Non optima batteries

    Quote from Bigdog

    Having removed my battery servers times....there is no way you want to use a tray like this with sides on it....our trays are flat......if it had sides (like pictured) it would be one bitch of a time trying to change it....you would have to lift the battery up and out of the tray. Not enough head room to do that and besides that our batteries are heavy. I have to lay on my side and and just trying to disconnect the cables and side it is out is a chore.....if I had to add lifting it up and doing that would be just about impossible.

    I posted these only to show the hold down strapping methods used that would accommodate different heights

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    The older models do have the fuse block at the rear of the compartment. It appears to only slightly reduce the depth of the compartment (and, therefor, width of the battery). I like the strap that Edward Neal posted above for ease of installation and size flexibility. I'll have to research that. A simple plate and strap should be WELL under $100 including powder coating and shipping, and would accommodate any battery that will fit the hole.

    Remember folks - this isn't a rehearsal, this is The Show!8)

    Quote from SlingLow

    The older models do have the fuse block at the rear of the compartment. It appears to only slightly reduce the depth of the compartment (and, therefor, width of the battery). I like the strap that Edward Neal posted above for ease of installation and size flexibility. I'll have to research that. A simple plate and strap should be WELL under $100 including powder coating and shipping, and would accommodate any battery that will fit the hole.

    This seems like a great approach a flat plate with a hold down that can be adjusted to fit different heights would be a kind of "one size fits most" option that we are now lacking - I think most people would like this kind of flexibility instead of having a tray that only fits one like the optima.


    Cant wait to see what you come up with :thumbsup:

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    A 1/8 inch piece of alum. bend a 90 degree on one side which will be the inside when installed and make it as long as you want. Bolt in with counter sink bolts/screws. Use a strap or the standard pinch clamp (block of rubber) on the outside to hold the battery down. Easy to make and easy to install and probably no holes to drill except in the flat plate. Just clamp the plate in with another smaller piece on the bottom. Do not make the thing so hard to make and install. You can make it with a hacksaw and a drill motor. Just my 2 cent

    Quote from BryanL

    SlingLow here's a couple photos for a reference. The 2015 battery tray, 2015 with group 26, and 2015 with Optima group 34. Hope this helps.

    Notice the 34 hangs over the stock tray an inch on both ends.

    There is a picture of the hold down rubber block, factory made. You can even make one with a hack saw and drill motor and a 1 inch or so block of rubber. It does not take an engineer to make the stuff people.

    personally unless I was buying a Li-on battery for a race car(you consider yourself lucky if anything on a race car last you one season), I would never consider any battery that has anything less than 3 year warranty for daily regular use.

    There's got to be a reason why the manufacturer offers a short warranty period, so if the manufacturer doesn't trust it to last why should I.

    Is not that I am mean, I just don't sugarcoat what I say.

    Quote from Neosolidus

    personally unless I was buying a Li-on battery for a race car(you consider yourself lucky if anything on a race car last you one season), I would never consider any battery that has anything less than 3 year warranty for daily regular use.

    There's got to be a reason why the manufacturer offers a short warranty period, so if the manufacturer doesn't trust it to last why should I.

    I noticed advance auto parts changed all their battery warranties lower a few years ago....

    Maybe after they started getting them from Mexico.

    I believe that many, (most), of the batteries sold by Advance Auto Parts are manufactured by Johnson Controls?

    Johnson Controls

    Johnson Controls produces 154 million batteries - one-third of the industry's output - every year. They power every type of passenger vehicle, heavy-duty and light commercial trucks, motorcycles, golf cars, lawn and garden tractors, and marine applications. They have 15,000 employees working in more than 50 facilities worldwide to support their customers’ growth wherever they are located.


    If you take Interstate batteries, (also manufactured by Johnson Controls), as an example:

    From Louisiana to Southern California the Interstate brand batteries are made by a Johnson Controls manufacturing plant in Monterrey, Mexico. In the other states, the batteries are made by Johnson Controls in the United States.


    So, only a few southern states receive batteries manufactured by Johnson Controls in Mexico...................


    Kind of related, where our 19 year old VW Jetta was manufactured in Mexico and just happens to be sneaking up on 400,000 miles now and still going strong. It is still our primary vehicle so, in my book at least, that is pretty darn good quality and reliability!


    Bill