Rotopax question (1 Viewer)

[cruisin4bruisins]

I would like to add some fuel storage because I plan on taking a couple long road trips this year. My question is I'm considering rotopax and mounting to my stock roof rack on my 2002 LC, is it safe to mount gas canisters to the roof and let them bake in the sun? I feel like there would be pressure build up but I swear i've seen other people carry gas on their roofs.
I would prefer a rear bumper with jerry can mounts but that's expensive and I need money for other elicit activities. Thanks for the help.

 

[GerLC100]

My take: roof or bumper it sees the same sun and surrounding temps.
On my van I had them on the roof until my rear bumper came in and it was fine here in CA, even in Death Valley at 110F. You see 100s of people carrying it on the side of the vehicle and also on top.

Main thing I would do in general is to buy high quality containers. I personally went with Wavian, which is (I think) the US daughter company to the European company supplying those to the NATO. And they carry those in any country of the world... Not as fancy as Rotopax, but a lot cheaper and proven quality of ~100 years.


Edit: Valpro was the other one. Here's an article: Buyer beware: Fake NATO fuel cans — Exploring Overland - https://www.exploringoverland.com/overland-tech-travel/2021/5/20/buyer-beware-fake-nato-fuel-cans

 

[Mike NXP]

I would like to add some fuel storage because I plan on taking a couple long road trips this year. My question is I'm considering rotopax and mounting to my stock roof rack on my 2002 LC, is it safe to mount gas canisters to the roof and let them bake in the sun? I feel like there would be pressure build up but I swear i've seen other people carry gas on their roofs.
I would prefer a rear bumper with jerry can mounts but that's expensive and I need money for other elicit activities. Thanks for the help.

I carry 10 gallons of extra fuel and almost never touch it and I travel across remote areas of the west. Not saying some extra fuel on board isn't a bad idea but I personally don't like rotopax or mounting fuel on the roof, but thats just me....If you truly need it maybe just throw a few gallons in the truck for your longer trips but I get that's not practical at times either.

What is your vehicle setup like inside, stock trunk space? Do you have a roof rack or stock?

 

[Exiled]

I spent YEARS traversing the northern Amazon and carrying fuel on roofracks, primarily using NATO-style jerry cans but sometimes also the plastic containers (we didn't get the plastic Scepter cans back then). No issues with the steel jerry cans but the plastic ones definitely leaked fumes out when they pressurized and the smell of gas was horrible on long trips. I don't have any experience with Rotopax other than seeing them on local "overlander" rigs, most of the time empty.

 

[cruisin4bruisins]

I carry 10 gallons of extra fuel and almost never touch it and I travel across remote areas of the west. Not saying some extra fuel on board isn't a bad idea but I personally don't like rotopax or mounting fuel on the roof, but thats just me....If you truly need it maybe just throw a few gallons in the truck for your longer trips but I get that's not practical at times either.

What is your vehicle setup like inside, stock trunk space? Do you have a roof rack or stock?

Yeah stock trunk and no roof rack yet, I heard its really not a good idea to store gas inside the vehicle for long periods of time so I assumed the roof would really be my only option. I really don't need to carry extra gas but its really just peace of mind.

 

[BrickRunner]

I have a couple of Rotopax on my 4Runner. I like the small size and the handles on all sides, but they do seep a little bit with elevation and temperature changes. You are supposed to crack them open and then close them to prevent this, and I do, but I wouldn't put them on my roof.

 

[cruisin4bruisins]

I have a couple of Rotopax on my 4Runner. I like the small size and the handles on all sides, but they do seep a little bit with elevation and temperature changes. You are supposed to crack them open and then close them to prevent this, and I do, but I wouldn't put them on my roof.

Do you have a rear bumper you mounted them on?

 

[BrickRunner]

Do you have a rear bumper you mounted them on?

Yes. It fits 3x 2 gallon and 1x 4 gallon pax using their mounts. If I was to do it over, I would do 5x 2 gallon pax an no 4 gallon.

 

[John McVicker]

I always carry one & sometimes two RotoPaxs on my roof. Used to have a leaking problem. Since has been solved after an interesting phone & email conversation with RotoPax.

They offered the following advice which is totally contrary to what I expected. But it has worked:

They advised to fill the containers as full as possible at the gas station. AND THEN…once home find my lawnmower gas can and completely fill the RotoPax to the top. I do bleed it every so often.

Their advice has worked for me.

 

[BrickRunner]

I always carry one & sometimes two RotoPaxs on my roof. Used to have a leaking problem. Since has been solved after an interesting phone & email conversation with RotoPax.

They offered the following advice which is totally contrary to what I expected. But it has worked:

They advised to fill the containers as full as possible at the gas station. AND THEN…once home find my lawnmower gas can and completely fill the RotoPax to the top. I do bleed it every so often.

Their advice has worked for me.

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That actually makes sense. A gas (a gas such as air, not gasoline) will change volume orders of magnitude more with temperature and elevation (pressure) changes than a liquid will.

 

[John McVicker]

Well, it has worked for me, so I guess it does make sense. For some reason I thought it best to leave some room in order to allow the gasoline to expand.

RotoPax said to fill it all the way to the top…and it has been leak free. Over a year now and at least one on top 365.


EDIT: I live at 4K & constantly am going from 4-7k. Often higher.

 

[cruisin4bruisins]

YYeah,

Yes. It fits 3x 2 gallon and 1x 4 gallon pax using their mounts. If I was to do it over, I would do 5x 2 gallon pax an no 4 gallon.

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Thats awesome man love the setup