another 4 months for spring for me! ewwwww. getting the Jeep all done mechanically and ready for the thaw! New Drag link, tie rod, teraflex SS, shocks, and more....wheeeeee.

 

Yeah, there was a pretty good turnout. I think I added to the group also.

 

So I have already gotten a lot of good advise on this thread so I'll try one more. I wanted to know those of you that actually get to use your rigs for USA bound overland trips how much extra fuel have you ever needed. Not necessarily how much you bring but what you have actually needed. I run a Genright tire carrier so it has no designated fuel carrier mount but I'm going to add one or two for rotopax.
I really like the side mount Jerry can setups but am afraid that it's in to vulnerable of a spot in case I rubbed a tree or rock or a Sasquatch.

 

Need, not yet. I have used mine multiple times though. I did a trip in British Columbia and having the extra 10.5 gallons of gas meant I only had to fill up once in Canada which gas is pricey.
I ran out of gas once doing errands around town on a weekend and having the Jerry can meant I didn't have to buy a gas can, but again not needed.

I try to fill up before I go wheeling so I start with a full tank. If you run into trouble it is nice to be able to run an engine all night to keep you warm. Cars get cold quick in the mountains, especially in the winter.

While I haven't needed them, I have used them on multiple instances and trips. I have brought gas as back up and not used it more than I have used the extra gas I brought. It is honestly hard to travel 200 miles without coming across a gas station. Also it is usually easier and quicker to fill up at a pump than with jerry cans. I believe I remember Mark Doiron telling a story about Big Bend where he needed the extra fuel to make it to the next station.

 

I have had to turn around and head back because of gas. I am going to be running at titan spare tire tank this year. Like AEVs but for the stock tire carrier.

 

I've sort of needed it several times. The unexpected ones happened twice, and the first time we didn't have it. Headed over Medano Pass into Great Sand Dunes and the gas station my GPS reported had actually closed six months earlier. Next closest gas station was 70 miles out of the way, which risked us crossing the pass after dark. We decided to head across in 2WD to maximize range. We arrived on fumes at the station just outside the park entrance.

Second time was Big Bend. Gas station in Marathon had burned down a week or two earlier. Now there are a couple new stations there. In this case I knew the station was closed before leaving Panther Junction, so filled there. But that was only because my traveling companion passed through there a few days earlier. Otherwise, I would have arrived expecting to refill there.

Have also done runs of over 200 miles in mostly 4WD with lots of low gear. And we're planning a trip this year with 275 or so miles between gas stops, mostly 4WD.

Bottom line: I don't like to carry extra gas, so don't when I'm confident it's a non-issue. And I use the cans as soon as possible. But, while you may not think you'll need it, be prepared for the unexpected.

 

Thanks for the response , from the sound of things I think I will make my setup to handle 2- 3gallon rotopax. Since 99% of driving is local and this is a vacation rig I think that should be plenty.

I was also wondering everyone's thoughts on the JK Side Mount (Driver Side Universal Tray Kit) - MORryde Products
Not in the means of quality because I have read it's a nice unit, but on its location. I would think that if I ever got into a really narrow situation I could just take it off then reinstall after the obstacle. I am guessing now since I'm new to this stuff but isn't it mounted high enough that it would be really hard for something to hit it here?

 

The nice thing about that side jerry can mount is it moves weight forward as opposed to my cans over rear bumper. Is there one for both sides? As for hitting it, sure. I've ripped off fenders twice, once doing several thousand dollars of sheetmetal damage, hitting things. Maybe I'm not the best example, LOL.

 

I've taken 5 gallons with me on just about every trip and have never needed it. What I usually do is after the first day of trail running I will top off with that 5 gallons after setting up camp in the evening. I always keep a little box of cheap rubber gloves in the Jeep for just this sort of thing because I always get gas on my hands. Anyway, this puts the fuel in your tank and gets the weight off of wherever you were storing it. For me its off my roof rack. My trips are limited to 3 days 2 nights usually so they aren't too far away from civilization.

 

Rig looks rad! Great job. RTT looks good too!