SeaSucker jerry can mount for hard-top side window?

LJDC

LJDC

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Has anyone used a SeaSucker mount for a jerry can (water) on the side window of the hard top?

The SeaSucker mounts seem reliable. But I have no idea what amount of vertical force that window can take. Two gallons of water weighs about 17 pounds, which is a lot more than the pane of glass the adhesive was designed to hold. On the other hand, the windshield adhesive can maybe keep a person from flying through—once , I guess.

Right now I’m thinking only about static force—meaning the water would only be mounted when the Jeep isn’t moving. But I should also consider the dynamic force in case it ends up being a good solution when traveling.

My current mount hangs from the rollbar. But the problem is that it’s a semi-permanent mount (read: difficult to install, so not worth removing and reinstalling), and when it’s there without anything on it, my dog—who is smart, but not that smart, if you know what I mean—risks hitting his head on it. I’ve seen him get close enough that I’m just about to take down that roll-bar mount, even though it works pretty well.

I’m avoiding mounting cans to the (new) roof rack, because I’m trying to keep weight up there to a minimum: a tent, sleeping bags, etc., that just can’t fit in the cab, and even together don’t way that much. The camping gear required for a wife and dog to be comfortable just won’t fit inside the LJ. But heavy stuff doesn’t seem necessary or advisable.
 
Pictures of the setup would help.

I agree with your assessment of glass and adhesive and will double that down with the seals, glass and adhesive all being 20 some years old.

What about running a hoop off your roof rack over and down the side around the window and back up to the rack? A tube bender, some lightweight tube and a welder would do it. Then mount the can to the new bar?

-Mac
 
macleanflood said:
Pictures of the setup would help.

I agree with your assessment of glass and adhesive and will double that down with the seals, glass and adhesive all being 20 some years old.

What about running a hoop off your roof rack over and down the side around the window and back up to the rack? A tube bender, some lightweight tube and a welder would do it. Then mount the can to the new bar?

-Mac
Click to expand...

Sadly, my skills do not include welding. But, regardless, I am weight-limited on the roof rack. So I’m looking for other places to put Jerry cans. The rear tire is an option that I have used, but with 35s, things tend to get in the way as soon as you open the tailgate.
 
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LJDC said:
Sadly, my skills do not include welding. But, regardless, I am weight-limited on the roof rack. So I’m looking for other places to put Jerry cans. The rear tire is an option that I have used, but with 35s, things tend to get in the way as soon as you open the tailgate.
Click to expand...
Rarely is 5 gallons of spare gasoline ever really needed. I'd switch to a 1.5 or 2 gallon plastic tank and just keep it inside the rear near the tailgate. I carried a 5 gallon jerry can for a couple years into some very remote areas including Death Valley and figured out I never needed it. I stopped carrying it around 2003 and never looked back. Not to mention that location helps keep the center-of-gravity lower than it would be by carrying gasoline containers higher up.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
Rarely is 5 gallons of spare gasoline ever really needed. I'd switch to a 1.5 or 2 gallon plastic tank and just keep it inside the rear near the tailgate. I carried a 5 gallon jerry can for a couple years into some very remote areas including Death Valley and figured out I never needed it. I stopped carrying it around 2003 and never looked back. Not to mention that location helps keep the center-of-gravity lower than it would be by carrying gasoline containers higher up.
Click to expand...
I agree; I rarely need half of that amount of gas. But I’m carrying water for two adults and a dog.

I’ve also been thinking more about what happens if we roll or tip. What will fly up, and what is attached? I’m not going crazy about it, but I’m trying to be a little more careful than I’ve been in the last.

The inside of my tailgate has a table attached, which has proved to be really useful when camping. Otherwise that would be a pretty great area.
 
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Maybe it's different on the shorter TJs but the LJ hardtops are prone to cracking at the rear corners of the side glass without anything but the glass stressing it.

Adding stuff to the glass seems like a pretty bad idea.
 
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g.hayduke said:
Maybe it's different on the shorter TJs but the LJ hardtops are prone to cracking at the rear corners of the side glass without anything but the glass stressing it.

Adding stuff to the glass seems like a pretty bad idea.
Click to expand...

Wow. I’ve never heard that. Bad news. Thanks.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
Rarely is 5 gallons of spare gasoline ever really needed. I'd switch to a 1.5 or 2 gallon plastic tank and just keep it inside the rear near the tailgate. I carried a 5 gallon jerry can for a couple years into some very remote areas including Death Valley and figured out I never needed it. I stopped carrying it around 2003 and never looked back. Not to mention that location helps keep the center-of-gravity lower than it would be by carrying gasoline containers higher up.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately for me when we go to Puerto Lobos, MX I need about an extra 10 gallons. It's 100 miles to the beach from our last gas stop so I need 200 miles worth to get to the beach and back to the gas stop. I could do it on 1 tank but that wouldn't leave much for driving around once we are down there, and MPG in the sand is pretty bad. I could drive 60 miles inland to Caborca and fill up but hardly worth it since I'd use 8 gallons just getting to Caborca and back. I bought a Harbor Freight cargo carrier that I am considering modifying as it is bigger than I need for 2-5 gal cans. Last time my son took his boat and I was able to put my extra gas in the boat.

