Help mounting jerrycan to roof rack

Hello all, I'm looking for some assistance in mounting a 10L jerrycan holder to my roof rack. I have a Victory 4x4 roof rack, which uses the typical crossbars like Prinsu/ Sherpa, etc. I have all the mounting hardware I need, such as carriage bolts. But the jerrycan holder I'm buying isn't designed with those style bars in mind, so I need to be creative. I'm attaching a photo of the holder I'll be using, and I'd love to hear some mounting ideas. I know very little about modding stuff, but I'm willing to learn. Does the steel mount look like something I could drill holes in? Or would I be better off trying to make some sort of clamps to hold it in place?

Before anyone suggests buying a different mount, that's not really an option. I already own a Victory 4x4 double jerrycan holder, but it sits much higher than I'm happy with, and it doesn't hold the 10L cans, only the full-size 20 liters, which sit too high. I thought of trying the single jerrycan holder and mounting it on its side, but they say that doesn't work. Because of this, I've decided to go with the 2.5G/ 10L cans instead.

Thanks in advance!

 

Get some flat strap in mild steel. Mount the jerry can holder on the strap two strap by drilling holes where appropriate. Leave enough flat strap overhanging so you can drill holes for wherever the roof rack slots are. You would have to be comfortable with ensuring you did this with the necessary strength in the final fitup.

A drill, a center punch to start drill holes, a couple different size good drill bits (and a cheap step drill bit from harbor freight) to open up a hole, and a file, are the only tools you really need. And paint.

 

Thanks for the idea. I believe I can picture what you're describing. But if I'm already drilling holes in this mount, I'm not sure why I'd need the mild steel strap? As long as I'm able to drill four 1/4" holes in the base of this mount, I can secure it with the hardware I already have. My question is how doable is drilling holes in this steel mount? I do have a drill, but I'd need to get a center punch. I just wasn't sure if the steel used in this mount would be likely to be too strong to drill through?

 

Oh ok, I figured you were asking because the mount didnt line up over where you planned to bolt it down. No need to use strap if the mount already straddles the those areas over the rack rail, and as long as any hardware you use to hold it down don’t interfere with the jerry cans.

The mount is definitely not made of tool steel or anything, so any good drill bit can get through it with proper technique. Balance pressure and speed until you see chips or twirly curls coming out of the hole. It’s more augering than it is drilling. Use a drop of oil (doesnt matter type) every once in a while to cool the bit.

Start by center punching deeply, drill (auger) a small pilot hole first, then use the step drill or bigger drill bit to enlarge the hole. The nice thing about a step bit is that, once you get to the hole size you want, you can easy chamfer the hole by using the next size up for a few turns.

I love my spring center punch. The only way to get a hole to end up where you want it lol.

edit: be patient on each hole. Drilling a hole by hand in 1/8 steel can take several minutes of steady pressure and low speed. You can ruin the best of bits if you go too fast. If it’s making chips and curls, that’s the right speed.

 

Thanks! This is exactly the info I was looking for. I'll give it a shot when I receive the mount, and report back.

 

I think you are on the right track here. I like the idea of 10 liter cans because they are lighter. As far as using 20 liter cans, you can carry them long side down if they have the old style hinged lid rather than the new style CARB-compliant twist off cap. The old style doesn’t leak. No liquid. No vapor. Nothing.

 

Just use a framing nail. I've missed placed my center punch lots of times and wind up using a framing nail. Works fine for marking a few holes.

 

Your first mistake was buying anything from Victory.

Sold me parts they swore would fit. They didn't fit. They made me pay to send them back. Kept 1/3 of MY money to cover THEIR mistake.

Pretty crappy outfit...

 

I'm trying to keep an open mind about them, although I certainly have mixed feelings. I like the quality of their rack, it's one of the few (if not the only) of this style that has a rear "slat" that attaches like the front, with bolts on top and bottom. Just makes the overall rack seem sturdier than all the other companies I see like Prinsu and Sherpa, which only use one of the regular crossbars at the back.

That said, I don't like that their cross bars have smaller channels than all the other companies. Everyone else's aluminum cross-bars are wide enough to accept standard 1/4" carriage bolts, but Victory are slightly narrower slots, and the only studs that fit are the 80/20 "3115" t-slot studs, which Victory charges an arm and a leg for ($5 per stud). Their cross bars also have fewer slots in them, so it's not as easy to attach things. I also think it's cheesy that when you pay for a roughly $1000 roof rack, you have to then pay an extra $50 if you want black bolts and nuts.

I'm also not happy with the double jerrycan holder I bought from them. The spot where the large locking nut bolt is supposed to fit was cut/welded with a large bur in the middle of the opening, so the nut doesn't fit, and I'd have to use a file or something to open it wide enough, which I wasn't interested in doing. I decided to just use a padlock on the folding latch instead, but even that is a poor design; it fits the Wavian gas cans just fine, but the 20L Scepter water cans won't allow the latch to close enough to be padlocked unless you put your foot or knee into it enough to bend the metal of the latch.

I do have to give them credit for very fast responses any time I've had to contact their customer service. The negative of that is that I've had to contact their customer service too many times. I don't think I will be purchasing any more of their products, personally.

 

Yeah, I'm more and more convinced that the 10L containers are the way to go. My 20 and 10L cans are the Wavian brand, which use the old style latch like you show in the picture.

 

When I was younger I wouldn’t think twice about hefting 20 liter cans onto the roof. The 10 liter cans allow me to grow old gracefully.

I have a mix of Wavian, Wedco (same company different decade?) and vintage NATO cans. The Wavian cans are great, but their boast about being identical to the original NATO version is bunk. The sheet metal of the originals is thicker, and the older cans are heavier.

 

It's funny you say that. I just now removed the two 20L cans from my roof (one Wavian gas and one Scepter water). Climbing up and down the hatch ladder one handed while carrying those is not easy. The 10L cans are a much more convenient size and weight.