Battery box and AC mount

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J Mack

J Mack

10 Year
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Threads
48
Messages
6,233
Location
Boise Idaho
I want to have two batteries and the batteries will physically fit were I want them but the Ruff Stuff boxes will not so I’ve been searching for a few days to find a back mount battery box for the Odyssey/Diehard 34/78 series battery and for one reason or another they won’t work on my 55, seams they all have tabs front/ back or top/front that will hit the hood or inner fender.

So I decided to make my own with tabs on the sides/front and should fit in the stock location or up against any flat surface with various bolt holes, I’m getting ready to sample one for fitment then have my guy laser, bend and weld up a couple from 11 gauge steel and I’m asking if any of you guys might need one.

These are a bit more complicated than the Ruff Stuff boxes but I’m guessing based on other parts he has made for me that they will be about $60.00 and I will confirm prices if there is any interest.

I have two top designs and I believe he can make both for the same price, the first one looked a little too much like a peace sign so I made the second one with a skull… to be honest I don't like either but I done making drawings so I need to either embrace the Birkenstocks or the flat bill hat. See the Battery box attachment for the drawing detail.



I will be sampling my Vapir II mount at the same time and if all works I could ask about these at the same time. They will mount the unit a couple inches higher than Ron’s in his Slow 71 build https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/img_2428-jpg.894953/ but essentially the same location.

This mount will use the top two factory 8mm holes and you will need to drill two 6mm holes in the rib just above them and have about an inch of vertical adjustment, it will be spaced ¾” off the firewall to allow for sound and heat mat with 4 natural rubber vibration damping sandwich mounts that will also help control the noise transmission to the plate. These mounts are from McMaster Carr http://www.mcmaster.com/#9217k49/=tlvxin and http://www.mcmaster.com/#9232k14/=tlvy0z . The 4 mounting tabs will also be bent ¾” to allow for the floor vents to pass behind so this will mount the unit 1.5” off the firewall. The mount will be made from .125” aluminum plate and again I’m guessing at a price of about $60.00. See the Vapir mount attachment for the drawing detail.



Mods if this violates some rule please delete - I’m just another paying customer and have no control over final price but I’m happy to offer my portion for no cost.
 

Attachments

I like the battery box made to fit the Odyssey. I have one made for the Optima and I don't think the Odyssey will fit. Where are you mounting it. Here's where mine is.

IMG_2572.webp


IMG_2572.webp
 
I use a stock tray, in the stock location, for the main battery and a second stock tray, mounted to the front of the first battery. It has worked well for several years .
 
Yeah, my post wasn't meant to be a dig either. I'd like to know the measurements when you get one bent up, but do you have something for the guy who just wears work boots. :)

Edit: I really like those rubber mounts, I'll be on them Monday. Thanks!
 
Chevurai,

No offense taken, I get it’s hard to type your opinion at times without sounding critical. The factory box will not work for my application and I want/need an off road style box that wraps the entire battery with a flat back for the Odyssey with no tabs on top, the inner fenders in a 55’s engine bay are very narrow and high limiting your choices for two full size batteries, add 3” intercooler piping and that limits your choices further. The reason this box doesn’t exist is because the Odyssey battery is only flat on the front and back and has angled sides complicating the design and manufacture of a flat back without top tabs.



Ron,

I’m mounting my air box right where you have your battery so I can pull cool air from the fender grate. One battery will be just forward of the factory location on the pass side and the other will mount about where the horns were on the driver’s side and the box will be formfitting so not much bigger than a bare battery. Lots of debate over Optima vs. Odyssey and I personally like the Odyssey but that severely limited my choices for boxes. I needed something that would mount like you have yours flat to a panel without adding any height and after searching for a few days I decided to make my own and you could easily remove all the lightening holes from the top plate if you just wanted a plane Jane top.

