Unique battery mount question...

Anyone ever mount a battery (lightweight mini or otherwise) directly below the OE location?? Like mounting the tray to the frame rail and/inner fender??

I like the idea of the battery down there as I don’t like the look in the stock spot. And I’d rather not put in in the trunk, so I was thinking a lightweight mini battery down there.

Experience? Thoughts??

Thanks!

I used a small racing battery in my Duster and built a small tray for it that mounted in roughly the stock location. I decided that it made a lot more sense to put a small battery up front than a regular battery in the trunk. When you weigh all the extra cables, switches and stuff it works out to be less weight to have a small battery up front.

Not experience, I agree but the plates should be aligned with the wheelbase (opposite of shown) to prevent G force from trying to snap them off.

Take the stock battery tray and mount it down there, shorten up the two support straps and use them also

What plates?

Yes, bonus on the overall weight which is the main reason I was thinking a light battery. Is that a 17 or 18 Braille? Work out okay?

that's a lithium battery you can mount those upside down, sideways will make no difference !

A small battery could be put in the wheelhouse with minimal effort...
One could add a tray & holder to the bumper brackets, or use existing fasteners/holes.
Maybe even place it back by the firewall.

I put a 4.5 pound lithium on the inside of the frame rail, under the drivers side floor. I mounted the master switch there as well with a remote control rod protruding thru the back of the car. Less cable = less weight and less voltage drop.

4.5 pounds??!! May I ask what battery that is??

That would be the anti-gravity. It cranks my 13 and 1/2 to 1 Hemi over like the plugs were out of it.

Holy smokes! That is bang for the buck right there!!! Thank you Joel!

Kind of liking this ideal i'm in need of a battery for next year anyway . plus the ideal of less voltage drop is a win ,win Good post.

Wow. I just looked at their equivalent for a stock Group 24 battery. Over $800 for their Group-35/Q85. But in the right application, a big stroker comes to mind, it may be a good option.

To keep the cable short, I mounted the NHRA mandatory cut off switch right next to the battery. The shaft of the switch is oriented vertically, protruding through the floor. A 5/16 inch by 030 wall stainless tube runs from the switch lever, under the seat, back through the trunk, and out the back of the car, and as a T handle on it to operate it remotely. A side benefit is that I can reach to turn it off and on from the driver's seat. The stainless tube weighs barely more than a pound.

Roger, if you have an alternator, I don't see why you would need that big group 24. 900 cranking amps from the little 4 and 1/2 lb, $350 ATX 20 is more than enough for any racing engine. Unless you are ice racing in Beulah North Dakota when it's 30 below.

That was the conclusion I came to with my Duster. My car sits in a heated garage so no need for a dump truck battery. I don't use the car as a snow plow or a tow truck, it only gets fired up on nice days so no need for a bunch of cold cranking amps. I measured how long the battery took to recharge after starting and it was typically less than 3 minutes.

two questions if i may, Joel.
is that stainless tube seamless ?
and pertaining to that ATX battery, how does that last if one does mostly street driving ?
i wouldn't like having to buy a battery every couple of years.

as to the battery mounting, the inner fender of my charger under the factory battery tray, is crusty from the battery, so i was going to cut that out and mount a smaller battery directly on the front rail.

X, I think it was seamless tube. The battery operates fine off of an alternator. I bought the battery in early 2017. They said it should last up to 10 years. After October 2018, I didn't try to use it again until mid 2021. It wouldn't hold a charge. I called them, they said send them the battery. After testing it, they said I should have had it on a charger more frequently for long term storage. I think I charged it once or twice in the 2-1/2 years. They offered me 40% credit on a replacement due to the battery being over 4 years old. I thought that was fair enough. The battery I bought from them in 2017 was an ATX-20 with 720 CCA. I used the 40% credit on an upgrade to the ATX-20-HD to get the 900 CCA, even though the old one was enough. It wasn't that much more $, especially with the 40% off. The new battery will get charged monthly when in storage! Hoping to get 10 years.

My most recent solution to battery relocation is really not unique, its more OEM BMW style, under the back seat, over the area where an OEM muffler would be and thru the floorplan. That in my case makes for an in seat driver accessible battery shut off relatively uncomplicated, and now below the COG, and rearward. But then, I don't have to worry about my front tires lifting off the pavement.

Andy, my friend in southern Arizona uses $25 lawn tractor batteries in all his old cars. Even his 430 Lincoln. They all start because it is never winter there.

Andy what's the compression on that engine, is that a Braille 15/18 battery? I know you no longer have the car, but how was it holding up?

What charger do you use?

It was a 10:1 512. I don't remember the part number on the battery but it worked just fine. Only issue was that you needed to let the alternator charge the battery before you turned it off and restarted again. Which typically is no problem but you wouldn't want to start the engine, move the car a few feet, start the engine move the car a few feet kind of thing since you could eventually drain it.

I'm was thinking strictly street applications and looked at the direct replacement for a group 24. As to me going racing, I'm too old with crappy reflexes!

Thanks Andy

How low of cranking amps are you all getting away with battery mounted in the trunk, with and engines that has around 13.1 static compression with a alternator?

It was a 10:1 512. I don't remember the part number on the battery but it worked just fine. Only issue was that you needed to let the alternator charge the battery before you turned it off and restarted again. Which typically is no problem but you wouldn't want to start the engine, move the car a few feet, start the engine move the car a few feet kind of thing since you could eventually drain it.

That doesn't really sound optimal for a drag car that you would start and stop probably a dozen times in day of racing. I would really be mad if I got ready to move out of staging lanes and into the water and the car wouldn't start after a few stop start cycles from the trailer to the lanes. But I guess if you push your car everywhere it wouldn't be an issue

Gus