What happens to roof rack cargo in rollovers?

[jekbrown]

yeah, don't see any way that you're going to get a good enough number of cases (so far we have a whopping zero!) of people who have rolled over a gas can. If you had a few dozen, then we might be able to formulate what would "likely" happen in most rolls, but right now we just dont have enough data. Pure structure calculations based on the surface area of the can and the amount of force generated by a rolling rig aren't going to be sufficient either. For example, what if you roll hard and the point of a rock and the side of the gas can are the very first things on the top of the rig to hit? Cans prolly gonna burst like a water balloon. On the other hand, if its a soft flopper roll and the can is the last thing to get hit (maybe there is a hole in the ground or it just happens to be soft dirt where the can is) then its np. In any case there are way to many variables here and not enough people here for a good base of observed data.

I think the most relevant question that should be asked is: "where can I store my gas cans so they are safe?". As opposed to: "I want to put my cans in the most vulnerable place imaginable... is that ok?"

j

 

[fireplug]

As pointless as this post is I just couldn't refrain from posting again myself? Unless the can is built to uncanny (get it? hahahhah) specs, it seems pretty darn obvious that it is at risk of puncture. Considering the weight of the vehicles, the forces applied, speed, and terrain (ie sharp rocks or logs) to think that a couple or even a bunch of first hand stories are going to be the be all end all empircal evidence is ridiculous. But if you're looking for cool pics then just ask!

 

[Leper]

I saw a cruiser with a rack roll over onto a rack with a couple of metal water cans(jerry cans). It looked like the cans tore. Don't know how they were mounted, but it looked like the top of the cans ripped off. I think it was on ih8mud.com or something like that. A UK site. Neat video because it landed on it's wheels. I stole my cage design from his.

 

[1985_K5_Silverado]

Theft deterrence

On a somewhat related note, a good friend of mine that did some third-world work with the Americorps said the reason that they put their jerry cans (the fuel ones, not the water ones) up on the roof racks of their Land Rovers was that if they put them on the back rack, people would occasionally sprint alongside a slow-moving vehicle and steal that gas can if it was racked down low.

He thought that people here racked them up on the roof, in large part, to look like some sort of "Safari Bwana", but probably didn't understand why that was actually done in those places where the Safaris take place - theft deterrence. He puts his gas cans on the back.

 

[guido666]

I saw a cruiser with a rack roll over onto a rack with a couple of metal water cans(jerry cans). It looked like the cans tore. Don't know how they were mounted, but it looked like the top of the cans ripped off. I think it was on ih8mud.com or something like that. A UK site. Neat video because it landed on it's wheels. I stole my cage design from his.

Finally, something worth reading on the topic. Thanks Leper.

For the rest of you with nothing worthwhile to post other then I shouldn't ask this question, try this. Take an empty soup can and crush it in your hand, then do the same with a full one. Obviously, the full can is much more crush resistant. I'm just trying to get an idea of what happens. Before Leper said he saw it, I didn't hear one of you mention that the cans may not burst but would be torn by shearing. That is what I'm looking for. Every third grader can probably tell us that if squished enough the can would burst.