Extra fuel…

For those who carry extra fuel in your truck, what do you keep it in?
Is there any reason I shouldn’t buy those red plastic containers from crappy tire?
Do those army gas cans or roto pax do anything different?

Thanks.

 

Store the fuel in approved containers and make sure they are strapped and secured. They all do the same thing. Store fuel.

 

^This.

Rotopax is exactly the same as any other plastic gas container except for the high prices and multitude of mounting options. There could be reasons for some why they'd prefer metal over plastic, especially with long term sun exposure. Personally, I only carry extra fuel when I need it so I just use a standard motorsports 5gal gas can (the type you'd see people using at a race track or motox park). I just strap it down when we leave for trips and then store it empty in the garage when not in use. I don't need to strap red rotopax to my truck and drive around like that for IG Overland cred.

 

Agreed. Plus fuel weighs so much. People add way too much weight. Weight is not good for wheeling.

 

As a rule I don't carry spare fuel in the bed of my truck. But if buying fuel cans these are the best balance of cost and quality that I've found. The plastic cans sold at Wallyworld and elsewhere are junk.

$65 Eagle UI50FS Red Galvanized Steel Type I Gasoline Safety Can with Funnel, 5 gallon Capacity, 13.5" Height, 12.5" Diameter,Red

Eagle UI-50-FS Red Galvanized Steel Type I Gasoline Safety Can with Funnel, 5 gallon Capacity, 13.5" Height, 12.5" Diameter,Red/Yellow: Hazardous Storage Cans: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

They have really gone up recently. I have 6 of them and I paid $30-$35 each for the ones I bought new. I found a couple at a yard sale for $5 each. I keep them of fuel for lawn equipment, ATV's, and to run my generator when camping or during power outages. To keep the gas fresh every couple of weeks I'll pour a couple of cans in one of the vehicles and re-fill them when gassing up one of the trucks. I have a system to rotate them and the gas never gets over about 6 weeks old before being used.

But the only time I keep one in the truck is when camping, or on the way home from re-filling them.

 

Fuel transport and fuel storage are different.
Walmart jugs are for transport. Be sure not to overfill them.

When vaporized, one gallon of gas has the explosive force of 83 sticks of dynamite.

I transport in NATO Approved Jerrycans as they are rated for pressure and if I expect to be in the sun for a prolonged period I double the air space at the top of the fill.

 

People don't understand it's not the liquid gas that is dangerous, it's the vapors that explode. I see people all the time smoking while filling up and think they are safe 4 feet away

Sorry to derail, it's what I'm best at

 

If I need to take extra fuel, I use 1-2 of these

https://wavianusa.com/products/steel-fuel-jerry-can

I’ve had them for a few years now and never leaked a drop of fuel. They’ll take a beating and you don’t have to worry about it (they’ve got some testing videos online). I know quite a few people that have had rotopax or other plastic cans burst or deform due to temperature or elevation changes without venting them

 

Unfortunately we have decent “accident” avoidance safety standards that limits the number of actual Darwin awards awarded prior to the age of ascension.

 

Who can afford it?

The extra fuel that is


Do people usually put a fuel stabilizer in their extra fuel?

Or do people plan on using that fuel soon?

 

I just get non ethanol fuel which takes longer to break down. I typically run it though the lawn mower and stuff so it gets rotated out. Or I’ll just randomly dump it in the truck to use it

 

Once I found a local gas station that sells E0(91) out of the pump, that's all I will buy for my toys (chainsaws, lawn tractors, pushie mowers, weed wackers, snow blower, etc.).
I do not need to put Stabil in it at all.

 

Nice. Yes the ethanol free lasts a few months longer and you’re cycling it through process is ideal. I overwinter generator gas (in can) so I do add stabilization so I can use it come spring and summer.

 

Regular joe-shmoe gas can under the cover.

I ran that can for the last 4 years with little issue all through summer and well into the winter. The rubber o-ring finally died this season and let some fuel out but the can is still solid. I got a new one that is the same size an capacity since i got a trip coming.

no stablizer. i've used fuel that sat in the back for 3 weeks without issues.
It sloshes and moves around while driving where it doesn't really have time to separate or anything. Or i've been lucky until now fill at Costco....

 

Explain. They're made by scepter, which is a world-class plastics manufacturer and the literal industry standard/choice.

 

Well, local is a relative term... It's more like the E0 station is "on the way up" for me...
So I have several cans. I use them in order. When one is empty, I take it down with me for refill on my way back up.

I always have at least two 5-gal cans full of E0 available...

You probably don't need additives if you are using E0 provided the can doesn't breathe. It's more important to shut the supply valve at the tank and run the line and bowls dry...
My stuff starts MUCH easier now that I'm E-free...

 

Same. My wavians have held up well, as opposed to a few of my friends rotopax which don't fair too well in the Utah sun unless you take some preventive measures. Plus 3 cans wide or 6 cans long fit perfect between the wheel wells.

I have put stabilizer in the cans when I've needed to use them in damper weather (like winter pre-post snow storm). If in the summer, Utah is dry enough I don't worry, but I do generally fill my truck, lawnmower, etc up with them if I don't use them all on a trip just so I dont have a bunch of gas laying around the garage as a potential fire hazard.

 

I've been using a 20L Scepter red plastic jerrycan on the trail for 3 years. For the price it's good enough. I have a tonneau, so it's shielded from direct sunlight, and it held up fine in summer heat. On the recent Feb VMUTS trip the jerrycan leaked when I stowed it sideways. Not sure if it was the -20C temps or if the cap seals are just going bad from age.

Costco sells a 2-pack of the 20L Scepter red plastic jerrycans for about $35.

 

I fill my jerrycan either fully or half way before a wheeling trip. After the trip, unused gas is poured into either the truck or my other car.

The only fuel stabilizer I use is for the generator fuel stored over each winter. In the summer that fuel goes into the lawn mower.