Rotopax Mount

[ISUACE]

Installed a Rotopax spare fuel tank today in the bed. Hardest part was tightening the nuts from the backside of the sheet metal. It's a reach but doable. I had to install some 3/4" spacers to make it work for the recess.

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[ISUACE]

I might just end up removing the bed anchor..

 

[Jake596]

Good times squeezing your hand up under the plastic wheel well liner ! I did the same for my hi-lift mount

 

[Bzmustang13]

Installed a Rotopax spare fuel tank today in the bed. Hardest part was tightening the nuts from the backside of the sheet metal. It's a reach but doable. I had to install some 3/4" spacers to make it work for the recess.

This is awesome! I want to do the same thing. Question: Did you have to remove the plastic liner in the wheel well at all? Or did you just jam your hand up there in between sheet metal & plastic to hold the nuts?

Also where are the spacers? Don’t have the rotopax yet so don’t quite know what is the mount and what you added. Did you use the standard rotopax hardware and just added the spacers?

Thanks for the additional info! This is an awesome set up for driving around West Texas/Big Bend country where gas can be sparse.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Installed a Rotopax spare fuel tank today in the bed. Hardest part was tightening the nuts from the backside of the sheet metal. It's a reach but doable. I had to install some 3/4" spacers to make it work for the recess.

Hi Cody,

Is there a backing plate on the outside of the box inner sidewall. If not you might need to inspect from time to time as others have experienced sheetmetal cracking in this area.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Bzmustang13]

since i have access to these thingies and the tools....I'll save my arm and the reach (not to mention any friends willing to help) and pop these bad boys in place instead

http://www.swfastener.com/pdf/RIVNUT-TheOriginalRivnut.pdf

Any insight into what the optimal size for these would be? Bear with me, I guess you could say I am a rookie DIY’er.

Seems like a good option, but a little lost if I was to actually go buy one of these from Home Depot etc. thank you!

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Any insight into what the optimal size for these would be? Bear with me, I guess you could say I am a rookie DIY’er.

Seems like a good option, but a little lost if I was to actually go buy one of these from Home Depot etc. thank you!

Hi Brad,

A rivnut does not solve the stress concentration issue...In fact it may aggravate it. It is purely an access device where you do not need a loose nut to secure the bracket but it still lacks a backing plate. So rivnutting the Rotopax bracket leaves you with the same possible sheetmetal cracking. The stress of the full of fuel Rotopax needs to be distributed over a large surface area of the sheetmetal.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Bzmustang13]

Hi Brad,

A rivnut does not solve the stress concentration issue...In fact it may aggravate it. It is purely an access device where you do not need a loose nut to secure the bracket but it still lacks a backing plate. So rivnutting the Rotopax bracket leaves you with the same possible sheetmetal cracking. The stress of the full of fuel Rotopax needs to be distributed over a large surface area of the sheetmetal.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Thanks Phil. Sounds like there is not a great option for in-bed rotopax currently. Realized my 2020 truck only has 4 tie downs with the wholes for the middle two exposed (Even after factory spray in liner). Is that still an issue or do the 2020s only come with 4? Haven’t found that answer yet.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Thanks Phil. Sounds like there is not a great option for in-bed rotopax currently. Realized my 2020 truck only has 4 tie downs with the wholes for the middle two exposed (Even after factory spray in liner). Is that still an issue or do the 2020s only come with 4? Haven’t found that answer yet.

Hi Brad,

Yes....2020 deleted the middle tiedowns as a cost reduction. Much to the dismay of many Ranger buyers. Stupid decision JMO! There were a few forum members that mounted gear on this side wall only to find out there was a flexing and cracking around the mounting holes. If you sandwich a plate behind the bracket, thus trapping the box side sheetmetal, you help distribute the loading of the Rotopax or other devices you may choose to mount. Even if you use fender washers behind the bolts before the nuts are threaded on, you have made a large difference in stress distribution.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Bzmustang13]

For anyone still wanting different ways to mount rotopax etc. with less concern about metal cracking. I sent BuiltRight Industries a message for giggles and to my surprise, they answered right away saying, "The bedside racks for Ranger are moving from development to production stage soon. Fine tuning a few final measurements and then off to production. We plan to have these available by early winter so if you don't see them available by the holidays, reach back out and bug us for an update".

Those bedside racks are pretty cool, I think I will hold out for that!

 

[ISUACE]

Hi Brad,

Yes....2020 deleted the middle tiedowns as a cost reduction. Much to the dismay of many Ranger buyers. Stupid decision JMO! There were a few forum members that mounted gear on this side wall only to find out there was a flexing and cracking around the mounting holes. If you sandwich a plate behind the bracket, thus trapping the box side sheetmetal, you help distribute the loading of the Rotopax or other devices you may choose to mount. Even if you use fender washers behind the bolts before the nuts are threaded on, you have made a large difference in stress distribution.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I used large washers behind the sheet metal on the bolts. Plus it just happens that the bottom of the tank rests on the other hard mount. Hopefully this is enough to avoid any problems.

 

[ISUACE]

This is awesome! I want to do the same thing. Question: Did you have to remove the plastic liner in the wheel well at all? Or did you just jam your hand up there in between sheet metal & plastic to hold the nuts?

Also where are the spacers? Don’t have the rotopax yet so don’t quite know what is the mount and what you added. Did you use the standard rotopax hardware and just added the spacers?

Thanks for the additional info! This is an awesome set up for driving around West Texas/Big Bend country where gas can be sparse.

I had to buy longer bolts and also used some spacers between the base plate and the handle. I got everything from Tractor Supply to make it work.

Make sure to use washers on the back side before you put the nuts on like Phil said above. It's a bitch getting your hand up there. But with a buddy holding the bolts from spinning its doable.

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