Battery security bracket

[.Mark]

I've had to get a new battery because the old one finally gave up. Have ordered and received the exact same one that is already in there but the case is about 1cm too long, so it sits on the captive nut that the securing bolt goes in and so the bolt won't go in.
I notice that the battery sits on a metal plate with the captive nut welded to it so if I can loosen the 2 bolts that hold the plate to the car, move the plate a smidge outwards and the battery will sit lovely.

My question is - what to the bolts holding the plate to the car go in to? Captive nuts on the other side or nuts that are likely to fall off if I undo them?

[big_treacle]

Beware when you're playing with this bracket. If it's not watertight you'll end up with the passenger side of your car full of water after any significant rain! As found out to my cost before (Mrs ended up with wet handbag)

[.Mark]

So possibly then the bolts go through to the inside of the car above the passengers feet?

Typical that the passenger side of the car is against the garage wall

[.Mark]

Bump for the evening crew.

[JensenA]

You can get rid of the plate. Seal the holes with silicone, and bond a rubber mat to the body. The battery will sit in there nice and tightly, and you'll easily be able to work out a way to wedge it in a bit tighter with 'something'. The cables help hold it in place, and the F2 panel covers it, the battery wont be going anywhere.

[itiejim]

JensenA said:

the battery wont be going anywhere.

Until you crash....

Just grind the nut off and weld another one on a few mm further out.

[.Mark]

JensenA said:

You can get rid of the plate.

I'd like to do this but having no luck with the bolts holding it in place, that's why I need to know how they are secured.

[.Mark]

itiejim said:

Until you crash....

If I crash a loose battery will be least of my worries, but yes, I'd rather have it secured.

itiejim said:

Just grind the nut off and weld another one on a few mm further out.

I did my mechanic apprenticeship but welding was never my strong point

[edhorne]

Hi .Mark

It's a PITA butthe securing nuts are way up int back of the footwell and will fall out if you aren't holding them with something.

Remove the cover from the footwell that conceals the ECU etc.
Peel back the carpet from the top right hand corner (nearest the stereo)
The nuts should now be accessible but are v.close to the bulkhead so getting a ring spanner on is a little tricky but not impossible.

HTH

Ed

[Tanguero]

On mine the securing nuts are set in the fibreglass and do not go through to the footwell, so there is some of the usual TVR variation.

[.Mark]

Cheers guys, just the info I was looking for. If it's not peeing down at the weekend I'll have a look. Like I said earlier, passenger side of car is tight against garage wall - typical!

[.Mark]

Job done. Nuts underneath in the footwell so easy spanner job. And I was really pleased to see when I pulled off the plate the battery sits on that it's slotted so I just had to move it out, reseal underneath and refit - lovely secure battery

Took her our for a good run too so after a day out in the sunshine in the Chimaera yesterday and an afternoon out ripping up the tarmac in the Cerbera I'm a very happy bunny