Lockable Fat Fifty ammo can gear boxes

RubiconMike

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2018
Messages
346
Location
Santa Cruz, CA
I have two 85lb German Shepherds that I carry in the back of my TJ Unlimited (LJ to some) and wanted a secure way to carry tools and recovery equipment without taking up any usable space. I bought two of these fat 50 mounting brackets and ammo cans, and bolted the brackets on the sides just in front of the rear roll bar legs. One holds tools and the other recovery stuff. They are padlocked so I don't have to worry about they walking off when I'm parked with the top down, and if I need tools or recovery equipment, I can pick up the whole can and carry it to where it's needed. You can fit a surprising amount of tools, spare parts, and recovery equipment in these two boxes, they are out of the way, and are reasonably secure when I park the Jeep with the top down.

To keep the handles from rattling, below them I added a strip of adhesive backed magnet you can get in a roll at the hardware store. It keeps the handle from rattling, but is easy to lift when you want to carry the box. I also add a little piece of Velcro to the padlock so it would stick to the box to keep it from rattling too.

In my Unlimited, the front of the boxes is about even with the rear seat, on a standard TJ it might make a nice armrest for the rear seat passengers.

In the last picture, you can also see my rear leather seat - I finally found a company that makes leather upholstery (not covers) for TJs - story and pic coming soon.

Two cans and two brackets added up to about $200.
Fat Fifty brackets on Amazon
Fat Fifty ammo cans on Quadratec

20181106_174802.jpg
20181106_174857.jpg
20181106_175047.jpg
20181106_175106.jpg
 
Great idea! Do the handles rattle?
No. I put a magnetic strip below the handles. It's a 1" wide adhesive strip you can buy in a roll at the hardware store. The handles are metal so they stick to the strip, but it's easy to lift it when you want to carry it. I put a piece of Velcro on the padlock so it doesn't bang around either. The boxes are stuffed full so they don't rattle either.

(You might notice that I put rubber bands on the fire extinguisher handles too. I hate rattles. I know - it's a Jeep - but that doesn't mean they have to be rattle-traps :) )
 
  • Like
Reactions: Powdermonkey
How did you attach them? Just drill and bolt?

And, I prefer TJL over LJ, but not a big deal.

Yes, the brackets are bolted down. The ammo boxes clip into the brackets, with a cam latch that pulls them down tight. There is a pin on the bracket that the ammo box latch goes over, then a padlock secures it. If you look at the Amazon link in my first post, you can see what the brackets look like without the ammo boxes.

(I had a '76 CJ, an '03 Rubicon, and now have an '05 Unlimited Rubicon. The short wheelbase Jeeps are better for tight trails, but I like the roominess and better ride of the longer wheelbase. Oddly enough, but the wheelbase and body dimensions of the LJ are almost identical to the old CJ-6, and if you added another 10" or so to the back of the body, it's almost identical to the Scrambler.)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: zebra12
Pretty cool but a bit spendy for those mounts.

Yeah, no kidding. I thought about it a long time before I finally bit the bullet and did it. Seems kind of stupid to spend $70 to mount a $20 box. But I'm happy with the result, and no one ever said intelligence was my strong point.
 
That turned out really nice, looks like a nice way to utilize the space really well leaving the trunk space open for gear.

Sorry this is off topic, but what did you use to mount your Extinguisher(s)? I am planning to add some solution there for mine shortly, considering this.
 
Yeah, no kidding. I thought about it a long time before I finally bit the bullet and did it. Seems kind of stupid to spend $70 to mount a $20 box. But I'm happy with the result, and no one ever said intelligence was my strong point.
If it works the way you want it to and makes you happy.....that's what counts.
 
I like the rubber band over the handles of the fire extinguishers to keep the pins from rattling. That drives me crazy. I'm going to steal that idea.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Equilibrium31
That turned out really nice, looks like a nice way to utilize the space really well leaving the trunk space open for gear.

Sorry this is off topic, but what did you use to mount your Extinguisher(s)? I am planning to add some solution there for mine shortly, considering this.

Nothing fancy, they are standard wall-mount fire extinguishers. I used hose clamps to mount the brackets to the roll bar. The brackets hold them securely, but they are easily removed when needed.

REMINDER. For everyone who carries permanently mounted standard fire extinguishers: Once or twice a year, take them off, turn them upside-down, and wack them a couple of times with a rubber mallet or something similar. The white powder packs down and may reduce the effectiveness of the extinguisher. Turning them upside-down and wacking them keeps the powder loose to make sure they work when you need them.

PB100004.JPG
 
REMINDER. For everyone who carries permanently mounted standard fire extinguishers: Once or twice a year, take them off, turn them upside-down, and wack them a couple of times with a rubber mallet or something similar. The white powder packs down and may reduce the effectiveness of the extinguisher. Turning them upside-down and wacking them keeps the powder loose to make sure they work when you need them.

View attachment 62050

Nice Tip! Thanks for that!
 
  • Like
Reactions: B Austin