KLR650: Mounting 40mm Ammo Can As Panniers – Part 1 of 2

40mm Ammo Can - KLR650Reviews.com

Issue: I’ve been looking to upgrade from the soft luggage on my 2008 KLR650 and all the commercial options that I’ve found are too expensive for my budget.  I am a KLR owner (You KLR650 owners know what I’m talking about!).  As usual, I’ve scoured Google and the forums but I haven’t been able to find a KLR rack & pannier combination under $750 (not including shipping).  Every once and a while a used set will pop up on a KLR forum but they sell within minutes, and I always feel like I’m five minutes behind everyone else.  Then I stumbled upon an inexpensive solution involving 40MM Ammo cans that were converted to panniers for someone’s 2009 KLR650.  My research took a new direction and here are the details on how it turned out.

Solution: I did my research and found an Army Surplus store online (GlobalArmySupply.com) that provided details on the size, weight and availability of different types of Ammo boxes.  I reviewed the options and choose the 40MM Ammo cans because of their size and weight. 40mm ammo box product page.  I realize the 40MM Ammo panniers are a little heavy for the KLR but I was willing to put up with the extra weight when I considered the cost savings.  Each Ammo can costs $25 plus a shipping fee.  All in, I purchased two Ammo boxes for just under $100 CDN taxes and shipping included.

Here’s my step-by-step instruction on how to prep the 40mm Ammo box panniers for installation on the KLR650:

1. When my used Ammo boxes arrived they were a little dirty and showed a
   

   40mm Ammo Can - KLR650Reviews.com

   few rust patches.  I started by removing the rust with a wire brush then wiped any excess with a wet cloth.

2. Secondly, in order to prep the painting process, I used a solvent to clean the Ammo boxes and smooth out a few rough patches.
3. After finding a well ventilated area to paint the Ammo boxes, I used the Tremclad metal primer as the base layer.  (note: pay attention to the instructions on the can – I stood too close and ended up with a few paint runs.)
4. After restarting and completing the primer process, I applied two coats of the Tremclad metal paint in gloss black.  I waited 48hrs before applying the second coat.

Now the 40mm Ammo boxes are ready to be installed on my KLR.  I’ve searched everywhere for an inexpensive rack to mount the boxes but settled on the SW-Motech SU rack for the 2008+ KLR 650.  I realize they aren’t the least expensive racks and that the cost is more than double what I paid for the 40mm Ammo boxes but the reviews  have been phenomenal and, frankly, there aren’t many other options out there.

I’m now waiting for the side racks to arrive.  Once it’s in I’ll mount the Ammo boxes and post my review and the how-to instructions. Continue to part 2 – Mounting the ammo boxes

Stay tuned our next update.