Battery hold down options?

[bigtone23]

Anyone have a suggestion on a battery hold down?
Ordered one from Toyota Parts Deal only to cancel the order as they said the top bracket was not available.
I'll be poking around the shop looking on how to adapt a universal fit one, but any suggestions would be awesome. Seems most universal hold downs run across the battery between the posts, where the stock one goes the other direction across the battery top.

[JDM VANMAN]

Run the hold down bar across the opposite side of the posts and install some longer j-hooks to run down at an angle below the side where the posts sit. I have a larger Group 24 battery to fill the space in the battery box.

JDM

[JDM VANMAN]

To the left in the photo is the Group24 Interstate Battery
http://i.imgur.com/Hd2sGdi.jpg

​http://i.imgur.com/7rX0NHR.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KwUJJeK.jpg


Here’s how it’s installed in the battery box-


http://i.imgur.com/gO1Reux.jpg


JDM

[bigtone23]

Very cool. I'm picking up a larger 75 battery today and will see what I can make work for a hold down. Didn't consider the angular approach, that's why I love this place!

[outlawmws]

Interesting timing! I was just looking at battery sizes and comparing to the stock group 25...

JDM; What group size on the one to the right, and did it fit for height?

The box has a ton of length available to it but by staying with common battery sizes you should be able to hold cost down?

Mine has minimal clearance for the posts to the cover...

BT: for that battery hold down bar, take some not so thick angle, maybe 3/4 or 1" and cut it longer than the battery is. Flatten an end (Do this first to establish how much longer it needs to be) the the other end, and drill the flattened ends for the J bolts like JDM has done. Use some inner tube to line the inside with to reduce corrosion and chafing on the battery case.

Common sizes by group:



Group Size
LxWxH (inches)
LxWxH (cm)
Notes


24
10.25 x 6.8125 x 8.875
26x 17.3 x 22.5
Deep Cycle? -some have dual posts


25
9.0625 x 6.875 x 8.875
23x 17.5 x 22.5
Stock


27
12.0625 x 6.8125 x 8.875
30.6 x 17.3 x 22.5
Deep Cycle?


Group 31 Batteries (https://www.batteryequivalents.com/group-31-batteries.html)
13 x 6.8125 x 9.4375
33 x 17.3 x 24
Too Tall!


34 or 34R
10.25 x 6.8125 x 7.875
26 x 17.3 x 20
Shorter, longer - OK


35
9.0625 x 6.875 x 8.875
23x 17.5 x 22.5
Same size as stock

[JDM VANMAN]

JDM; What group size on the one to the right, and did it fit for height?

I’m not sure if the group size is considered to be different for AGM batteries but when I went in to get one and gave the clerk my vehicle information he told me it requires a group 25 size as you’ve stated, I informed him I would like a Group24 size to fill in the battery box to maximum capacity.

After some talking and comparing I went with the Duracell AGM battery, I haven’t taken the time to actually measure the dimensions but when I did the side by side comparisons I realized it wouldn’t be a problem fitting it into the battery box causen it’s smaller.

Even the Interstate battery being taller I never had any issues with the terminals hitting the top of the battery box cover.

JDM

[bigtone23]

My 75/86DT battery fits really snug in the tray, but still has a lot of room on the short sides. It's the same width as a 25, but it snugs up better for depth and is not as tall as a 25, as I used the lifter that came with it to give it about an extra inch or so for height. It's dual terminal and did take a little finagling to get it set in the tray.
FWIW, it had 100 more CCA and 10 more minutes of reserve capacity compared to the 25 and was a lower price.

[JDM VANMAN]

As for the hold down bar for the battery, I remember my 91’ FJ80 Landcruiser and 03’ Sequoia both had a hold down bar and J-hooks for the battery, maybe even the 4runners have them, it might be worth checking the wrecking yard? I’ll measure the bar and post this weekend or if someone has a free moment they can post it as well. :thmbup:

JDM

[bigtone23]

The battery box is about 13" wide at the bottom, I'm guessing a 12" piece of iron drilled out and a pair of 10" J hooks cut to the needed length will work.

[JDM VANMAN]

Man the day got by me today with all the running around and I didn’t get a chance to measure the battery hold down bracket. But I did talk with a buddy of mine about making the bracket in his shop, he said it would be a piece of cake. I showed him this thread and what the bracket looks like, he said he’d let me come in and make them in his shop. I told him on a plus note.... I did take metal shop in the 7th grade:LOL2::LOL2: he said this would Be like a 5th grade level project:rol::rol:

I would just make the brackets with holes and anyone’s interested would need to purchase their own J-hooks since battery height would be different depending on everyone’s need and budgets.

JDM

[bigtone23]

Man the day got by me today with all the running around and I didn’t get a chance to measure the battery hold down bracket. But I did talk with a buddy of mine about making the bracket in his shop, he said it would be a piece of cake. I showed him this thread and what the bracket looks like, he said he’d let me come in and make them in his shop. I told him on a plus note.... I did take metal shop in the 7th grade:LOL2::LOL2: he said this would Be like a 5th level project:rol::rol:

I would just make the brackets with holes and anyone’s interested would need to purchase their own J-hooks since battery height would be different depending on everyone’s need and budgets.

JDM
I would happily commission a custom JDM bracket! :greenvan::greenvan::dance2::dance2:

[JDM VANMAN]

I would happily commission a custom JDM bracket! :greenvan::greenvan::dance2::dance2:


Thank you, today I pulled the my hold down bracket to take it to Rick so he can get a hands on feel and visual of the Hold Down Bar.

We’ll get the materials ordered up and the plan is to meet at his shop on Sunday and get the work done in a couple hours. All in all I think there will be 15-17 Hold Down Bars made.

JDM

[bigtone23]

Thank you, today I pulled the my hold down bracket to take it to Rick so he can get a hands on feel and visual of the Hold Down Bar.

We’ll get the materials ordered up and the plan is to meet at his shop on Sunday and get the work done in a couple hours. All in all I think there will be 15-17 Hold Down Bars made.

JDM
That's awesome, thank you for doing this! My Paypal or Venmo account is warmed up!
If I made one, it would be rather raw, as I don't have proper metal working tools. I would probably use a piece of aluminum angle hammered flat (hoping it doesn't break) and drilled.

[JDM VANMAN]

Yes having to tools is going to make it easy, not to mention Ricks experience.

JDM

[JDM VANMAN]

They are finished and available in this link-

https://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?6513-Battery-hold-downs-bracket&p=37975#post37975

JDM

[cpginkpt]

anybody have a photo of the stock lid setup or mods to hold the lid down tighter?

Mine is stock (below) but I can't figure out how the screw piece works. I was thinking it would just unscrew and I could a wing nut on there (?)

Goal is to seal it up better (1/2 gap now) to reduce noise, heat, smells...