davenjeip : Battery Mount

Battery Mount
Post by davenjeip on Jun 12, 2006, 8:53pm

Need to rig up a mount for a battery to start trying to get the motor running in the truck.

All the original stuff is missing, including the wiring. I want to get it out of the cab, anyway.

I was planning on hitting the junkyard on the chance that I can find a battery tray out of a FSJ in good condition and mount it up the way they did. Otherwise, I'll just get a universal tray and install it in the factory (FSJ factory, not M715 factory) location.


Wanted to see if y'all did anything better that might want to make me head in another direction. Anyone do anything interesting?

Re: Battery Mount
Post by luckypabst on Jun 12, 2006, 9:21pm

FSJ method is great. It has a brace below the tray that's spot welded to the inner fender. The spot welds break pretty easy after you get the tray removed. Be sure to take notes on where it mounts (pretty obvious once you see it) and weld that bracket back in to your 715.

It's kind of a bummer to have the battery right there under the hood if you're used to it being in the cab and out of sight but it's a nice clean way to go about opening up some room in the cab.

Chris

Re: Battery Mount
Post by bluesman2a on Jun 12, 2006, 9:49pm

I went with a dual setup under-hood in mine.
The fender-well required a little more work, but I think it'll be worth it.

http://www.sjmembers.com/gallery/alb...0486.sized.jpg
http://www.sjmembers.com/gallery/alb...0487.sized.jpg

You can get the battery trays here:
http://www.aa-mfg.com/pdshop/shop/item.asp?itemid=138
They are pretty solid compared to the stock FSJ pieces.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by oilcan on Jun 12, 2006, 11:25pm

Just so's you know, you can stuff two of thoes dry-cell batteries in one battery tray of that size. Might help out if you have other space concerns.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by rpgdeity on Jun 13, 2006, 1:22am

Here is what I did. This won't work for everybody, but it worked really well for my rig. For all of you who would wonder why I would put my battery where I did, below is my reasoning, lol.

I had a single batt. in a badly fabricated "box" that was cut into the driver side fenderwell. When I put my 38" XL's, they hit it, and I wanted 2 battery's anyway. I was also installing an in bed box to put stuff in, and also will be building a bed rack. The bed rack sits out a bit in order to give me a good amount of area on top for a ground plane for all my antennas, and I figured out that if I mounted the in bed box close to the cab, I wasn't going to be able to open it very well, so it had to come out a bit. This left me some space between the front of the bed near the cab, and near my box. So I opted to build a battery box where that space was.

I first measured the battery I was going to be using (I also found the "standard size" of automotive battery, so that if I went to a different type/brand of batt. it would still fit in the box), then drew up a quick plan of the box. The whole things is made out of 14 gauge 304 Stainless Steel.

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/9...wing9qx.th.jpg

Then I went to work cutting out the pieces, forming them up, and welding the whole thing together. Here are some pics of the box:

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2...ized1xt.th.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/1...ized6po.th.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6...ized0or.th.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/8...ized6oi.th.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3...ox055hu.th.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6...ized5jp.th.jpg

I'll try to get a pic of the inside of the box with a battery and stuff installed tomorrow.

If you can figure out my drawing, you will see that I cut out the bottom at one side of the box (bottom left corner of the drawing). I made the box big enough to fit two batteries, then have room at the end for a fuse block, a solenoid for each battery (one batt will be strictly accesories, the other dedicated to starting the engine, I wanted to be able to disconnect both right at the box.) and the cables to manouver down through a hole in my bed under the cutout, and from there routed where I want them.

You might also wonder how I am going to have easy access to them in case I need to jump/be jumped by someone. I will be running the leads to the batteries both to the front and rear of the vehicle and have a towtruck style power plug. I will then make a set of cables that have my plug on one end, and the clamps on the other. I am also not worried about my batteries going dead because I have installed a trickle charger that has a plug in on the side of my Jeep.

This is an option that will probably only work for a handful of people, but I thought you guys would like to see it.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by wrecker on Jun 13, 2006, 11:16am

This is another project on my "to do" list as well. I have a battery tray on the firewall in the same location as one of Bluesman's. There is a problem with that location if you want to install a heater at some point. The FSJ mount may also cause problems with a wider radiator swap which is kinda common. The pass side radiator bracket gets moved over a couple inches. I have been waiting to do the radiator swap first and then see if the FSJ mount will work but someone else might know all ready. Anyway, that might help muddy up the water a little. Bill

