Optima Red Top Doesn't fit battery tray?

[shawnbru]

I just put an Optima red top in my explorer but it isn't wide enough for the battery tray to be able to clamp it down. I shimmed the side that doesn't have the tightening wedge with a couple of wood door jamb shims. I drove over some curbs and stuff, it didn't move but I hardly consider this permanent. Any ideas??

 

[sink]

I bought a replacement battery for my 94 XLT that had the same problem, about 3/16 inch too narrow at the bottom. I took my plastic clamp block and and made the screw hole into an oval. I held it real squarely and ran it up and down along the bit in my drill press until I gained what I needed. (If you don't have a drill press, a friend could hold a portable drill steady agiainst a bench). Make the hole oval toward the back. Then I took a strip of sheet metal bracket thick enough to move the block as needed (I believe I folded it over once) and stood it in the tray along the back before I put the block on. I also grabbed a thicker washer to support it better. The metal shim pushed the block so that it was as forward as it could be against my new enlarged hole. The better washer and normal bolt clamped it down in that position as securely as the original- with battery fully clamped.

 

[rpenner54]

Go to a auto parts store and get a classic battery hold down dohickey. Its got two long J hooks and they get screwed into a peice that holds the battery down with wing nuts. Works great! Just gotta drill a few holes and its not gonna come out of there.

 

[sink]

Rpenner54 has a simple sounding solution, but I hate the looks of those things. I put one in my 80 pickup because it wouldn't pass inspection with the Bungee. haha. Sure it works well and is fine in a vehicle like my truck. But it really is not difficult to modify your hold-down block like I said and it will give you the OEM look. Once you look at the block, you'll see that you loose no strength doing my option. Rpenner54's is another valid choice though- but same amount of work to do.

 

[shawnbru]

Just wanted to make sure I didn't have an "L" on my forehead

I think I bought the largest optima that you can get and I know others have put them in so I was just curious as to what the solution was... Thanks

 

[Richard Wise]

I did basically the same thing as sink. I had bought a new battery and it was smaller than the one in the Explorer when I purchased it. So I made slots in place of the holes in the battery hold down. It works great and it passed inspection as well.

 

[leebo]

Listen to Ryan

Go out and get the tie downs for the battery. Several off-highway clubs REQUIRE the battery to have a tie down about the normal blocks. The blocks will hold the battery in place 9 times out of 10....but that one time it lets loose you're in trouble. The total cost is about $10 if that and like he said....it will never come loose.

ps...The red top isn't the largest they make...they have the yellow top which is a tad bit larger.

 

[flyguy]

Man...you think thats bad...mine is just laying on top of the airbox tray... just hangin there... the battery cables and the heater hoses are the only things holding it in place. heh. I was kinda worried about it... but that thing hasnt moved yet...

nick

 

[shawnbru]

Do you do any rock crawling??

Wow, I hope that doesn't come loose on you some day and do some incidental under the hood welding at your expense

 

[rpenner54]

Yep just wait till you crash or have to stop hard under presure, or are way off caber. Whats the first thing that will happen when you jolt yourself really good. Your battery is going to go flying your going to get sparks your going to light a fire your going to loose your battery cables your going to be stranded. All kinds of bad things can happen here. Sure they may look ugly, but who the heck cares when your talking about batteries moving around underhood the ideas are not pretty.

 

[flyguy]

I dont really have a better way to set that down.. but I am not a delicate driver... Hit that send my sub box to the front seat havent fazed it yet.... I wouldnt mind securing the battery better though.

nick

 

[GR899V8]

I just bought an Optima Red top for my '99 with a V8. Yes, the battery is way smaller than the original group 65. Adapting the original plastic hold-down won't work because the opposite side of the battery won't be captured by the plastic "clip" molded into the tray, designed to hold the battery down. Only get about 1/16" being held. The problem with adding the aftermarket "J" hook type is the entire battery tray is plastic. I temporarily clamped it with a piece of metal and added a nylon ratchet strap over the battery to get me to work today. I see the previous suggestions were all from owners of "91-'94's, can anyone out there help me out with a '99? Thanks!