Rear Gas and Water Can Holder

[dsrtrat]

I fabbed this rear bracket to hold gas and water cans( or other things as well) for my 2007 Chevy using the tailgate bracket mounts. Works well and I can take the camper off without removing the bracket. It has an additional bracket mid point that mounts to the truck body. The can holder comes off with four bolts, about a 2 minute job. Made from 1 X 2 inch and 1 X 1 inch square hollow steel stock. It is made to drop in with spacers taking up the extra space between the body and the bracket.

I use the other side to hold a Hi Lift jack, the base of which rests on the bumper and is secured to the rack with a cam strap and to the camper with two large Quick Fist holders. I also use Quick Fists to secure the shovel to the can holder or if the holder is off I installed two Quick Fists to the rear wall of the camper to hold the shovel. I drilled all the way through the camper wall and used long bolts and oversized washers to mount the Quick Fist brackets.

Dsrtrat

 

[DirtyDog]

Great idea! When you get a chance will you post a pic of it in action with the camper loaded up and the cans on etc?

 

[Lighthawk]

Impressive. I've been noodling this concept for my 06 Tundra. Agree with DD, please post more pics!

 

[davinski]

Wow, that is a really cool idea. Please do post finished pics with closeups and let us know how you built it. I would guess you have some talents with metal that most of us don't. Would be cool if someone put some of these in production. (hint hint hint)

Thanks and keep up those good ideas.

Dave in Seattle

 

[dsrtrat]

Great idea! When you get a chance will you post a pic of it in action with the camper loaded up and the cans on etc?


Thanks,
It will be a couple of weeks before I have the camper back on the truck, I will post some more pictures then.
Dsrtrat

 

[dsrtrat]

Wow, that is a really cool idea. Please do post finished pics with closeups and let us know how you built it. I would guess you have some talents with metal that most of us don't. Would be cool if someone put some of these in production. (hint hint hint)

Thanks and keep up those good ideas.

Dave in Seattle


I should have said I designed the bracket. I had a pro welder weld it up. I weld but don't have the jigs and table for this kind of project.
Dsrtrat

 

[Ted]

Very nice. That is an excellent solution for people that want to leave their tailgate on and down but lose access to the mechanism for lowering the spare tire. The things you are carrying on it are exactly what many camper owners are trying to figure out a way to carry. I see this being a much copied idea. All hail Dsrtrat!

 

[dsrtrat]

I took some more pictures of the rear rack on the camper and some detail shots of the construction. It is made of 1x1 and 1x2 steel tube. I kept it simple so I can take the camper off with the rack on by just removing the can holder. I can also add bolt on brackets to hold any number of other things as the need comes up.
The HI Lift jack rests on the bumper and it is secured on the bottom by a cam strap and Quick Fist Brackets hold the top. I use another cam strap for a safety that goes to the rear step.
The can holder is padded where it contacts the door and the two bungee cords hold the door open and keep it from swinging in the wind. I leave them on and just close the door with them attached.
The Quick Fist brackets hold the shovel to the can holder and I run a security cable around the shovel and can for safety and theft protection. The center bracket mounts to the truck body and reduces the bracket flex on rough roads.


Dsrtrat

Great idea! When you get a chance will you post a pic of it in action with the camper loaded up and the cans on etc?

 

[Bat]

That is thinking out of the box. I would make sure you have good paint between the welds and is there any reason you did not take the welds all the way down the seam.

 

[brett13]

Wow. Really nice. What model truck and camper do you have, because it looks like it just fits width-wise?

 

[dsrtrat]

Thanks for the suggestions.
IT wasn't welded up solid because of the tendency for the thin tube to warp when overheated. It's petty strong without, with welds on both sides of the tube. I just slapped some primer on it to start I will paint it next time it's off the truck.
Dsrtrat


That is thinking out of the box. I would make sure you have good paint between the welds and is there any reason you did not take the welds all the way down the seam.

