How to choose a UTV gas can
Three decisions cover most of it: how much fuel you want to carry, where it rides on the machine, and whether it needs a lock.
Capacity. The RotoPax 2 Gallon Gasoline Pack is the middle of the lineup. Below it sits the 1.75 gallon pack for tight mounting spots, and above it the 3 and 4 gallon packs for longer days. All four are CARB/EPA 50-state compliant and run about $100 to $150. The RotoPax FuelpaX 2.5 Gallon Fuel Pack is the lower-cost flat pack at about $75, made in the USA. Diesel machines get the RotoPax 2 Gallon Diesel Pack. On the steel side, the Wavian jerry cans come in 10 liter (2.6 gallon) and 20 liter (5.3 gallon) sizes at about $110 to $120.
Flat pack or steel can. A RotoPax pack is flat on purpose. It bolts to a mount, stays out of the bed, and a pair of 2 gallon packs interlock into one stacked unit with a $5 set of retaining clips. A Wavian can is authentic military-issue steel with flat sides that sit flush against a bed rack or cage and a three-handle top that makes it easy to carry and pour. Starting from a bare rack or cage, the RotoPax system gives you more mounting choices.
Locking or not. The RotoPax Standard Pack Mount is the basic three-piece unit: base plate, clamp block, and T-handle, about $50. The RotoPax DLX Pack Mount adds an oversized handle for real tightening power. The LOX locking mounts put a keyed lock inside the handle, so the pack stays on the machine while you are away from it. You can also convert a mount you already own by swapping in the RotoPax GEN 2 LOX Locking T-Handle.
By machine and by mounting spot
The packs are universal. Machine fit comes in with the plate or bracket under the mount.
- Polaris RZR. The RotoPax Mounting Plate for Polaris RZR is a powder-coated steel plate shaped to sit over the rear cross-bar. The included hose clamp holds it down, no welding or drilling, and it is punched for any RotoPax pack mount. More RZR parts live in the Polaris RZR hub.
- Polaris Ranger. The RotoPax Universal Mounting Plate is the larger steel plate for 2 gallon combos and 4 gallon packs. Slotted holes bolt it to a UTV frame or a trailer wall, and it drops in on a Polaris Ranger bed. See the Polaris Ranger hub for the rest of the bed.
- On the cage, any machine. The RotoPax PAX Roll Bar Mount clamps to any roll bar between 1.5 and 1.8 inches and gives a pack mount a solid home on the cage. It works with RotoPax and FuelpaX mounts.
- On the spare tire. The RotoPax EZ Tire Kit Spare Tire Mount uses two pre-drilled plates and a heavy duty ratchet strap to turn any size spare into a mounting surface for gas, water, or storage packs. No drilling.
- No flat surface to bolt to. The RotoPax L-Bracket Fuel Pack Mounting Bracket is an 8 gauge steel angle bracket, slotted on both legs, that creates a flat face where the rig does not have one. The RotoPax Pack Mount Backing Plate goes behind thin sheet metal so the mount pulls against real steel.
Packs, cans, and spares at a glance
| Option | Capacity | About |
|---|
| RotoPax 1.75 Gallon Gasoline Pack | 1.75 gallons | $100, for tight mounting spots |
| RotoPax 2 Gallon Gasoline Pack | 2 gallons | $110, interlocks in pairs |
| RotoPax 3 Gallon Gasoline Pack | 3 gallons | $120, longer days |
| RotoPax 4 Gallon Gasoline Pack | 4 gallons | $150, long days, needs the larger plate |
| RotoPax FuelpaX 2.5 Gallon Fuel Pack | 2.5 gallons | $75, made in the USA |
| Wavian Jerry Can, 2.6 Gallon (10 Liter) | 10 liters | $110, the compact steel option |
| Wavian Jerry Can - 5.3 Gallon (20 Liter) NATO Fuel Can | 20 liters | $120, the original NATO pattern |
Water and DEF ride on the same hardware. RotoPax water packs come in 2 and 5 gallon sizes, BPA free, with a pour spout in the box. The 2 gallon DEF packs are color coded blue. Wavian water cans hold 22 liters (5.8 gallons) in BPA-free, food-grade resin with a leak-proof bayonet closure, about $55.
Spares matter with fuel gear. The Wavian Fuel Can Spout with Auto Shut-Off (about $30) is CARB, EPA, and DOT approved and fits the Wavian steel cans. Replacement lids, gaskets, pins, and caps are a few dollars each. On the RotoPax side you can order replacement T-handles, a lock cylinder with two keys, and pack mount extensions that stack a second pack on top of the first.
For the full walkthrough of pack versus can, read the UTV gas can guide. Dry storage packs in the same 2 gallon shape live in cargo, under the parent storage category.
From MaxtOffroad
If the machine sits at a trailhead or a campsite for any length of time, order the RotoPax Gen 2 LOX Locking Pack Mount with your pack. What sold us is the integrated dust cover over the keyway. A locking mount is only useful if the key still turns after a muddy season, and the redesigned cylinder plus that cover is the documented answer to it. It bolts to any flat surface and hand tightens onto the pack, so nothing about the install changes.
Frequently asked questions
Do RotoPax fuel packs come with a mount?
No. The RotoPax gasoline and diesel packs list their mount as sold separately, and the water and DEF packs are listed as compatible with the Standard, Deluxe, and Locking mounts. Order a mount with the pack, and add a plate or an L-bracket if the machine has no flat surface to bolt to.
Which RotoPax size fits a UTV best?
It comes down to the space you have. The 1.75 gallon pack is listed for tight mounting spots, the 2 gallon pack is the one that interlocks in pairs, and the 3 and 4 gallon packs are for longer days. A 4 gallon pack or a stacked 2 gallon pair calls for the larger RotoPax Universal Mounting Plate.
Is there a RotoPax mount for the Polaris RZR?
Yes. The RotoPax Mounting Plate for Polaris RZR is shaped to sit over the rear cross-bar and clamps on with the included hose clamp, no welding or drilling. It is punched for any RotoPax pack mount, so you add the mount and pack of your choice on top.
RotoPax pack or Wavian jerry can?
Fuel bolted to the machine with the option to stack or lock it: RotoPax. A steel NATO-pattern can with a fast-pour spout and a three-handle top: Wavian. Capacity tips it too, since the 20 liter Wavian holds 5.3 gallons, more than the largest 4 gallon RotoPax pack.
Can I stack two RotoPax packs on one mount?
Yes. The pack mount extensions thread onto the mount already on the machine and tighten the whole column as one unit, with versions for the 1.75, 3, and the 1, 2, 2G2, and 4 gallon containers. For a stacked 2 gallon pair, the interlocking clips hold the joint closed.
