Underhood oil storage.

[RockRanger]

I have had way to many extra oil quarts get holes in them in my tool box and create a mess. I have looked at the Artec mounts. They are nice but none fit my needs and where I wanted it to go. Having a cnc plasma cutter in my garage made it easy to build my own. On my 93 ranger behind the passenger side headlight is a nice big opening. I am not sure if all trucks have this or just my stripped down version.

20151108_182121 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

I did a little cardboard cad and figured that I could fit 4 quarts of motor oil /atf and a quart of gear oil in this area. I spent some time on the computer and drew it out.

oil storage boxv2 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

I cut it out of 16ga steel. A few bends, a couple tack welds, a handful of rivets, and some spray paint and I had it ready to mount in the truck.

20151109_144044 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

20151109_144035 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Two 1/4 inch bolts hold one side to the inner fender.

20151109_145435 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

The other side has two quarter inch bolts mounting it to the radiator support. The lower bolt has a spacer of a nut between the mount and truck. This is because the unit has to sit at a slight angle to clear the factory air intake tube.

20151109_145542 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Here is what it looks like from the top.

20151109_145525 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

I put two quarts of engine oil and two quarts of ATF as well as the gear oil.

20151109_145627_010 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Lid on ready to go. Pull the pin and the lid comes off and the oil is easily removed from the holder.

20151109_145908 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

 

[1qaz]

Very nicely done! Would love to have a CNC machine. Cool design and great mounting location.

 

[adsm08]

That's pretty cool.

 

[Mark_88]

Nice...only thing I can see that might need a bit more work is containment...but can't tell from those shots if there is potential for the bottles to bounce around or wiggle out of position.

I used to store oil under the hood but kept loosing them...so started carrying in the bed in a rubbermaid plastic box...but that got messed up with oil so was thinking again...

 

[4x4junkie]

Guess I've been lucky?
I keep mine tightly nestled in a cardboard box within the storage platform unit I have inside the back of my BII.
Now you got me thinking I maybe should move them (they'd definitely make a mess there if one sprung a leak). Maybe I can replace the ammo can I have for storage under the hood with something bigger, hmmm...

On my 93 ranger behind the passenger side headlight is a nice big opening. I am not sure if all trucks have this or just my stripped down version.

Yeah all the '93 & '94s have that spot (I used it for a 2nd battery on my '94 XLT).

 

[RockRanger]

My problem has been the oil containers mixed in with the tools. Something rubs against one then everything in the bottom is covered in oil. I am already eyeing another under hood storage spot. With my truck not having AC there looks to be enough room to build a bracket above the blower motor to mount a 30 cal ammo box laying flat. That will have to wait a bit though.

 

[RockRanger]

Nice...only thing I can see that might need a bit more work is containment...but can't tell from those shots if there is potential for the bottles to bounce around or wiggle out of position.

I used to store oil under the hood but kept loosing them...so started carrying in the bed in a rubbermaid plastic box...but that got messed up with oil so was thinking again...

If you take one out the others will fit loose and will fall out. The space each bottle takes up makes each of them lock in. Only other way or them to come out is to be in an accident and have the front crunch. At that point it is the least of your problems. Time will tell when I do some wheeling with it.

 

[Mark_88]

If you take one out the others will fit loose and will fall out. The space each bottle takes up makes each of them lock in. Only other way or them to come out is to be in an accident and have the front crunch. At that point it is the least of your problems. Time will tell when I do some wheeling with it.

Yes, a road or off road test will give you an idea how well it holds them in...I didn't do much off road but those potholes can really shake things up...I'm sure you will have that sorted out soon enough...

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah mine are by themselves in a box (the bottom half cut from a Costco 2-pack gallon milk container box).
You might just be able to recognize them in the lower part of the right-side compartment in this pic: http://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/1005597_1

Anyway, nice work on yours for sure (as always)