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Battery Hold Down Options? (L400 Double Battery)
Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:30 am
by mark
Just wondering what is the most effective battery hold-down system for a double battery L400?
Mine (pictured below) comes very close to (i.e. touches) he positive terminals, and I suspect this might have been the cause of my batteries failing on me last weekend...
- IMG_20140101_083012.jpg (2.15 MiB) Viewed 3367 times
- IMG_20140101_082951.jpg (1.37 MiB) Viewed 3367 times
For the time being, I've removed the hold downs altogether until I can find a better system. Any thoughts?
Re: Battery Hold Down Options? (L400 Double Battery)
Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:01 am
by fredt
I had both my batterys replaced a couple of weeks ago, when I popped the bonnet :(hood) I saw that the hold down strap was really close to the battery terminals! I found that loosening it off and moving the batterys about allowed me to get a little more clearance, I think originally the plastic coating on the hold down helped stop the problem of shorting out! I keep meaning to add a length of split plastic garden hose to the cross peices to act as an insulation barrier till i can get the hold down strap recoated
as to running the truck with the batterys loose! I would'nt risk it! they bounce and hit the expansion bottle its going to be costly!
Re: Battery Hold Down Options? (L400 Double Battery)
Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:41 am
by Big-Bird
Suggest you clean up the hold down bracket(sandblasting is best).
Primer coat with good quality primer.
Then coat with plasti-dip. Either brush it on or get the spray bomb version (Part Source carries this)
A second option: wrap the hold down bracket with high quality electrical tape and reinstall.
A third option: fabrication of a custom device.
A forth option: Using a washer fluid jug cut a guard/spacer that sits between the battery terminal clamp and the battery. It should be a little larger than the battery clamp so that the hold down bracket can't make contact with the battery terminal.
Re: Battery Hold Down Options? (L400 Double Battery)
Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2014 9:47 pm
by mark
Thank you fredt and Big-Bird -
You are quite right fredt that moving the batteries around led to much more clearance between the posts and strap.
I wasn't too comfortable driving around with loose battery either, so I cleaned up the rusty end, wrapped it up well with electrical tape, and re-installed.
I really like the battery clamp-down system that you posted earlier today:
http://www.tigweld4u.com/delica-battery-tray.html
(much more solid, and straps don't come anywhere near posts). However, in the meantime my batteries should remain safely in place...