Since no extra gas is needed 99% of the time I like a totally removeable solution.
 
LONGJP2 said:
I think @jscherb did a review on these.
Click to expand...

I've tested and used the SeaSucker suction cups in several applications of my own design, including a suction-mounted side table, MOLLE panel, and hood panel, but I have not tested any SeaSucker complete products. I did these designs using the SeaSucker suction cups:

VacuumTable1.jpg


VacuumMOLLE.jpg


TJHoodPanel1.jpg


MORryde has picked up my table design and was showing a prototype at the SEMA Show in November:

MORrydeDisplay4.jpg


MORryde is looking at doing a version specifically for the RV market and are also working in partnership with Overland Outfitters on a Jeep-specific version (hence the OO bags and cutlery keeper panel in the photo above.

I have a few other design ideas for suction mounts that I plan to prototype in the near future.

I have no reservations about mounting things on the Safari Cab side glass. I don't own a factory hardtop so I can't comment on that.

There are several SeaSucker Rotopax mounts on eBay right now, here's one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1665389826...pid=5337789113&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1. I haven't tested any of the SeaSucker products except for the bare suction cups, which I find to be excellent.

I've also been talking to a Taiwan-based company that's in the process of finalizing suction mounts with integrated vacuum motors - when they sense a loss of pressure the motors turn on and restore the vacuum. This is a photo of one of their preproduction samples, the switch turns the unit on and the motor will run any time there's a loss of pressure. Should be great for rough environments like trails. Very cool.

Suction1.jpg
 
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jscherb said:
I've tested and used the SeaSucker suction cups in several applications of my own design, including a suction-mounted side table, MOLLE panel, and hood panel, but I have not tested any SeaSucker complete products. I did these designs using the SeaSucker suction cups:
Click to expand...

After @LONGJP2 alerted me to it, I went back and found your thread on them:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/accessories-that-suck-in-a-good-way.69194/

I know you have a custom hard top, but have you ever tried a SeaSucker on the unpainted factory hard-top material? If they would work, I could attach them to an area near (rather than on) the window.

Basically, I went looking for available paint, and there isn't much. The body seam at the rear corner will probably defeat the suction cup. Plus the open tailgate will likely hit anything attached on the passenger side (and the gas filler eats up the space on the driver's side). The front door will impede use behind the door/in front of the rear fender.

This is a bit of a side issue, but as long as you're talking to that other company, you may want to alert them to the need for narrower or more-oblong suction cups for those vehicles that have ridges on the roof (like the JL). SeaSucker has a newish solution, which looks like it solves the problem.
 
LJDC said:
After @LONGJP2 alerted me to it, I went back and found your thread on them:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/accessories-that-suck-in-a-good-way.69194/

I know you have a custom hard top, but have you ever tried a SeaSucker on the unpainted factory hard-top material? If they would work, I could attach them to an area near (rather than on) the window.

Basically, I went looking for available paint, and there isn't much. The body seam at the rear corner will probably defeat the suction cup. Plus the open tailgate will likely hit anything attached on the passenger side (and the gas filler eats up the space on the driver's side). The front door will impede use behind the door/in front of the rear fender.

This is a bit of a side issue, but as long as you're talking to that other company, you may want to alert them to the need for narrower or more-oblong suction cups for those vehicles that have ridges on the roof (like the JL). SeaSucker has a newish solution, which looks like it solves the problem.
Click to expand...

MORryde has been testing the suction mounted table on the sides of RV's; most RVs have fiberglass sides with some texture although they generally have a gloss finish and less texture than a Jeep hardtop but they report good results on RVs. Since I don't have a factory Jeep hardtop I can't test any of my designs on the fiberglass of a factory top. Actually that's not completely true, I do have a spare factory JKU hardtop sitting in the back yard so I can do static testing on it but since it's not on a Jeep I can't do testing on the road or trail.

An option for smaller suction mounts does exist, 3" mounts rated for 25kg (55 lbs) are commonly used for camera mounts on vehicles but with 55lb capacity they should work for other loads when used in multiple configurations. I plan to order a couple of the smaller ones to test them with my prototypes, there are lots of them available on eBay, here's one example:

3Inch25kg.jpg


The Taiwan company is also doing a 3" version. Right now they're experimenting with various rubber compounds for the cups to determine which rubber has the best adherence to various surfaces and the best life.
 