Re: Battery Mount
Post by elwenil on Jun 13, 2006, 11:48am

I'm thinking of putting mine under the bed in some sort of slide out drawer or something like an M35, I believe. I just have to figure out what size battery I am going to use and where I have room for it since the Group 30H ones I normally use are a bit large for this.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by bluesman2a on Jun 13, 2006, 12:15pm


Quote: <TABLE class=bordercolor cellSpacing=1 width="90%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%"><TABLE class=quote cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">The FSJ mount may also cause problems with a wider radiator swap which is kinda common. The pass side radiator bracket gets moved over a couple inches. I have been waiting to do the radiator swap first and then see if the FSJ mount will work but someone else might know all ready. Anyway, that might help muddy up the water a little. Bill</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Mine is done WITH a wider/standard FSJ V-8 radiator. Notice I DID have to recess the box into the fender, like so:
http://www.sjmembers.com/gallery/alb...4/DSCF0506.jpg

Re: Battery Mount
Post by porkchop on Jun 13, 2006, 12:24pm

Mine are going to eventually go under the bed as well. I am going to make a drop down tray for them.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by sermis on Jun 13, 2006, 3:43pm

Bluesman2a, are you running 11.00 16's? At 38" are they going to hit the inside of the fender well. Does not look like much room left after the fender was cut out. I want to relocate on my M725. right not I have it in the storage box on the side but need the box for chains, Have a heater so the fire wall is out. Thought about the same mod but does not look like enough room. Still need a bigger radiator, Texas 100 out side. Motor temp stays around 200 - 210 running eaisy with stock rad and 350 chev. If I play I know it is going to get too hot.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by bluesman2a on Jun 13, 2006, 6:14pm


Quote: <TABLE class=bordercolor cellSpacing=1 width="90%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%"><TABLE class=quote cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">Bluesman2a, are you running 11.00 16's? At 38" are they going to hit the inside of the fender well. Does not look like much room left after the fender was cut out. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

I'm running 38.5" Swampers at the moment, I don't know the specific numbers but there's more room between the tire and battery insert than there is up-travel between the axle and the bump-stops. Also it's far enough forward and inboard (front/top/inside corner of the wheel well) that even if the tire were to stuff up in there, it'd be hard to hit that.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by luckypabst on Jun 23, 2006, 12:25am

Using the FSJ mount does not require you to cut into the inner fender and it works with the wide radiator mod (FSJ already has that anyhow). It does however mount the battery at a strange angle.

Chris

Re: Battery Mount
Post by whydah on Jun 24, 2006, 2:18am

ammo box for me.

i banged out passenger side fender well to accomodate the corner of the box. then bolted it to the fender well and the front radiator support. it fits one specific size battery just right, a common model. i place a curled heater hose on top of the battery when i close the box door to protect the terminals from touching the box.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/100...sc063051vv.jpg

Re: Battery Mount
Post by jeepistdougiowa on Jun 24, 2006, 9:06am

Jeff, did you drill any drain holes in the ammo can?

I used a rocket box for a few years(dual battery) and found that water would always find its way in thru the holes for the cables.

Re: Battery Mount
Post by binfordm715 on Jun 24, 2006, 9:12am

...and holes for off-gassing. Very cool idea though! I like it!

Re: Battery Mount
Post by fsjguy on Jun 24, 2006, 10:36am

Ammo box is a great idea. I'd suggest a piece of wood and rubber matt the correct thickness to gently squeeze the battery and hold it in place. The heater hose insulation is an excellent choice. Stick a hole in the bottom, or if you're really geeky and anal, drill and tap it for a metal fitting and attach a metal drain line running down and cap it with a one way valve. <g>

Re: Battery Mount
Post by whydah on Jun 26, 2006, 9:22am

thanks

don't think i'll get water in but thanks for the tips. i've wondered about heat as well, but it hasn't appeared to cause any problems

Re: Battery Mount
Post by elwenil on Jun 26, 2006, 9:33am

Hmmm, I wonder if a Optima will fit a .50cal box? They are sealed already, so there wouldn't be any need to vent and some nice grommets on the cables would make for a cool battery box. To expand on the idea, I wonder if there is room to add in bulkhead terminals to make a sort of self contained battery box that is easily swapped from vehicle to vehicle. I may be over thinking that a bit, but it seems a shame to have that nice carry handle and not use it for something, lol...

Re: Battery Mount
Post by snuffy on Jul 2, 2006, 6:11pm

Bluesman....

Have ~36 Swampers on the 'Goat' and has the battery 'cutout' like you have done. Nice job BTW! The Forest Service did this, but BUG cut it out...said the tires bound up on it in a turn in rough terrain.

Just thought I'd pass that on.


Making good progress on the truck... Keep the pics comming!

Snuffy