Group 31 battery tray and clamp retrofit

[SHAGGY101]

I recently purchased a Die Hard Platinum group 31M AGM battery (Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more) to replace my stock battery. When I want to install the battery I found that I would have to modify the existing clamp or make a new one. So long story short, I opted to make a new one. Due to the popularity of my solution, I was prompted to make some more brackets so that others may benefit as well (https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/218815-another-can-i-fit-battery-my-100-thread-2.html).

So, for those of you with kluged battery clamps and trays or those of you on the fence about getting a new battery, I have a solution!

Each retrofit kit includes a battery clamp with either a Sombrero or an LX logo, a battery tray that BOLTS to the body using existing holes with a mounting position for a small fuse block (sized for a blue sea maxi fuse block but you can put anything you want to there), a buss bar to extend your battery terminals, all necessary hardware to make the connections, and 1/4" neoprene tape to prevent chafing on the tray and clamp. Everything is made of 1/8" cold rolled 1020 steel and is sandblasted so that you can finish it however you want.

Each kit is $70 shipped. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

-Ryan

 

[SHAGGY101]

Installation is very simple:
1. Paint the metal pieces to your heart's content

2. Yank your old or current battery out along with the tray

3. Drill the smaller front hole under the old plastic tray out to 3/8"

4. Mount fuse block if wanted

5. Place freshly painted tray in the proper orientation and make sure holes line up

6. Place 5/16" x 1" bolt with washer through top of hole (let gravity do the work)

7. Move wheel well cover and washer bottle slightly by removing 3 bolts (two in wheel well and one underneath with bolt head facing tire) to access the bolts

8. Next bolt down battery tray by placing washer and nylock nut on each bolt torque down in a position you feel comfortable with. This may position may need to be played with with the clamp and the battery in place.

9. Place the 4 long pieces of the neoprene tape as you see fit on the tray, trim if necessary
*Place strips for fit as needed and test fit with tray, battery and clamp. You may not need them for your application.

10. Now you can place the battery into the tray and make sure it is not on top of any wires or trapping any

11. Now get the clamp and place the 2 smaller neoprene tape strips and place them on the angled section that will be contacting the top of the battery
*Place strips for fit as needed and test fit with tray, battery and clamp. You may not need them for your application.

12. Line the clamp up with the bolt hole on the front body cross member

13. Install the clamp by first bolting to the captured nut using the washer, lock washer, and M8 x 20mm bolt (in that order) and DO NOT torque but cinch down to metal

14. Install the hooked thread into body and then clamp, use existing hardware, tweak battery position as you see fit. Cinch nut down to metal and DO NOT torque

15. Once you are satisfied with battery position and fitment, torque down captured nut bolt and then hook nut you will not be able to use the jam nut. I have been told that the 80 series j-hooks are larger and will work with this application if you feel this is an issue, a lock washer can also be used. DO NOT OVER TORQUE HOOK NUT, you will just bend the bracket, break the hook or stretch the body hole.

16. Now install the buss bar using the 5/16" x 3/4" bolt and 5/16" nylock nut and some ingenuity. Depending on you battery terminal type, you will have to modify/ attach accordingly depending on your setup. Post up you setup so that everyone can get ideas!

17. Finally, you can re install all of you wiring and enjoy the fruits of your labor while you reset your clock and presets!

Questions?

 

[SHAGGY101]

So far, this is the list of those who have shown interest in this setup and would like a kit.

1)Cappy - LX -Shipped
2)3D FJ - LX - Shipped
3)Oregon - LC - Shipped
4)Schlite60 - LX - Shipped
5)Staggrlee - LC - Shipped
6)Squeezer - LC - Shipped
7)Jonharis - LC - Approved - Shipped
8)Anthony.L - LC - Shipped
9)sonk - LX - Shipped
10)pocketstormin - LC -shipped
11)hwy22 - LC
12)[STRIKE]pip235 - LC[/STRIKE]
13)bamabrock - LC - shipped
14)Darby Darrow - LC - shipped
15)Bigdaddy - LC - shipped
16) Brock - LX
17)Sandroad - LC - shipped
18)Surfa - LC - shipped

 

[SHAGGY101]

Post up pics of your retrofit and terminals so that others can get some ideas of how to do theirs.