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B1Toad said:
Since no extra gas is needed 99% of the time I like a totally removeable solution.
Click to expand...
I traveled the same path and decided on the MORryde side mount jerry can holders:

https://www.morryde.com/products/jerry-can-side-mount-with-tall-tray/

Nonobservable when the can trays are not installed and walking around the Jeep, but can carry a full sized jerry can on either side. After the base plate is bolted on, the can tray is installed with a simple receiver pin. Gut simple.
 
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Mark K said:
I traveled the same path and decided on the MORryde side mount jerry can holders:

https://www.morryde.com/products/jerry-can-side-mount-with-tall-tray/

Nonobservable when the can trays are not installed and walking around the Jeep, but can carry a full sized jerry can on either side. After the base plate is bolted on, the can tray is installed with a simple receiver pin. Gut simple.
Click to expand...

I love that setup and it's a consideration, albeit a pricey one. Awful lot of trust in those welds too.
 
Last edited:
Mark K said:
I traveled the same path and decided on the MORryde side mount jerry can holders:

https://www.morryde.com/products/jerry-can-side-mount-with-tall-tray/

Nonobservable when the can trays are not installed and walking around the Jeep, but can carry a full sized jerry can on either side. After the base plate is bolted on, the can tray is installed with a simple receiver pin. Gut simple.
Click to expand...

Do you have aftermarket sliders? Wondering about clearance of the Morryde.
Also, any danger of damaging the cans on the trail? I guess that obviously depends on terrain.
Looks like the door limiter strap might need to be shortened to avoid contact with a gas can?

TIA
 
Last edited:
Mark K said:
I traveled the same path and decided on the MORryde side mount jerry can holders:

https://www.morryde.com/products/jerry-can-side-mount-with-tall-tray/

Nonobservable when the can trays are not installed and walking around the Jeep, but can carry a full sized jerry can on either side. After the base plate is bolted on, the can tray is installed with a simple receiver pin. Gut simple.
Click to expand...

The side mounts were one of the my first designs picked up by MORryde about 10 years ago; I've used them on thousands of trail miles. The receivers have been installed on my LJ all that time, they're basically invisible when the jerry can carriers aren't installed in them. In this photo I'm crossing the Animas River north of Silverton, Colorado in 2014.

RiverCrossing3.jpg


NOTNSUV said:
Do you have aftermarket sliders? Wondering about clearance of the Morryde.
Also, any danger of damaging the cans on the trail? I guess that obviously depends on terrain.
Looks like the door limiter strap might need to be shortened to avoid contact with a gas can?

TIA
Click to expand...

I've never had any trouble with them on the trail; they don't stick out much beyond the fender flares so unless you're close enough to an obstacle to risk body damage, it's unlikely you'll damage them. Never any issues with their durability (welds) either. MORryde did a good job with them. A stock door strap works just fine, there's no contact between the door and the can.

This is a still photo from my trail camera system; it shows how little the cans stick out - there's a jerry can on the driver's side and a large ammo can on the passenger side. This still is from a video taken while ascending Devil's Punchbowl in Colorado.

DevilsPunchbowlTrailCam.jpg
 
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jscherb said:
The side mounts were one of the my first designs picked up by MORryde about 10 years ago; I've used them on thousands of trail miles. The receivers have been installed on my LJ all that time, they're basically invisible when the jerry can carriers aren't installed in them. In this photo I'm crossing the Animas River north of Silverton, Colorado in 2014.

View attachment 496423



I've never had any trouble with them on the trail; they don't stick out much beyond the fender flares so unless you're close enough to an obstacle to risk body damage, it's unlikely you'll damage them. Never any issues with their durability (welds) either. MORryde did a good job with them. A stock door strap works just fine, there's no contact between the door and the can.

This is a still photo from my trail camera system; it shows how little the cans stick out - there's a jerry can on the driver's side and a large ammo can on the passenger side. This still is from a video taken while ascending Devil's Punchbowl in Colorado.

View attachment 496430
Click to expand...

Thanks for the details.
Looking closer, they also appear to ride above the sliders.
 
Jerry Bransford said:
Rarely is 5 gallons of spare gasoline ever really needed. I'd switch to a 1.5 or 2 gallon plastic tank and just keep it inside the rear near the tailgate. I carried a 5 gallon jerry can for a couple years into some very remote areas including Death Valley and figured out I never needed it. I stopped carrying it around 2003 and never looked back. Not to mention that location helps keep the center-of-gravity lower than it would be by carrying gasoline containers higher up.
Click to expand...

he's wanting to hauling water, not gasoline
 
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