a jack mount, he does not find there is enough room with 2 too not have any issues

http://www.rock-itman.com/products/rearbumper.html

hope it helps

[NakedJeeper]

I just added those pages, that's why you couldn't find them earlier.

They have a lipless can adapter. I should have gotten them and plastic cans. Oh well, I used POR15 on my metal cans.

Scroll to the bottom. http://www.bulletproofmfg.com/accessories.htm

They make those bars that hold the cans and buy the latches and screw them on. They aren't welded on - they slide up and down to allow the cans to get in and out.

[Oman Jeep]

Hmm he actually DOES have a twin can one...



And they're NATO cans...

I am committed to the RoadArmor base bumper though, I wanted it all along and was the primary reason for getting the front done, so they'd match

I'll have to ask them if they mind sharing any details on the can mount. I want to do something similar to that one but I'll have them sitting a little bit lower for better visibility.

[Oman Jeep]

Originally Posted by NakedJeeper

I just added those pages, that's why you couldn't find them earlier.

They have a lipless can adapter. I should have gotten them and plastic cans. Oh well, I used POR15 on my metal cans.

Scroll to the bottom. http://www.bulletproofmfg.com/accessories.htm

They make those bars that hold the cans and buy the latches and screw them on. They aren't welded on - they slide up and down to allow the cans to get in and out.

Ah, well thanks for the direct link, appreciate it. I like your site logo by the way

Nice... I wonder how those adapters work, do they permanently clamp to the can or do they permanently attach to the bumper?

Making the rails to lock the cans locally wouldn't be a problem, or even asking RA to do it, just getting the latches would be the tricky part. When I come up with a finalised plan, I may shoot them an email and ask about buying those seperatley, possibly with some can adapters

I much prefer it to the OR-Fab wing-nut approach to clamp the can down. With temperatures over 110 F, the sooner you're back inside the better