Designing one off parts for a FJ55 with a 4BT is a losing proposition and a business I’m not looking to get into, if I paid my design rate I would have about $2500 into these two parts alone for just computer time and we still haven’t cut and tweaked test parts yet but with that said if I need to create a part that doesn’t exist for my personal rig and one of you guys could use the same part then I’m happy to either pass on the plan or put you in touch with my guy I have making them.
 
JMack,

I'd rather have the Odyssey batteries also, But I've got this dual battery box, so might as well use it. I truly admire you guys, who can design stuff like that, sure beats drawing it out on cardboard.

It would great if the Optimas were still as good as they used to be. I had two in my M37, bought in 96 and just changed them out a few years ago. Never happen now.

Keep at it, a lot of work making your own pieces, but so much cooler. Birkenstocks, really? The closest I came to them, were desert boots. :)
 
Ron, where'd you get your box?
JMack, I may well be interested in a box in the future, just have to get the engine back in her and start seeing how things fit before I know what I'll need in terms of batteries. Is this a one run deal or something you can have cut and bent any time?
 
Thanks Ron. Of course before I decide, I've got to figure out how to fit a 4bt (in a perfect world without having to use an electric fan), route the intake up through the fender for a snorkel, make room for an intercooler, some additional plumbing and a second filter for the Veg oil, heat and ac coils, compressor and whatever else ive forgotten and THEN wedge in dual batteries. Seems like its going to be pretty tight in there
 
TuffMudder said:
Ron, where'd you get your box?
JMack, I may well be interested in a box in the future, just have to get the engine back in her and start seeing how things fit before I know what I'll need in terms of batteries. Is this a one run deal or something you can have cut and bent any time?
Click to expand...


I’m sure it would be cheaper if they built you a box or boxes at the same time they were running mine but I don’t think it’s a requirement, I would also assume they could still cut you everything I have a cad file for including the motor mounts, radiator mount, transfer case mounts, roof rack mounts, AC unit mount, alternator bracket, battery box and air cleaner housing. As long as you use my files you only pay for material, cut fee and shipping. I make my own drawings but if you want them to design a part for you they charge a $125 per hour cad fee.

The list grows every time I need something I can’t buy so chances are good I’ll be designing more soon.
 
TuffMudder said:
Thanks Ron. Of course before I decide, I've got to figure out how to fit a 4bt (in a perfect world without having to use an electric fan)
Click to expand...

It's going to be a tall order to do what you want unless you start cutting firewall. What is the reason you don't want an electric fan?
 
J Mack said:
It's going to be a tall order to do what you want unless you start cutting firewall. What is the reason you don't want an electric fan?
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2 reasons really, I prefer mechanical over electrical most of the time if I have a choice for this build.
1. I may be fooling myself, but I think i get better reliability and ruggedness with the mechanical versions of most auto parts.
B. I intend to get the nose of my pig wet from time to time and I like the idea of a clutch fan that will automatically disengage if I hit the water vs having to manually switch it off.
Finally, my pigs interior is already going to look like the cockpit of a 747, so not having a fan switch to keep track of is a bonus ;)

I know it's a tall order, and I've accepted the fact that I may be SOL, but I'm holding on to the possibility for now.
 
TuffMudder said:
I know it's a tall order, and I've accepted the fact that I may be SOL, but I'm holding on to the possibility for now.
Click to expand...




My bellhousing is too close to my firewall at about ½” but that’s where my front gear cover cleared my power steering the best, to go any further back I would have to cut my firewall. I have a 3” intercooler and a 3” radiator spaced ½” from each other and the core support so 7” off the core support. I measure 9” from the area that the 4BT fan hub mounts on the block to the face of the radiator, I measure my fan hub and fan at 9” so you would need to find a few inches to make this workable.

A couple of simple standoffs would prevent the electric fan from ever coming in contact with the radiator in deep water crossing if needed.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for that info JMack. You'll probably be hearing back from me on this when we start that part of the project, unless of course I have a pig with a magically stretched engine bay so that fits my needs perfectly...i can always dream
 
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