Roof rack mounted jerry cans forward or rearward?

So if you were mounting jerry cans of gasoline on a roof rack, does anyone think it makes a difference whether they are mounted up at the front of the rack vs. toward the rear of the rack? I've seen it both ways.

Thanks.

Dan

 

I've always been a fan of moving everything as far forward as possible to minimize potential movement under hard braking. Accidents are a whole different animal, I'm not sure you can plan for that.

I have no idea how sound my thought is, though, it just seems right.

 

I'd put them wherever it's easiest to lift them up and take them down, probably over a door opening so you could stand on the door sill. A full 20L NATO can isn't exactly light or easy to maneuver. Smaller cans can still be heavy/awkward if you're balancing trying to get them off the roof. I'd personally skip the Larry of Arabia look and put 'em in the bed if it were me, but I'm not a big fan of roof racks.

 

Back so you can stand in the bed to mount / remove them

 

Doesn't sound practical to put cans of gasoline on top of your cab. For 1 they are exposed more to direct sunlight and 2 rolling over would be bad as well.

 

I think I'd pick something lighter and less volatile to carry on the roof rack, and secure the boom juice somewhere in the bed that has least risk of movement or impact in any type of accident.

 

Get something along these lines

https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/en/us/front-runner-universal-double-jerry-can-holder.html

 

I guess I forgot to mention that I have a cap on the bed, so mounting cans in the bed and standing in the bed don't work.

 

Right, that's the plan, but the question is front of the rack or back of the rack.

 

I have a cap, jerry cans still go in the bed.
Trying to get them up/down from my roof rack would just be silly.
I can carry up to 15 gal fuel and 10 gal water. That much weight on top of the truck would also be silly.

 

I have a cap and put a couple hundred pounds of lumber up top , not silly

 

And you wheel with several hundred pounds of lumber up top? That's silly too.

 

The weight isn't a big deal , especially if you are talking 60lbs for a couple jerry cans , the issue is the mounting dismounting them