 

[packetstormin]

When will they be ready to ship? Will this be done through pay pal?

 

[CappyKD]

I am going to pickup my new battery tomorrow, next week after the kit arrives, I will post up some pics.

 

[CappyKD]

Thanks again for putting these kits together. Can't wait.

 

[jonharis]

About time you stopped hijacking another guys thread.

 

[pfran42]

You might want to (also) post this in Vendors Market\Merchandise Storefront. Thats where I sell my stuff.

Here is the link: Merchandise Storefront

Great looking product!

 

[SHAGGY101]

When will they be ready to ship? Will this be done through pay pal?

The next batch will be done and hopefully shipped NLT the 12th or 13th. I would like to have them out earlier but it does not work with my school/ military schedule. And yes, paypal is the way to go. Make sure you have your addresses updated because I will be shipping to those.

 

[SHAGGY101]

I am going to pickup my new battery tomorrow, next week after the kit arrives, I will post up some pics.

Great! looking forward to the critical review!

 

[SHAGGY101]

About time you stopped hijacking another guys thread.

Yes, you can rest easy tonight...

 

[CappyKD]

Which exact Deep Sea Maxi fuse block is it sized for?

 

[jonharis]

The next batch will be done and hopefully shipped NLT the 12th or 13th. I would like to have them out earlier but it does not work with my school/ military schedule. And yes, paypal is the way to go. Make sure you have your addresses updated because I will be shipping to those.

Great! looking forward to the critical review!

Yes, you can rest easy tonight...

Multi Quote works wonders.


Anyways, PM sent, looking forward to it. Thanks for all your work on this.

 

[OregonLC]

Thanks for pulling this together shag man! Looking forward to a nice little (albeit hidden) mod. Now what color to paint it... LJ I'll PM you to see if I can buy some of that red off your shelf.

 

[SHAGGY101]

Which exact Deep Sea Maxi fuse block is it sized for?

Whoops! I meant BLUE sea fuse block. Anyways.. it is this one:

MAXI Fuse Block - Blue Sea Systems

Multi Quote works wonders.


Anyways, PM sent, looking forward to it. Thanks for all your work on this.

Haha, well whatda know! Never really played with this function, just got carried away is guess...

Thanks for pulling this together shag man! Looking forward to a nice little (albeit hidden) mod. Now what color to paint it... LJ I'll PM you to see if I can buy some of that red off your shelf.

No, you got to go with that baby blue! It is to die for!

 

[sonk76]

Just got this, and looks great.

Only question I have (before actually trying to install it), is whether or not you had any thoughts on the structural strength of the center portion of the bar with the "Lexus" logo on it. With the Lexus logo, there is very little actual steel holding the bar together across the center. Any thoughts on whether or not that might create a problem in terms of it breaking at that point? The edges of the oval shape are the only structural connection that bridges the logo...

EDIT: Sorry, I just saw in the other thread that this had already been discussed. I guess the answer is that while the center is not very strong, the nature of the forces applied to the bar is such that it won't be an issue? It bent very easily in my hands just playing around with it, which is what made me wonder...

 

[CappyKD]

Picked up my Battery Today. Just waiting on my clamp and tray. Thanks Again.

 

[CappyKD]

Shipment came today. Thanks. How did you attach the Blue Sea Maxi fuse holder to the tray? Threaded holes in tab? I was worried about the end of the screws rubbing the battery. What size did you use?

 

[SHAGGY101]

Shipment came today. Thanks. How did you attach the Blue Sea Maxi fuse holder to the tray? Threaded holes in tab? I was worried about the end of the screws rubbing the battery. What size did you use?

I used #10 screws. I placed the head on the battery side. The battery has fins on that side so you would have to position it such that the head does not interfere. The screw heads are also pretty low profile so it should not be a problem. I did not think about taping the holes due to the fact that I was not too comfortable in trusting .125" of steel with about 1-2 threads holding it on. But, it could be worth a shot if you do not think the bolt head side would work. You could also use some JB weld or some some hardcore double stick tape as well. So...it all depends on what you want to do!