Trying to POR-15 the wheel well..can't get the battery try out

[azcummins]

Since my wonderful Mopar batteries leaked acid all over my inner driver side wheel well, the paint has chipped off and the metal has rusted. I'm trying to hit it with POR -15 but I can't get the battery tray out. The culprit seems to be a big rivet, (see photo, rust colored below the two black wires running L to R) and some round contraption (underneath battery tray, towards the front of truck) of some sort that has wires running to the Fuel Pump. Does anyone know how to get the tray out? Do I have to pop that big rivet out somehow?



Rivet:

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[Rob Thomas]

azcummins,



There are nuts underneath that hold it on.



Thats a big a$$ pic, how'd ya do that?



Later, Rob

 

[azcummins]

Rob-

Got the two nuts underneath the battery out, then I got the two big bolts that attached the tray to the outer fender. Once you get all those out though, you have to somehow remove the stud in the pic. Only that stud seems to be holding the tray down.



I figured someone had the shop manual for my truck and could tell me how to get the tray out.



BTW... I shot the photo with a digtal camera. Had to keep it big so you could see the nut.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Well, I don't have a manual and it's rainin' outside, so I can't look at mine, I'll melt, I'm a carpenter



Hopefully someone can help. Sorry



Later ,Rob

 

[azcummins]

Got it!

Well after climbing around underneath my truck looking at whatever there is to look @, (I was bored) I saw that there are two 1/2" nuts that hold down the tray. The rivets I was talking about were actually pressed in bolts that the studs screw onto. You'll only see the nuts if you climb underneath the truck and look underneath the wheel well. In all, there is 6 nuts that hold down the tray, 2 underneath the battery, 2 on the side of the tray attaching to the outside fender and 2 underneath the truck. BTW... any nut that has to do with the battery tray or battery connections is 1/2" save the clamp that holds on the battery itself... those are 8mm I think.



At any rate, I got the tray out and MAN there was a lot of rust underneath there! Took care of it with POR-15 though (GREAT STUFF) so that beast is conquered.



I post the pics in a sec.

 

[azcummins]

Here are the pics:



Here is the rust beneath the battery tray:

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Here is the mysterious thing that runs to our pump. I have no idea what it is:

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Here is the finished product:

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[Bill Lins]

The big round contraption appears to be the cruise control servo.

 

[Rob Thomas]

, 2 on the side of the tray attaching to the outside fender and 2 underneath the truck

Well azcummins, Thats what I meant when I said there's nuts holding them down,I quess I should have been more specific, that they were underneath.

What year is your ride?Are those the factory batteries?



Later, Rob

 

[azcummins]

I have a 98. 5... they were Mopar Batteries, 2nd set, not the original factory batteries. Now I have Duralast Golds... getting Optimas next time around.