Making a battery lip

[gjz30075]

I have a couple of older cars whose batteries are held down with clamps (OEM) onto a lip at the bottom of the battery.
It's becoming very difficult now to find the batteries today with a lip. I'd imagine it's just plain cheaper to manufacture
the battery without the lip.

Which leads me to the question: what's the best, strongest way to 'glue' something to the battery to get a lip for
the clamps? I was thinking something like 1/4" bar stock and attaching it with some super (figuratively speaking)
glue.

Any ideas re: material to use and adhesive to use?

 

[rlitman]

Battery cases are polypropylene. It's a material that takes well to plastic welding, but not while filled with acid. It does not work well with glue.

I'd just drill a couple of holes for J clamps and a traditional hold-down. Don't forget to prime and paint what you drilled.

 

[engineer2]

It looks like battery cases can be polypropylene or sometimes ABS. A two-part epoxy made for plastic is worth a try, but PP is hard to glue. You can find plastic sheets in any material or size, or buy a plastic cutting board. It would be easy to cut one to size and glue it to the bottom of the battery to see if it holds.

I remember some GM makes used the bottom clip (Chevy trucks?) and others used the conventional top-clamp. Some interchange of clamps might be possible, depending on if reproductions are made.

 

[Jswain]

Build a box out of sheet metal with a lip on the bottom. Slip the battery in the box

 

[gjz30075]

Unfortunately, there's no room at the top of the battery for traditional hold downs so I've
decided to go the marine route, that being a plastic tray with a strap. The tray gets bolted
down to the car structure and the strap goes under the tray and around the battery. I do
like the box idea, though. Thanks everyone.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Unfortunately, there's no room at the top of the battery for traditional hold downs so I've
decided to go the marine route, that being a plastic tray with a strap. The tray gets bolted
down to the car structure and the strap goes under the tray and around the battery. I do
like the box idea, though. Thanks everyone.

Post some photos

 

[rlitman]

Unfortunately, there's no room at the top of the battery for traditional hold downs so I've
decided to go the marine route, that being a plastic tray with a strap. The tray gets bolted
down to the car structure and the strap goes under the tray and around the battery. I do
like the box idea, though. Thanks everyone.

That works, but if there's enough room for terminals up top, there's enough room for a traditional tie down. Now if this is a side wire battery, you could make a spreader bar for the top, bend a rod with a J at each end for the back, and use a double hook turnbuckle in the front.

 

[MP&C]

Did these for a Biederman truck a few years ago..


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5838008&postcount=1962


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5842169&postcount=1967

 

[BillK]

I have a couple of older cars whose batteries are held down with clamps (OEM) onto a lip at the bottom of the battery.
It's becoming very difficult now to find the batteries today with a lip.

Interesting. I just bought an AC Delco one for my Wifes Riviera and it was no problem "finding" it ?? I just looked at about ten pictures of Group 78 batteries online and every one of them seems to have the lip.

Is the battery you are looking for something unusual ?

 

[joe_padavano]

Unfortunately, there's no room at the top of the battery for traditional hold downs s

If the battery is that tight in the car, why do you need a hold-down? Look, seriously, there are plenty of very low profile hold-downs available, including the metal frame that goes around the top of the battery and might add 1/8" to the overall height.

 

[Sumboodie]

Interesting. I just bought an AC Delco one for my Wifes Riviera and it was no problem "finding" it ?? I just looked at about ten pictures of Group 78 batteries online and every one of them seems to have the lip.

Is the battery you are looking for something unusual ?

Most of my trucks hold down on lips. Group 65, 78, 34, 31, etc.

 

[gjz30075]

It's a Lotus Elan with the battery in the trunk, on the far left side. The battery is a type 51. The curvature of the
body makes it nearly impossible to tighten any hold down (at the top) at the part of the battery facing rearward. I'd
love to do something to like the metal frame around the top with an offset vertical rod for the hold down, something I
can get to. Hence, the battery with the lip (oem) works best. Just have to make do. Good ideas, thanks

edit: I should add that the cables need to be on the battery before the battery can be put on its shelf. It's pretty tight.
The picture is a bit deceiving.

 

[Ohmthis]

Just curious why you couldn’t use a side post battery? I’m not sure what room you have around the battery, just throwing out.

 

[rsanter]

The non liquid materials can be mounted on their side.
I have also need battery boxes that are side strap.
If you are willing to drill a couple of holes in the car to bolt a battery tray or box in there, it becomes an easy fix

 

[whateg01]

Every battery I have bought for the past 20 years has a lip at the bottom that a wedge in the tray grabs to hold it in place. Maybe I don't understand what you mean by lip, but as far as I can tell, almost all batteries still have it.

 

[whateg01]

It's a Lotus Elan with the battery in the trunk, on the far left side. The battery is a type 51. The curvature of the
body makes it nearly impossible to tighten any hold down (at the top) at the part of the battery facing rearward. I'd
love to do something to like the metal frame around the top with an offset vertical rod for the hold down, something I
can get to. Hence, the battery with the lip (oem) works best. Just have to make do. Good ideas, thanks

edit: I should add that the cables need to be on the battery before the battery can be put on its shelf. It's pretty tight.
The picture is a bit deceiving.

I don't see why you couldn't run a nylon strap from the bolt that holds the tray in place up over the top and tie into the from of the tray with a j-bolt.

 

[gjz30075]

^^^^ That's pretty much what a marine installation is. This is my current plan.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E3ALEKI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Side mount battery is a possibility. The trunk is pretty small and I don't want to risk something shorting across
the terminals.

It's all a compromise and just need to figure out where I'll give up space.

I've also got a 66 Mustang with the same dilemma. Very difficult to find a 24F with a lip at the bottom. But
there's plenty of room for alternative fixes there.

 

[david3921]

Just for clarity, was the previous battery held in on the ends, clamped using (what looks like) the thread holes in the battery compartments floor?

 

[gjz30075]

Correct. Little 'feet' clamping down on the lips on the battery. Hence, the reason for my original question.
I'd love to just recreate the lip on the battery, having some decent strength to hold the battery down. I came
close using several band clamps and positioning them so the worm/screw part acts as a lip. It worked for my
Mustang's 24F but just can't get it right for this one.
I appreciate all the responses, thanks

 

[Wrench97]

Is a group 51 the correct battery for the car?
Did this car originally take a group 45 battery?
I used them on Komatsu Forklifts and they used a bracket along the long side of the battery opposite the posts to hold it down.

 

[gjz30075]

Good question. It previously had a 51 with a lip but I like the dimensions of a 45 and if it
has a lip, I'll be good. Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[Sumboodie]

Group 47 is what the Elise I has used.
I threw it out and put a little sealed motorcycle battery though.

 

[zeug]

I just bought a battery at Costco for my wife's Volvo. It uses the clamp on the bottom foot like you describe. $106 out the door.