Undercarriage jerry cans? (1 Viewer)

[TZ62]

Hi all,

I'm scheming to take my 80 on an extended 5-6 week trip, mostly through sparsely populated bush country. My 1HD-T with the factory 90L fuel tank can take me about 750km if I stretch it on a good day, but I'd like to up that range to around 1000km or more if possible.

A long-range or dual fuel tank is out of my budget. I already have some NATO jerry cans I've taken on shorter trips before. On previous trips I just kept them inside the back of the truck, but since I'll be traveling with a 1-year-old, I don't want the smell of diesel saturating the inside of my cruiser. I also don't like the idea of carrying 2-4 Jerry cans of fuel up high on my roof rack in hot desert terrain.

I've thought about and briefly researched the idea of carrying those diesel jerries between the horizontal bracket for the factory spare and the floor of the rear cargo area: outside the vehicle, low center of gravity, and totally unobtrusive. A simple steel shelf between the chassis rails would do the trick, but no one seems to have done this before. The unused space above the undercarriage spare tire bracket seems like a massive waste of potential storage space to me. Local fabricators are pretty cheap, so custom-made is s distinct possibility.

Does anyone have specs for a bracket between those chassis rails? Anyone tried something like this before? Reasons I should avoid it at all costs? It's a diesel truck, not petrol/gas.

Cheers

 

[jwilliams]

I have seen it talked about a couple times, but in reference to gas (petrol)... so that led to comments about it's volatility in the case of an accident.
Jerry cans in spare tire space?

If it is diesel, I could only see a downside of getting stuck in mud/sand or other situation where access to the underside above the spare tire would not be possible.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[e9999]

much safer with diesel than gasoline of course but the underside is still not a great location if you are going to go over rocks unless you have some sort of skiplate to protect it, I would think. But with adequate protection it's not fundamentally that different from a regular tank I imagine, unless it protrudes much lower. You'd want it very secure so taking them out from underneath may be a big hassle. I have carried mine on the roof which is only a major problem if you roll over (and don't mind the decrease in mpg). If you are concerned about heat and thermal expansion, just secure a piece of white plastic over the cans on the roof.

 

[artech]

The factory fuel tank skidplate is not terribly rugged, so making one for this application seems like it wouldn't be too tough. I'd think the issue would be access. How do you make a shelf or bracket that can protect the can but still allow it to be accessed? It'd have to be hinged or something, and then dirt or debris could jam it. Maybe if you used the winch for the spare to run it up and down? But, removing that brace that holds the winch would allow for much more space under there.

I'm sure there's a solution, I just don't know how much money you'd save over a secondary tank by the time you were done fabricating.

 

[bloc]

I was thinking about this lately and noticed that without the spare tire mount, two MFC cans (roughly NATO size) will fit in the space the spare tire used to occupy very easily.. don't hang below the frame rails at all, and can be snugged over to the driver's side to get even further away from the exhaust.

I was thinking a new crossmember welded across between the frame rails just behind the rear panhard crossmember, and two cradles with hinges at the front. Cradles would fit a MFC snugly, then it'd be up to me to lift the ~40lb upward and come up with some sort of t-handle screw or latch to hold it up.

If not for gasoline being so volatile I'd be doing this already.

I don't want fuel on the roof or rear swingout so I may end up doing this anyway

 

[DancesWithMutts]

Somewhat related - I have been kicking around the idea of a hinged storage compartment under there, using the spare-tire winch to raise and lower it. using the space for seldom needed parts and gear.

 

[ZA80]

Go to a breaker yard. Purchase a 90 series cruiser fuel tank with brackets, skid plate and fuel pump.
Mount it in the space you want. Let the fuel pump pump back to your primary fuel tank.
All OEM equipment and 90l of fuel.

Very affordable in my past experiences.

 

[TZ62]

Go to a breaker yard. Purchase a 90 series cruiser fuel tank with brackets, skid plate and fuel pump.
Mount it in the space you want. Let the fuel pump pump back to your primary fuel tank.
All OEM equipment and 90l of fuel.

Very affordable in my past experiences.

Nice! I like this approach. There are loads of 90s here, so parts should be readily available.

Follow-up questions: How does the tank from the 90 series get filled? I assume it's a simple line between the original tank and the new one, which serves as an overflow from the old into the new. And then the fuel pump moves it back into the primary tank as the primary one empties?

My original tonight was simply to mount a sheet of steel between the chassis rails, hinged at the front so I can drop it when needed, with the jerry cans and a tool kit lying flat on top of that. Rubber padding between the steel and the cans to cushion them, and heavy-duty tie-down straps to hold everything in place. Adding OEM parts is an attractive alternative if I can do it as cheap as my basic design. Or close to that.

 

[MDarius]

I don't understand the drawback to having fuel on top of the vehicle.

