Battery Tray

Alun has finished welding the battery tray. The standard SII/SIII chassis mounted tray was omited during the manufacture of my chassis as the 12J/19J engines chosen for the vehicle needed the space for installation. Once the engine is fitted, the battery can go in its original location, but the standard mount would foul the fuel pump when lifting the engine in and out.

It was clear that this would require installation of the battery in an alternate location (it had been fitted in the tool box under the passenger seat as per Defenders) or a removeable mount would be needed. Since fitting twin front tanks precluded the underseat fitting, and I didn’t want to loose the storag space of the jerrycan lockers, a custom bolt-on mount was the way to go. A further complication was the need for two batteries – one heavy duty battery for the vehicle’s essential electrics (engine, primary lighting, wipers, instruments and heater fan), and another for the accessories (winch, spot lights, radio, seat and mirror heaters).

A close look under the bonnet showed that by removing the inclined plate above the steering relay, I would have enough space between the original SIII radiator panel and the steering box to fit two full size batteries end to end. The plate was sunsequently removed by drilling out its spot welds, and the custom frame fabricated. The frame uses two high tensile bolts through its front feet to attach to the radiator panel and has one braced leg at about 2/3 back which attaches to the suspension damper’s top mounting bolt, just inboard of the the chassis rail. This clears all elements of the steering and the custom oil cooler pipes, and allows installation of two full length normal batteries or one normal battery and one taller leisure battery below the height of the wing top.

I had planned to powder coat it, but the two sections would not bolt back together if I did – Alun has managed to make it with such tight tolerances in order that the butt ends of the leg take loads, not just the bolts, that powder coating would prevent the two pieces fitting back together. I have given it a thorough coating of ZInc 182, over which will go a coat of black enamel. I will use a rectangle of the 3mm marine grade aluminium alloy used in the tub to fit a base, fixed with Tiger Seal. The batteries will be secured in the frame with small ratchet straps.