SmittyBuilt Jerry Can Holder attachment

[larryqp]

I have enough room on my Ford F150 4x4 behind my FWC Hawk Camper to mount a SmittyBuilt Jerry Can holder.
My first thought is to mount it by bolting it through the bottom of the can holder directly to the bumper. I am thinking that I should not attach it to both the camper and the bumper, to avoid the stress that might occur if the camper flexed laterally in one direction while the truck's bumper might flex laterally in the opposite direction. The camper is bolted through the bed of the truck.

My second thought is to through bolt it to the camper, using backing plates, similar to the way my Batwing awning is attached.

I have a Front Runner 5 gallon Jerry can with a bottom spigot, which I use for water, so the SmittyBuilt was perfect to allow access to both the top fill and the bottom spigot without modifying it. I also have the FWC air conditioner, so using the jack brackets wasn't an option.

I would appreciate all thoughts on this.
Thanks

 

[XJINTX]

I have a Hawk on my F250 short bed. I did about the same with mount of spare Jerry can. I used an AT holder though very stout. In the bottom of the mount I drilled down through the steel bumper to bolt. I made a flat steel "adapter" bolts to AT mount and then I used the threaded hole in truck where the Bed Extender attached. It is very solid and out of the way

 

[JHanson]

I agree it would be a bad idea to bolt it to both bumper and camper. There will certainly be some flex between the two on rough roads. It seems to me it would be more stable bolted to the camper with proper backing plates.

 

[larryqp]

thanks, I added a 10" x 3 ft pine board with a piece of 8" steel flat sheet stock, across the license plate cutout on the bumper, painted everything black, bolted it thru the bumper with fender washers. I then bolted the Smittybuilt jerry can holder, thru the steel, wood and used an aluminum backing plate under the wood. Covered the whole thing with some black indoor/outdoor carpet. Serves as a nice final step into the hawk and gives me easy access to the bottom spigot on my front runner jerry can for water.

The Smittybuillt can holder is about 1/2" away from the Hawk, so it shouldn't rub.