Topic: Battery Relocation Suggestions for 1st Gen Pickup

[YotaJosh]

28 years has taken its toll on the passenger inner fender where the battery tray is of my '79. I now have a large battery sized hole that a previous owner patched up with plywood and expanded metal. I don't want to loose my battery on the trail for oblivious reasons, so here are my ideas. Let me know what you think.

1. Fix the hole somehow, with sheet metal, junkyard inner fender, etc.
2. Relocate to the driver side, and relocate my washer fluid and overflow jug. Is this easily done?
3. Relocate to the bed which is probably the best option, but I don't want the battery in the bed.
4. Relocate to behind the passenger seat in the cab.

I want to do #4, but am afraid of any side effects (fumes, etc). I know car guys relocate to the trunk without any problems.

[79coyotefrg]

i suggest  the bed,  make a box  so its  covered  and  kinda sealed  so  it  dont get smacked by stuff in the bed

BigMike  made a mount for his  under the bed  up against the frame rail

i think im going to do something like that too,  just to move the weight  to the center of the truck

[Tallchevy]

If you rear locate the battery in the cab, make sure you use a Optima. It is a sealed battery & you wont get any fumes. You can mount it on it's side, upside down, how ever you want.
Quick & easy.

Custom,
Make a stand off bracket out of tubing that welds to the side of the frame & bends up to the bottom of the battery hole {in your body} & weld a plate to the top of the tubing to make the tray, secure the battery to the tray. Make sure you cut the hole in the body to have clearance when the body flexes.


If you make a box like 79coyotefrg says, make sure it has vents to let the fumes out.

[toolman]

I'm planning on moving mine to under the bed. I'm in the process of building a flatbed anyway so why not use some of the extra space underneath. Plan on running dual batteries too.

[YotaJosh [OP]]

If you rear locate the battery in the cab, make sure you use a Optima. It is a sealed battery & you wont get any fumes. You can mount it on it's side, upside down, how ever you want.
Quick & easy.

Custom,
Make a stand off bracket out of tubing that welds to the side of the frame & bends up to the bottom of the battery hole {in your body} & weld a plate to the top of the tubing to make the tray, secure the battery to the tray. Make sure you cut the hole in the body to have clearance when the body flexes.


If you make a box like 79coyotefrg says, make sure it has vents to let the fumes out.

I was thinking about the Optima for the in-cab location. I may still go this route.

I'm really not crazy about the bed because of the danger of stuff hitting it, even if it's in a sealed box.

The solid frame mount you speak of is interesting. The hole in the body is already taken care of

[YotaJosh [OP]]

BigMike  made a mount for his  under the bed  up against the frame rail

Any links/pictures of that? Do you think it would require a body lift for clearance?

[jimbo74]

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/DualBatteries.shtml

[BLACKDOG]

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=8847acf746163005e6719fd71a8db32e&topic=4401.0

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