9 Wrangler Jerry Can Mounting Ideas
If you’re planning to take your Jeep Wrangler off-roading or on a long road trip adventure, you’ll want to mount a jerry can or two filled with gas or water to help you out in the case of an emergency. Often these cans get in the way and slosh around in the back of your trunk and could get lost during your travels, so you’ll want to mount them to the exterior of your Wrangler.
What’s the best place to mount a jerry can on a Jeep Wrangler?
You can mount a jerry can in a lot of places on your Jeep Wrangler, including:
- Attached to Spare Tire
- Next to Drivers Side Mirror
- Rear Window or Rear Roll Bars
- Next to Passenger Side Mirror
- Front Grill
- Rear Cargo Rack
- Rear Side Window
- Top Cargo Rack
- Trunk Tie Down
Here is our top list of some of the best spots on your Wrangler to mount a jerry can and how these can provide easily accessible and secure places without getting in the way during your drive.
1. Attached to Spare Tire
One of the most common and popular places for installation of a jerry can to a Jeep Wrangler is to attach it to the spare tire in the back. You can easily attach a jerry can platform or tray mount to the spare tire by bolting it onto the tire rim. MORryde has a great spare tire mount available for purchase.
This spot is great because you’ll know it’s going to stay secure. After all, the mount for the spare tire is manufactured to be extra secure. Just be sure that the weight of your spare tire plus the weight of your filled jerry can doesn’t exceed the amount of weight your mount can hold.
You may need to get a lower-quality spare tire that weighs less in order to ensure that the weight of the tire plus the jerry can isn’t going to wear out the spare tire mount. If in doubt, you can purchase a specialized mount that is designed to hold a spare Wrangler tire and two jerry cans.
It should be noted that this option is better suited for offroading, especially if your jerry can is filled with extra gas, as this can be unsafe for regular road driving in the event of a rear-end collision.
2. Next to Drivers Side Mirror
Another common spot to attach a jerry can to your Wrangler is with a side mount just between the driver’s side mirror and the front driver’s side wheel next to the fender. Often, there is already a lip along the bottom edge of this area that serves as a step for entering and exiting your jeep.
This means that you can line up the tray of your side mount with this lip, so long as there is enough space for your driver’s side door to open. Otherwise, for other Wrangler model years, you’ll want to mount it higher up where there is more space between your mirror and front wheel.
3. Rear Window or Rear Roll Bars
Depending on whether your Wrangler is convertible or not, a great spot to mount your jerry can is along the bottom corner of your rear window or onto one of the rear roll bars. If attaching to your rear roll bars, be sure that your jerry can is flush along the rear or side of your Wrangler, so that it’s not sticking out.
In the event of a roll, your jerry can get punctured or crushed if it is sticking out, and if filled with gas, it could start a fire.
4. Next to Passenger Side Mirror
This location for your jerry can is the same as the driver’s side mirror, only it is on the passenger side. Much like mounting next to the driver’s side mirror, you can mount your jerry can with a side mount that has a tray to the spot between your passenger side mirror and front passenger side wheel.
5. Front Grill
Some people like the look of having their gas can attached to the front grill of their Wrangler, just between the headlights. This is a great option for attaching jerry cans filled with water for shorter road trips, or for carrying gas for off-roading adventures, but it’s not recommended for carrying gas during regular road travel.
Much like mounting a jerry can to your rear spare tire, you’ll want to make sure to remove this mount before driving on highways, suburban, or commercial areas, as this could cause a deadly fire in the event of a rear-end or head-on collision.
6. Rear Cargo Rack
Many Wrangler drivers will attach a separate rack to the back trunk door of their Wrangler, which provides not only extra space for cargo but also a great place to easily mount a jerry can. Cargo racks also accommodate mounting several jerry cans at a time.
You also won’t have to buy a separate jerry can mount to make this work, as a jerry can easily be attached to a cargo rack with a few zip ties. But, if you want something a bit more secure, a side jerry can mount can be purchased and attached to your rear cargo rack instead.
7. Rear Side Window
A side mounting bracket can be purchased to mount your jerry can to your Wrangler’s rear side window if your Wrangler is not a convertible. If you have a convertible, you can mount it to the side of your Wrangler to the side roll bar.
This will provide an easily accessible spot at the back of your Jeep for water or gas in the case of an emergency, and mounted beneath the top roll bar your jerry can will stay protected in the event of a roll.
8. Top Cargo Rack
Oftentimes, Wrangler owners will purchase and mount a cargo rack to the top of their Wrangler. This is suitable for those with permanent tops or convertible tops. You can easily mount your jerry can to this rack so that it stays secure with the rest of your cargo.
This may not be the most accessible spot to keep your jerry can, as you would likely need to climb on top of your Wrangler to access it, but it will stay out of the way and out of view from those around you if you worry about someone stealing your expensive gas while you’re not looking.
9. Trunk Tie Down
If you’d rather keep your jerry can inside your Wrangler rather than on display attached to the exterior of your Wrangler, you can instead purchase a metal tie down for the interior of your trunk. Once mounted to these tie-downs, your jerry can stay secure during all your adventures without sliding around your trunk.
You can purchase a suitable tie-down to be connected to the floor of your trunk, which you can then strap your jerry can to. Just remember that keeping gas inside your Wrangler is better for off-roading ventures than for long road trips, as storage of gas can be unsafe inside your car for long periods of time. The security of your connection and integrity of your jerry can holder and mounting hardware is key!