Looking for gas to attach to my Pelreybilt bumper.. Rotopax or Jerry Cans?

Cans stay put, full or empty, can't tip. Fits my '06 short bed. Measure yours and build to fit. Helps if you already have a Jerry can to use as a guide.


Make a rectangle box frame to fit between the front width of the bed, sidewall to sidewall, and the front inside corner of each wheel well, from 1X4 treated lumber. There will be a small space left over at each end. Very useful.

Cut 5 dividers from 1X4's to fit inside the frame. These should be the same length as the frame side boards. Space them equally, making 6 Jerry can spaces. It's ok if the spaces are 1/2" wider than a can width.

Cut the ends of the fender well frame board at a 45 degree angle so it fits, if needed. Check the photo, self explanatory. Should not be a tight fit. You'll want to be able to remove it easily. It has enough empty weight to stay in place with a slightly loose fit.

Mock it up, make sure everything fits. Pre-drill wheel well edge screw locations 3/8" in from the edges with a drill bit slightly smaller than a screw shank (I used a finish nail as a bit) to keep the edge from splitting out. Use 1-1/4" drywall screws, two per board connection, screw it all together, keeping it square and flat.

Hint: raise the dividers an inch above the frame. This will give each can more side support (not that it's needed) and help the bed to drain normally.

Staple strips of 1" wide X 3/16", 1/4", 3/8" etc. thick felt weatherstriping on each side of the dividers at the top edges, for a tighter can fit, as needed.

A simple 8' plastic coated steel cable through the handles and a weatherproof lock through a bed rail tie-down provides security.

 

Any issues keepin a nato under a tonneau cover?

 

My Jerry cans are 18.5" tall. Jerry can under a cover may be too tall. Depends on the cover, bed mat, etc. Check the first pic.
https://www.jerrycan.com/shop/20-liter-olive-drab-steel-wavian-jerry-can/ dimensions at the bottom.

 

Thank u

 

You can also store them on their "back" with the spout facing upwards. Personally, I feel comfortable enough with mine to store them flat on their side. There are some military vehicles that intend for the cans to be stored on the side:

(look just forward and above the middle tire)


I'd feel comfortable doing this with my cans, but I'm sure that someone would take issue.

 

Scepter Military Cans FTW!

Fill to 20L and no more. The can is designed for that quantity. When warmed, the gas will expand, but the internal air will compress to deal with the gas expansion. If you overfill, then you decrease the internal airspace that is supposed to accommodate the fuel expansion.

There will be minimal expansion, no matter what. But not the overly bloated, balloon like swelling.


MWC left
MFC right
6 lb aluminum propane tank further right (behind snatch strap)

All loaded onto a dual and single BFF Jerry can holders attached to BFF bumper swingout.

 

That looks fairly safe. It looks high and tucked in.

 

Coming into this thread a little late but I've got a bit of experience with these cans. I have about a dozen for fuel, two for water. Don't bother with the water ones. Yes, they have a food grade interior coating, but it's not very durable and Wavian/Valpro does not recommend storing water inside of them despite the fact that they advertise them as ... a water can. Also, speaking of advertising, this style of can is technically not legal because they don't meet the CARB fuel storage requirements. This is why you frequently see things like "not for fuel storage" or "for reenactment only".

There are differences between a "true" NATO can and the Wavian/Valpro cans. The spouts, while extremely close, are NOT interchangeable without leaks. I have two surplus NATO cans and the NATO spout and four Wavian cans with Wavian spouts and I think six Valpro cans with Valpro spouts. The Wavian and Valpro cans appear to be interchangeable. Buy the spout from whomever you buy the can from, be advised that they don't always automatically come with the can. Deutsche Optik frequently does a 4 can sale, as does British Atlantic. I haven't had a chance to pick up one of the SS cans. I really want one, but not badly enough to shell out $200 for one.

The 20L can is usually the one everyone goes with but keep in mind that there's also a 10L available that is the same footprint but half the height. My wife prefers the 10L as it's lighter and easier to manage. There's a smaller 5L available, but IMO they're almost too small to be useful.