 

[dsrtrat]

It's is on a 2007 Chevy 1500, and it's an ATC Panther camper. I made it just a shade too long, it's a prototype. If you look at the detail you will see spacers between the truck bed and the bracket. I should have made it about 1/8 inch narrower and made the spacers thicker to make it a little easier to install. The openings for the tailgate brackets are recessed and so must be shimmed out, with a little more shim it would have just slipped in.
I may fix this later but it works now the way it is. Each truck would have to be looked at to see what would work for each make and model.
Dsrtrat

quote name='brett13' date='22 October 2010 - 03:20 AM' timestamp='1287714037' post='42255']
Wow. Really nice. What model truck and camper do you have, because it looks like it just fits width-wise?
[/quote]

 

[HIKEMT]

I took some more pictures of the rear rack on the camper and some detail shots of the construction. It is made of 1x1 and 1x2 steel tube. I kept it simple so I can take the camper off with the rack on by just removing the can holder. I can also add bolt on brackets to hold any number of other things as the need comes up.
The HI Lift jack rests on the bumper and it is secured on the bottom by a cam strap and Quick Fist Brackets hold the top. I use another cam strap for a safety that goes to the rear step.
The can holder is padded where it contacts the door and the two bungee cords hold the door open and keep it from swinging in the wind. I leave them on and just close the door with them attached.
The Quick Fist brackets hold the shovel to the can holder and I run a security cable around the shovel and can for safety and theft protection. The center bracket mounts to the truck body and reduces the bracket flex on rough roads.


Dsrtrat




I'm trying to figure out the best way to haul some extra fuel on the annual SW trip this fall. Sunman seems to like the can-on-roof option which I'm considering. I like the idea of the plastic Scepter cans which are a little lighter than the NATO cans and won't rust, dent or rattle, but the fuel version is darned near impossible to get outside of Canada ($150 on ebay). The Rotopax are pretty interesting, but expensive.

Dsrtrat, it looks like you're using the Scepter water can in your AT holder. Are you using it for water.... or something else?

 

[SunMan]

Sunman seems to like the can-on-roof option which I'm considering.

Yes, this method has been working fine for me. If you decide to go this route I just wanted to point out that the can sits in a diamond plate "tray" I had made for my roof racks. It is not sitting directly on the roof of the camper. I just wanted to make that clear.

 

[HIKEMT]

Thanks, SunMan. I don't have a tray, but I do have a 2" deep basket on a rack up there that should fit 1-2 5 gal containers ok when needed. Trying to decide between mounting a rack like the AT gas can holder on the back wall vs using the roof basket. Any thoughts on having the weight one place or the other, ease of access, etc?

 

[Lighthawk]

I'm trying to figure out the best way to haul some extra fuel on the annual SW trip this fall.


I was leery of storing fuel on the roof, and did not know about the rotoplax option when I made my choice of mounting an aluminum storage box for 5 gal race container. Turns out, we like it for a variety of uses. Last weekend it carried a military duffel filled with oak firewood on the way out of town and a full 5 gal collapsible gray water cube on the way out of camp. The main purpose is to carry 5 gals of fuel. The handle is something I fabricated on the spot and it provides a handy grip when entering/exiting (usually with a beer in one hand).

 

[HIKEMT]

That looks like a good can holder. I've looked hard at the 5 gal race cans, haven't seen many good holders though and hardly any for 1 can, figured it would have to be custom fabbed, which yours appears to be. Any concerns about not being able to lock the cap on your fuel or about having fuel at bumper height?

 

[leadsled9]

Any concerns about not being able to lock the cap on your fuel or about having fuel at bumper height?


With all of the idiot drivers on the road these days I wouldn't want to have any spare fuel attached to the rear of my vehicle at bumper height (or any other height). If you have a fuel can on the back and get rear ended....you could be turned into a fire ball.

 

[Lighthawk]

That looks like a good can holder. I've looked hard at the 5 gal race cans, haven't seen many good holders though and hardly any for 1 can, figured it would have to be custom fabbed, which yours appears to be. Any concerns about not being able to lock the cap on your fuel or about having fuel at bumper height?


Not much risk of getting rear ended into, unless it's a seriously jacked up rig. The box sits about waist height. I can lock the can to the back step rungs, but if someone wanted to siphon the fuel they could probably do it.

I bought it on Amazon for $40 + ship.
http://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Cabinet-Enclosed-Trailer-Accessory/dp/B000UHDYQK

 

[SunMan]

Any thoughts on having the weight one place or the other, ease of access, etc?


I only carry the can(s) on trips where I think I may need extra gas and in those cases as soon as I burn enough gas to fit the can in I put it in the tank. I figure it's better to have the fuel in my tank than on the roof where something could happen to it. The point being that the cans spend more time on my roof empty than full. Access is certainly not as easy as cans mounted to the rear of the camper but with the rear camper steps its not a problem for me.

I've seen Lighthawks set up in person and it is SOLID.