I was out and about yesterday, enjoying the sunshine, when I decided to stop for short break. Tried to start again, but no joy - battery dead. To cut a long story short, the battery was totally knackered, so I bought a replacement... same type number, but the casing was -just- a tiny bit too big for my existing over-complicated retaining bracket.

I really can't be bothered to make a new bracket as that would involve buying a fresh length of steel strip, waiting for that to arrive, then bending it, welding and repainting... I want to enjoy this nice weather!

So - I decided that I would go all conventional and make/buy a bracket like those found on tin-tops. Specifically, my battery has those sloping bits at the bottom for use with this kind of bracket:



I'm thinking of one of these at the front, and some sort of fixed retainer at the back. This one is fine, apart from the cost; £9 for a nice shiny bit of bling... plus £4.50 postage!

So - does anyone know of a cheaper source? I don't need shiny stainless steel, and I'll be quite happy with a paint finish.

Alternatively, any other ideas for keeping the battery in place? I don't particularly want the sort of retainer with a bar across the top and 2 rods on the side with wing nuts - unless I have to.

i went for the two vertical lengths of stainless studding and wing nuts, largely because the Indy came with a fibreglass battery cover. It's basic but accommodates variations in battery size which was my main remit.

Rover 75s have nice battery box that will bolt on a flat surface, plastic box with a steel base plate that will clamp most common battery sizes up to 096.
A lot of ones in the scrappiest though are missing the LD.

My battery has two " ears " at the bottom of the sides. I used two short lengths bit of right-angle ally and bolt them down trapping the ears. There are semi- circular cutouts on the battery ears to let the bolts through. Works for me


[img]http://
battery clamp [/img]

[Edited on 7/3/14 by Macbeast]

Scrapyard will have plenty, just need to clean up and paint it.

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Originally posted by Not Anumber
i went for the two vertical lengths of stainless studding and wing nuts, largely because the Indy came with a fibreglass battery cover. It's basic but accommodates variations in battery size which was my main remit.

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Originally posted by Macbeast
My battery has two " ears " at the bottom of the sides.

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Originally posted by 40inches

This is what I used. Cheap and adjustable

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Originally posted by David Jenkins

quote:

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Originally posted by 40inches

This is what I used. Cheap and adjustable

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Wouldn't work for my battery - it has the Ford-style bolt-on terminals with sticking-out bits that would be perilously close to the metal cross-piece. I don't want to accidentally put a steel bar between the terminals!

Anyway - I've found a solution (hopefully). I found an ebay advert for a battery tray with a nylon strap, and it's a good fit for the base of the battery. Not the cheapest, but will look tidy and should do the job nicely (again, hopefully).

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Trouble is - I need to put the battery with its terminals outwards (i.e. on the side away from the firewall) so that I can unbolt the cables easily. This means that the bracket will have to be on the same side as the terminals, otherwise it won't hold the battery as securely as it should. (This is my own dubious opinion, of course!)

But as I said, this is academic now as I have ordered the parts - maybe I'll post a picture when I've installed it.

Quote " I don't need shiny stainless steel, and I'll be quite happy with a paint finish. "



I did look David, honest, for a rusty ol' bit of crap metal;

but I could only find, "bling", "bling bling" or "bling bling bling."

Sorry.
Paul G

[Edited on 8/3/14 by 907]

Don't worry - I've got lots of "rusty ol' crap metal' on my shelves already!

how about a battery strap. Mine is tight and keeps battery well in place. Passed IVA with it too. It is held down under the battery trap so can't come off.

Battery strap

That's pretty much what I'm getting - with a tray to go underneath.



BATTERY TRAY, LIGHTWEIGHT ALLOY BATTERY BOX, CLAMP, RACE, RALLY, KIT CAR, LOCOST


[Edited on 8/3/14 by David Jenkins]