FWIW, clockwise from upper left, Wavian 20L gas, Valpro 20L water, NATO 20L whatever (it has ID tags that you can change to display what fuel is inside) and Valpro 10L gas.

The spout is the stubby Valpro that also fits Wavian.

Since I mentioned them, here's pictures of the NATO ID tags and their bracket.



Also, one other thing I recommend is tossing a China marker in your glove box and labeling what and when you filled the can, for example:



This can was filled Oct 30, 2017 with 87 octane and dosed with fuel stabilizer. It's the next can going into my truck. I cycle through my storage cans when my truck hits 1/4 tank. I put in one can, top up the tank at the gas station and refill the can. I add the stabilizer to the can after I empty it.

 

Haha. I do the exact same thing. Except I use standard off the shelf 5 gallons cans that fit tightly between the bedsides. So no custom rack to hold them. I have 12 of these fuel cans. And I only fill 6 at a time. The other 6 are rotated (note the numbers on the cans)


And yes, all my fuel is stored in flameproof, explosion proof cabinets.

 

I didn't realize that it's possible to overfill the Scepter can. The NATO can can't be overfilled if you've got it standing upright (not tilting it), you'll overflow the can before you take away the air pocket.

That's not to say that you won't run into pressure related issues with the NATO cans. If you fill the can at altitude or on a lower barometric pressure day then they can be a bit of a pain to open up due to the vacuum formed inside the can. I've never had it so bad that I couldn't open the can. The flip side is true as well, the cans will hold a surprising amount of pressure without really showing it. I always open the lid slowly. If it's under vacuum or pressure you'll know it as soon as you start moving the lid.

I'd like to try out the MFC's, I just wish they weren't so dang expensive.

 

This is my fuel stabilizer of choice. Anything that goes into a fuel can gets stabilized. I add to the can prior to filling.
http://priproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-PRI-G-Flyer.pdf

 

Your stabilizer of choice didn't show I like Sta-Bil. The only time I don't use it is if I use and refill a can while on a road trip. Untreated fuel gets bumped to the front of the fuel can rotation.

 

Yeah. It’s easy to overfill the Scepter. There’s a 20L fill line that’s barely visible that’s about an inch from the lowest point of the container opening. So if someone filled to the lowest point of the container, you could literally be adding over a liter more of fuel, while decreases internal air space by the same 1 liter. I think next fill up, I’ll test this assumed volume theory.

Yeah they’re spendy. But they’re high quality IMO.

And I grabbed them in Canada while on a road trip visiting the in-laws, so much cheaper there.

 

Fixed. It’s called PRI G. Pretty good stuff.

 

I never remember to go looking for them when I'm north of the border... I'm usually too busy heading for the hills. First stop is always Timmy's for a donut, second stop is usually in the middle of nowhere. Looks like the Scepters are running about $62 USD apiece at the closest Princess to me. Or, I could just bend over and have this guy pick a couple up for me:

https://bellingham.craigslist.org/pts/d/scepter-military-20l-fuel-gas/6703983955.html

 

Yeah. Bend over and touch your toes and scream loud because $265 for two cans and a spout is gonna hurt.

Seller is in Bellingham which is a hop, skip and jump from Vancouver, BC Canada.

He probably bought them at Princess Auto. Which by the way, only sells the Olive color MFC.

$62 USD sounds about what I paid for them in Toronto

 

I'm in Bellingham And that guy has been listing cans for at least five years, maybe longer. I don't know if he's actually selling them or if he's been trying to sell the same cans for that long. I could save $100 for an hour of my time.

And I think we've managed to completely derail this thread. Sorry OP!

 

OP left this thread over a year ago. Lol.

I’m from Seattle BTW and moved to NY about 10 years ago.

 

Anyone running black Wavian cans on the rear swing out? Does the black color affect anything when in constant sun and heat? Bloating ,leakage any down side to the black vs the red?

 

Don't overfill any sealed can. They're meant to hold 5.0 gal. PLUS the additional air space for expansion. They don't breathe like a plastic can, which is how moist air/water gets in.