Explorer 1
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Whittier, Ca
It seems most of the mods in this forum involve upgrades either for rock crawling or for Jeep Speed fast desert driving.
While my XJ can crawl well and go fast, I'm more inclined to make the mods for long exploring trips involving possibly hundreds of miles off pavement.
With that in mind I've been building a new roof rack/spare tire holder and now am making some of the auxiliary pieces such as the spare fuel can holders.
Not being a fabricator by trade such projects come laboriously slow. Lots of measuring, cutting, thinking, experimenting and then starting all over again when it doesn't work out the way you want it.
This is my third attempt at a solid durable 5 gallon gas can holder. In the past the "off the shelf" models just didn't hold up in the long run based on trails I take and my style of driving. Most I've seen are ok for the slow rock crawler type of travel or the occasional off road trip but I need something that could stand up to hundreds of miles of bouncing, banging and rattling.
I'm almost done with the build of the roof rack/spare tire combo and really pleased in how it has been holding up. Plans are for two can holders on either side of the spare tire, up high enough so as not to hit when I come off a steep drop.
Not having the confidence to build both at the same time I have just finished one and based on it's performance, I''ll fab the other.
I used the Adventure Trailer box to hold the can, it's light weight (aluminum) and has a very attractive design, with some minor modification for additional strengtht should work out fine.
http://www.adventuretrailers.com/fuelholders.html
And then fabricated the hangers and braces to be held by pins to the spare tire rack.
Here is the base AT gas can holder:
Here it is with the bracing and mods: (after a visit to the powder coater's)
It fits well on the two cross tubes of the tire carrier:
With the stainless steel quick release pins in place it is rock solid, one can move the vehicle back and forth by pushing and pull the can holder:
A little more testing and I'll make the one for the other side, it shouldn't take as long the second time!
Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
While my XJ can crawl well and go fast, I'm more inclined to make the mods for long exploring trips involving possibly hundreds of miles off pavement.
With that in mind I've been building a new roof rack/spare tire holder and now am making some of the auxiliary pieces such as the spare fuel can holders.
Not being a fabricator by trade such projects come laboriously slow. Lots of measuring, cutting, thinking, experimenting and then starting all over again when it doesn't work out the way you want it.
This is my third attempt at a solid durable 5 gallon gas can holder. In the past the "off the shelf" models just didn't hold up in the long run based on trails I take and my style of driving. Most I've seen are ok for the slow rock crawler type of travel or the occasional off road trip but I need something that could stand up to hundreds of miles of bouncing, banging and rattling.
I'm almost done with the build of the roof rack/spare tire combo and really pleased in how it has been holding up. Plans are for two can holders on either side of the spare tire, up high enough so as not to hit when I come off a steep drop.
Not having the confidence to build both at the same time I have just finished one and based on it's performance, I''ll fab the other.
I used the Adventure Trailer box to hold the can, it's light weight (aluminum) and has a very attractive design, with some minor modification for additional strengtht should work out fine.
http://www.adventuretrailers.com/fuelholders.html
And then fabricated the hangers and braces to be held by pins to the spare tire rack.
Here is the base AT gas can holder:
Here it is with the bracing and mods: (after a visit to the powder coater's)
It fits well on the two cross tubes of the tire carrier:
With the stainless steel quick release pins in place it is rock solid, one can move the vehicle back and forth by pushing and pull the can holder:
A little more testing and I'll make the one for the other side, it shouldn't take as long the second time!
Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
