Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) optimas installed hold down question

[wrichards]

Just installed optima blue top deep cycle marine batts. What a difference from my 2 year old MOPAR gold series and hpefully no more cleaning the terminals every three months or leaking acid.





Anyway the long bolts and tabs or nuts holding down the batts have corroded and are un usable, anynone have a fix or place to buy replacment hold downs??

 

[jrobinson2]

I don't have a source for replacements, but I do know from experience that the red top Optimas are shorter than the factory battery's and the OEM hold down bolts will screw right through the wiring harness under the LH battery tray on a 96, whatever you use check for clearance under the tray.

Jared

 

[JohnG]

Batt box hold downs

I just refurbished both the batt boxes in my 'new' '95 2500, and 2 of 4 hold down bolts were shot and the top hold down brackets pretty bad. I got the top hold downs from the dealer at aprox. $8 each, (wholesale), and some of the blind nut 'clips', but they wanted like $7+ each for the long screws. . I said 'forget it' and made my own, but, here's the trick, they're metric. . naturally. . But I got some 3' metric threaded rods (6mm) at a 'good' hardware store and some washer head nuts, cut the rods to length and welded the nuts to the top of the short lengths of rod. Run the nuts on before cutting so you can run them back off the cut ends to clean up the threads. I made 8 of 'em all at once, for spares. If you don't have access to a welder, could be a bit tough. You can't just put loose nuts on the top as the 'blind nut clips' are semi-locking type and the rods would be very hard to thread in without the nuts welded on. (I glass bead blasted the batt boxes and they cleaned up like new. Of course thats another tool that isn't in most folks' garages). . JohnG

 

[wrichards]

Thats what i was thinking of doing, going with he threaded rod, problem is the clips are missing ( corroded away) in two spots so I was hoping to get regular nuts and washers in there. Will repost on project possibly tomorrow.

 

[krs]

You can heat the rod red enough with a propane torch to bend an "L" for the bottom of each holddown bolt. Then just rock them in and stand them up through the holddown.

If you do use threaded stock be easy with it. Most of that hardware store stuff isn't made of very fine steel and will break pretty easily.

 

[QRTRHRS]

NAPA carries some battery holddown parts. Maybe they can help.

 

[BigBadDodge]

How about a *****in Box



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BBD

 

[wsmalley]

Got some generic ones from Pep Boys that use j-hook ends with thick rubber washers and wingnuts to clamp it down. My brackets were okay so no worries there. I put one in to find out how much length I needed and used a hacksaw to cut the excess off the bolts so only an inch sits above each nut. I also run Optima Red Tops. Love them to death. Almost as much as my engine