Battery hold down

[bluebronco69]

Looking for a better battery hold down. The one I have is a cheap auotparts store unit. Been fine for a while but id like something more robust.
Not into the billet stuff that the bronco vendors have.
Any sources or websites oit there to check out? I could swap the tray too but hoping to make this one work (also not into the diamond plate trays etc)

What are you guys running?

 

[AC932]

I bought the black steel TBP one which was great until I installed it. The bolts cracked the coating at the attachment points and 3 years later its very flaky. So, not that one I guess. Something for a marine application might hold up well.

 

[Scoop]

I got a new battery tray and then bought one of the auto store hold downs and threw the rubber top piece away! I made a new hold down out of 1" x 1/8" steel strap to go across the battery. I just used the J hooks and wing nuts/washers from the purchased hold down. It's just a matter of cutting to length and drilling 2 holes. Very simple and not "overdone" like some of the billet ones.

 

[.94 OR]

I run a bigger battery out of my F150 in mine so it doesn't fit the tray. The J hook in the front is a pain to ensure it is in place. I'm planning to pick up a tray from a mid 90's F series that fits my battery and has the small wedge block style clamp that I can access on the inner fender side of the battery.

 

[66BlueGoose]

Some of the earlier years had an extra bracket that tied to the radiator core support. It makes a huge difference with the stock tray when properly installed.

 

[AZ73]

I use RuffStuff's Battery box. The only issue I has was the original mounting. It's flat on the bottom so you can't use bolts, they'd dig into the bottom of the battery. I drilled out the bolt holes to match the holes in the frame bracket, then countersunk them at a wide angle, and used tapered flat heads bolts with an allen head. It's flush and holds tight now.

https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/ODDSNGL.html

 

[jedblake]

I run a marine purpose hold down in polished aluminum. They make them in plastic and steel too. I find it looks great and gives the added strength. Check your local marine parts house or online.

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, I would look at the original Ford hold down. If you can't find one for a Bronco, look for the Mustang hold down. Good luck

 

[DirtDonk]

I'm with B RON CO on this. The original ones (like the one you bought it sounds like. Like this? https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Stock_Battery_Hold_Down/Bronco_Batteries) were strong, but lasted but a few years because the moisture and acid would get under the rubber coating and that was all she wrote.
Ford changed to a solid plastic/phenolic kind of thingy that was also very strong, but was never going to rust or corrode. I used one for years, but had to go to Plan-B when I started using Optimas because of their odd shape.
I made the stock one work, but it wasn't optimal.

Ford has straight ones and angled ones too, along with small ones and big ones. A junkyard trip should net you all kinds of options, or an eBay/Amazon hunt might net you some new ones at good prices.
I hear you on the billet stuff, but these really aren't too bad: https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/s?keyword=battery+hold+down and should do the job without too much hunting.
But if you just like stock stuff like I do, then a later hold down might be the ticket.

As said, no matter what you use, adding that extra strap (or just keeping it if you have one already) really makes the battery mount solid as a rock.

Paul

 

[abn373]

Anybody use or consider a rear mounted (in the "trunk") fully enclosed battery box? Probably with a down vent. My regular front battery is impossible to get in and out. It once started a fire when the positive terminal managed to get over onto the fender lip (don't ask). I have had two Z06 Corvettes that had them trunk mounted for weight distribution (and Z06s don't have a separate trunk so essentially they were in the cabin). So it seems that in a EB without a hardtop...or even a soft top most times...and properly vented it may put weight in the rear and I just run the positive up to the terminal bank I mounted on the fender anyway bc I was tired of attaching to battery.

Street legal? Safe? Dumb idea?

 

[B RON CO]

Hi i did mean the later phenolic holdown. I think Ford used some kind of special bolts that did not corrode. Good luck

 

[Broncomt]

Friend had a 20's something Buick that battery went dead. Had a hell of a time finding it, was under the rear seat. Many modified cars have batteries in the rear/trunk so don't see a problem.

Also, you can buy a paint specific for battery boxes, etc that is acid resistant. Used it all the time in the military.

 

[DirtDonk]

Cadillacs often have the battery under the back seat.
Friend's '80's Mercedes has it in the trunk, but the trunk isn't exactly isolated in most passenger cars either.
Using an AGM type battery makes that much easier as the amount of off-gassing outside of the case is negligible compared to a regular battery, and no liquid will make it outside the case.
Still should use the battery box of course, and vent it outside just in case. But you at least start at an advantage with AGM.

Not many of us need the rear mounted battery thing though. Plenty of room under most EB hoods still.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

...My regular front battery is impossible to get in and out.

Just curious abn, what'cha running under the hood that makes the battery so hard to work with?

It once started a fire when the positive terminal managed to get over onto the fender lip (don't ask).

Sounds like yours is oriented like Ford intended, but pushed farther under the lip of the fender than normal.
In case you haven't already changed it, most of us use the reversed terminal batteries that put the negative at the fender and the positive over on the engine side. It's not quite as clean in the wiring department sometimes (though not that bad) but it sure beats worrying about sparks flying when you don't want them to!

I always thought that was a bad idea, so we always reversed them the first chance we got.
If you haven't yet, then consider it the next time you change batteries.

Paul

 

[abn373]

Just curious abn, what'cha running under the hood that makes the battery so hard to work with?



Sounds like yours is oriented like Ford intended, but pushed farther under the lip of the fender than normal.
In case you haven't already changed it, most of us use the reversed terminal batteries that put the negative at the fender and the positive over on the engine side. It's not quite as clean in the wiring department sometimes (though not that bad) but it sure beats worrying about sparks flying when you don't want them to!

I always thought that was a bad idea, so we always reversed them the first chance we got.
If you haven't yet, then consider it the next time you change batteries.

Paul

I would like to say I have a twin-turbo-supercharged 9.5L Gold Edition causing clearance issues, but no its just a barely modified 302. ;D

I feel like a complete fool for not considering reversing the positive terminal to the other side. Damn! Seriously, sometimes the forest for the trees...that could have saved me a lot of work. Hey, believe it or not, when the battery got on the fender....it caused my steering rag joint to burst into flames...No BS. I kept spraying the flames on steering column with a fire extinguisher and they kept relighting...until I saw the contact of the terminal. After that I had to replace rag joint with a flaming river set up.

 

[abn373]

I am still thinking now, that a rear cargo area battery setup (possibly dual batteries) with an AC/DC converter with plugs may move weight to the rear, free up that mess under the hood, and I may attach a solar panel marine battery tender on the top of the contraption.
Sorry about the hijack.

 

[66BlueGoose]

The old VW bugs had the battery mounted under the rear seat inside the cabin. My 2003 3 series bmw has a trunk mount battery, with fold down rear seats, it's effectively inside the cabin too.

 

[gnpenning]

Abn what do you have for a ground (s) between the motor and frame, motor and body?