• Access? We're big boys. if we have a roof rack I hope we expect to put heavier things up there and have means to get them down.
• Heat? Pop the top when you stop. A couple ventings a day in the hottest environment should do OK. It's still hot under the truck. I would think that exhaust and tranny heat would raise temps. Maybe not as much as direct sunlight, but how will you vent the cans if needed when they are underneath? Radiant heat off the ground is not insignificant in the desert.
• Sloshing or other hazard? No more than on the back, on a trailer, underneath...If you have a good gas can sloshing isn't a problem. Other hazards? We live on the edge. Embrace it. Strap them down well, no problem. I keep them away from food and fabrics since gas spills on them when filling.

Can someone help me see what I'm missing? I just don't understand the drawbacks that would make someone want to fabricate this storage instead of using what they've already got. is it long term? I wouldn't want to store fuel on top long term. That I get.

Don't get me wrong, I think using that space to store fuel cans or something else is a great idea. Someone on here back in the day cut out the floor pan between the braces and fabricated a tub roughly the size of a spare tire. This created under floor storage accessed from inside. I think it was brilliant, but I still use my spare location for a spare, and my 3rd row, so not for me. There's no reason this couldn't be adjusted for jerry cans. You'd have to deal with sealing out the smells still, then there's access if gear is on top, but it's a trade off. Access when stuck in the mud/rocks and pull out all your gear to get the storage, or have no access when stuck? I don't know.

I think the solution depends on what the motivator is. What problem are you really trying to solve?

 

[Douglas S]

This is how a local guy with a HJ61 (note: diesel) did it.

 

[Hornd]

This is how a local guy with a HJ61 (note: diesel) did it.

That is freaking sweet.
Outta sight means they won't get stolen.
I would wrap frame with something to keep cans from rubbing but awesome design

Cheapest way to go would be to get Plastic Cans and put them on a Hitch Luggage Rack and lock them if necessary. Plus you have room for a cooler.

 

[bloc]

This is how a local guy with a HJ61 (note: diesel) did it.

Pretty much exactly what I had in mind.. only with the cans side by side.. not sure if there's the length for that on an 80 but I'll measure things out and see what works.

I don't understand the drawback to having fuel...

Center of gravity. (40# per can, as high up as possible)
Sunroof.
Not wanting a HD roof rack.
Heavy objects going airborne in case of accident.

Having rolled your land cruiser without anything on the roof will give you a bit to think about when it comes to tossing things on the rack.

Sloshing isn't an issue as long as any cans up there are full.


Originally I planned on putting heavy tools and parts down there but agree.. if stuck it'd be tough to access. I can't see a situation where you'd NEED that fuel when you can't access the area easily though.

 

[BILT4ME]

How can doing all this jacking around to build a frame, buy more jerry cans and rig this stuff be CHEAPER than buying a used fuel tank and pump from a salvage yard, even if it's off of a Chevy?

Go with what @ZA80 said........

 

[MDarius]

I get it. I wasn't clear on your opposition to roof racks. I get it. I also don't see a situation where you'd be stuck and thinking, "sure wish I could get to my gas cans." I really like the idea. I assume you already have a swing out tire carrier?

Did you see the thread on the inexpensive 2nd fuel tank? I think the guy was in it under $100 when he was done.

 

[bloc]

Yes I have a 4x4labs dual swingout. 315 spare on the left, nothing on the right yet. Realistically I doubt I'll put anything on the right.. my cooler and water jugs go inside.. And a little bit of the "I don't want stuff on my roof" thinking applies to the rear as well. I just don't want stuff hanging off my rig in every direction.

Not telling people what to do, but without something like the OEM switchable tank-fill system (which is cost-prohibitive for me) I'd rather run jerry cans. Very simple fabrication involved, not having to mess with the factory fill spout, no wiring for transfer pumps.. ultimately you could get substantially more fuel in a second tank but for my needs a couple cans under the bottom is a very good option. Besides.. the way I wheel it is very rare that I need more than the factory tank's range. I already have two cans and a welder..

Plus, the time that I did mock it up, if you snug the cans over against the driver's side frame rail there is still quite a bit of room for another box to store parts or things that can also go under the truck, against the passenger's frame rail. If you are already fabricating a cage for the cans doing that at the same time would be trivial.

 

[FZJohnny]

Great idea! U know, for those of us without deep pockets for an aux tank. Or don't wanna retro fit a tank. Like u said, have a welder, bender and notcher at disposal, and some half ass skills, tadah!

 

[MDarius]

I like it.

 

[thatcabledude]

Build a steel platform with vertical legs to bottom out against the floor when raised and attach to spare tire winch thing. Built in raising and lowering device. The steel platform will serve as protection also.

 

[bloc]

Problem with that is the body moves around a bit in relation to the frame. It is on rubber mounts, after all. With the spare tire mount on the frame and something bridging the gap between that and the body, I think things would be very noisy and potentially cause issues with the thin sheet metal of the body

 

[thatcabledude]

Isolate with rubber then. Or have the platform stop against the frame rails.