Last Updated on November 30, 2021
The Ultimate Fuel Storage System – TrailRax Pak Rax Mount
When you own a Jeep, almost nothing can limit your adventure. You don’t any need roads or cell phone reception when you hit a trail. All you need is just a desire to discover, a capable rig, and well…fuel! While Jeep has done a lot to increase the range you can get on a full tank of gas, you’re still limited to the max JL holding capacity of 21 gallons until you find an alternative solution. Today, we will dig into the best fuel storage solution for the JLs, the TrailRax Pak Rax Rotopax mount.
The Pak Rax mount is a simple, practical, and well-designed mount that utilizes the JL hardtop rain gutters to securely clamp a Rotopax canister over the rear side windows. Sold as a pair of two mounts, each side can hold up to 8 gallons of Rotopax canisters or up to 60 pounds of equipment with an endless amount of mounting combinations and accessories you can utilize.
Find It Online:
- TrailRax Pak Rax for JL: Check Price
Unboxing
We all know first impressions are everything, and TrailRax took this to heart when they designed the packaging for their products. All components are packed snugly and individually wrapped to prevent any scuffs to the finish. My favorite detail about the unboxing, however, was that TrailRax took the time to separate and package all the different hardware pieces into separate bags so you clearly know which nuts and bolts attach to each mount component. This added step made for one of the easiest and most straightforward installations I’ve done on my Jeep.
As for the finish, the matte black powder coating on all metal components is incredibly durable and applied well for a consistent finish. While some companies can ruin the design of their products with overdone branding, TrailRax adds a tasteful brand logo and a “Made in America” accent on both arms. All hardware is high quality and the bolts used to secure the rack to the rain gutter are zinc coated for extra corrosion resistance.
Last but not least, the package comes with a pre-printed letter from the company thanking you for your business and a sincere welcome to the TrailRax crew. This little added touch speaks volumes to TrailRax’s attention to detail and commitment to a great customer experience.
Installation
Including unboxing and attaching the built mount to the Jeep, you can anticipate a very quick and easy 15-20 minute install using basic hand tools. Installation requires no drilling or modifications to the hardtop for the JL model. TrailRax also offers a Pak Pax system for the JK Wrangler, but drilling into the hardtop is required for that version.
Tools Needed:
- 3/8 Box Wrench
- 7/16 Box Wrench
- 5/32 Alen Wrench
- DriveRatchet with 3/8 & 7/16 sockets
There are only 5 steps to the JL install process:
- Attach the vertical arms onto the mounting plate. Note that there are two different mounting location options for each arm. To prevent interference with other items that you might have mounted onto your hardtop, such as a roof rack, you can choose either mounting location to bring the vertical arms closer together or spread them wider apart.
- Attach clamps to the top and bottom of the arms. Leave these loosely attached until you hang your Pak Rax onto the Jeep. The clamps are designed to snugly grip onto the hardtop and do not require any padding to be added between the mounting hardware and the surface of the hardtop.
- Attach bump stops to the back of the vertical arms to ensure a nice snug fit against your hardtop. When the mount is installed onto the Jeep, the lower bump stops should be making contact with the hardtop to prevent any rattling.
- Screw the Rotopax base mount to the TrailRax mounting plate. Please note that the Fuelpax-brand mount that comes with the purchase of a RotoPax FuelPax canister DOES NOT work with the TrailRax plate. The options that are compatible with the TrailRax system are the Rotopax DLX Pack Mount or the Rotopax LOX Pack Mount. For those that want to maximize their fuel carrying capacity even further, you can also utilize the Rotopax Extension Mounts to stack multiple containers on top of each other. There are multiple mounting locations on the TrailRax mounting plate that will allow forward and backward adjustability for the attached item.
- Hang the Pak Rax top mounting brackets over the hardtop rain gutter, centering the mount where you would like for it to sit, and tighten the zinc-coated bolts with basic hand tools to secure them in place. Do not fully fasten the top mount yet. After the top clamps are in place, lift the bottom clamps so that they hook behind the bottom of the hardtop tub, then tighten the bottom hardware until snug. After, return to the zinc-coated bolts on the top clamps and finish tightening the hardware to ensure a secure fit. You are now ready to place the Rotopax onto your newly installed mount. All that’s left is to fill it up with fuel and hit a trail without having to worry about running out of gas!
Utilization
For the last year, my Pak Rax has consistently held a full 4.5gal Rotopax Fuel Tank without producing any rattling noise or showing any signs of wear and tear. It has been hit and scraped by tree branches, rocks, and everything in between, but continues to remain in place with the tank completely secure. Thanks to my additional fuel storage capacity, I no longer need to cut my trial days short and have been able to help others who are low on gas and want to keep the day going.
While the primary function of this mount is to hold fuel canisters, my ability to mount other items to the side of my Jeep is limited only by my own creativity. The TrailRax mount acts as a blank canvas that can hold a multitude of other items, with popular options being shovel and axe mount combos, MAXTRAX (using this mounting pin set), molle panels, portable showers tanks, and the standard water / storage containers sold by Rotopax. With a wide assortment of pre-drilled mounting locations on the Pak Rax plate, there is bound to be a mounting solution for your exact need.
Final Thoughts
The TrailRax Pak Rax is a fantastic addition to the JL Wrangler for anyone looking to either explore further without frequent gas stops or that needs a creative place to store their gear. The mount’s versatility is its greatest attribute and will allow you to utilize it in whatever way is best for your rig’s specific needs. At the end of the day, this is the sharpest looking, strongest built, and most functional fuel storage solution available for the JL Wrangler. Don’t cut your next adventure short, and pick up a pair today!
