What I do when I cut off a bolt or threaded rod, I always put a nut on the thread, then cut the bolt or rod and round the end. So when you remove the nut it removes any burr that still might be left and makes putting the nut back on much easier. Old toolmaker trick.
when cutting through threaded rods I always use a sacrificial nut to run overbthe cut cleaned end. This has saved me on many occasions where a tiny shard of metalnremains in the thread. I was taught this by an old engineer many moons ago.
I did the same thing to my 74 Mercury Comet GT back in the day.I had installed a 351 Windsor in place of the original 302. Comets are tail light anyway, so the extra weight is a plus. Just be sure that you install a ground cable from the engine block to the body that is equal in size to the ground wire from frame to battery. I connected mine from the frame to one of the starter mounting bolts to ensure that the starter has the best ground possible.
Looking just at the nuts in the rods and the threading and imagining all the work you have to do in between the shots, the actual shots, the editing and planning makes me appreciate your hard work a little bit more. Great job Eric, love the editing!
lol. Everyone has a suggestion for eric. I hope he doesn't get upset and stop making these videos. This was one of my favorites. I like "creative" fabricating work like this. Your videos are greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much for the help I’m about to do this on my 90s foxbody mustang. I have watched so many vids on this battery relocation and yours has to be the best explained walk threw.
Great video! You dont need a vent port if youre using an Optima battery, since they're sealed already. The vent portion is for vented batteries. And since you now have a vent in it you should put a silica packet in there to prevent moisture build up. You can find these packets in shoe boxes and other electronics boxes
Been following along on the car one tip for doing chassis grounds use riv-nuts. I use the splined ones makes a super tight ground connection and you don't have to find a access hole for a wrench on the back side. Cheers keep up the good work and content 👍
Just a tip Eric, if I have to run a nut down a lot of all thread. I'll put 2 nuts on the top of the all thread as jam nuts. Then hold the nut I'm running down with a wrench and put an air/electric wrench on jam nuts. It also saves me a ton of time if I have to do something similar with a nylock.
Cool to see you use several of the same products and install them the same way. I'm no pro, im just winging it but it makes feel good that I'm the same level as someone as skilled as you are.
few things id do different: 1> use a STAINLESS bolt for the earth connection and weld it in for security , will be corrosion resitant and lower electrical resistance (especially over time) 2> put DOMED nuts on the top cover of the box, that way you wont catch (and cause damage to) your hands, luggage or hostages on the end of the threaded rods. 3> install foam under the battery box, especially as it wasnt 100% level, will stop any rattles
Eric & Brian; You have my upvote for all the Fairmont episodes! It's taken a long time to get there, and now that we are, I'm loving seeing the step-by-step build of cool project car. Keep up all the good work, guys!
eric.. i know its already installed. but i usually pull the positive battery cable thru heater hose so it has a much thicker insulation around it. i also use one of the various remote shut off switches with the moroso push rod kit.. but i use an additional morse /pto type cable to give me remote control from the front seat area.
I would have cut the threaded rod after it was where you wanted it in the trunk. Replace sharpie with cut-off wheel... Just me. Thanks for the vid man. Keep wrenching!
Eric. Great video. I do have a few suggestions if you don't mind. First, I would have cut the box down to size. It appears to be a few inches too tall. Second, I would have attached the ground wire directly to the top of one of the threaded rods where they attach to the hold down bracket. If unsatisfied with the contact between the bottom of the rod and the body, I would have installed a short jumper to the ground bolt you attatched to the "frame". When I installed my hitch on my 1981 Fairmont Futura Wagon (which succeeded my 1979 Fairmont wagon), the kit came with bolts that dropped down from existing holes in the frame, near the one you were dealing with. In order to insert them into the box section, the kit came with a special wire that was wrapped around the threads of the bolt with about 10" of an extra wire "tail". The instructions were for me to feed the wire tail through a large hole into the frame (possibly the one you used) to a smaller hole not too far from the larger hole. When the tail passed over the smaller hole, I grabbed it with a pair of needle nose pliers and was then able to pull the bolt (threads first) through the large hole into the frame and then back out through the smaller hole that the head would not fit through. I then unwound the wire from the threads and was able to attach the hitch to the frame via that bolt that was now hanging down through the smaller hole. I kept this special wire tool for years until I realized that I could make one just by wrapping any stiff wire along the threads of any bolt. Kind of an easy way to get a bolt into a box section. Finally, whenever I cut a threaded rod, I put a nut on it right before the cut so that when I've completed the cut and cleaned up the end, I can back the nut off the rod over the new cut and it will fix any imperfections making the next nut easy to install. Looking forward to your next video. Please, keep up the great work!
You do like to do things the hard way, don't you? If you put the inside nut on from the bottom and spun it up two inches you could then have put them through the holes and have them sit there holding them selves up while you went underneath and put the bottom nuts on as far as they needed to go and then not spent an hour spinning the inside nuts down as they would already be most of the way there. But if you had a tape measure you could have measured the height of the box added the thickness of two nuts and washers and cut the threaded bar to length. Also locking two nuts together on the rod would allow you to cut it without damaging the thread and if ever you cut a threaded bar or bolt you put a nut on first to clean the waste out of the thread, it's easier to undo a nut the clean a thread than try and run a die down it. Just a couple of tips or ideas the edge of that box should have been on the inside of the fold it will be safer without a sharp edge on the corner. Putting some silicon sealer down on the trunk bed before fitting the box will keep moisture from building up under it and rusting out your trunk. Rather than feeding the cable and vent tube through the rubber filler boot I would have put a small hole through the boot for the cable and tube separately and put some silicon around the holes to strengthen them.
I really doubt that any water will get up behind the take, if he ever drives this in the rain, judging by those tires its a dry weather only type of car.
Jack S . There is moisture in the air even on a dry day. And because a battery is a big lump of heavy metals and water it will get cold and pull the moisture out of the air similar to a cold bottle you take out of a fridge. So it doesn't matter if it's never taken out in the rain.
Hello Eric, when I have done similar jobs involving long studs, I wind the nut on the stud approx 1', that nut then sits on the trunk floor and gives me an in of stud underneath the trunk floor to wind the other nut on. Your vidjas rock and so do you sir, have an awesome 2017.
One neat thing about having the battery somewhere other than other the hood is that the battery lasts longer. This becomes worse if everything under the hood is cramped and extra hot. If Nissan used this system on the 1985-1988 Maxima, it might have solved 20%-25% of the problems those cars were prone to. I used to Have a Saturn ION which already used a battery in the trunk. The battery lasted 5 years, and load tests said it was marginal. When batteries are under the hood in Florida, having a marginal or dead battery after 2 1/2 years is common. Some Mazda Miatas got 9 years or more from the trunk-mounted battery.
cool kit. to reduce metal chatter and less work, no need to cut the trunk rug. just drill through carpet and install box. the rug is harmless and between box and trunk. i would have chosen that option you mentioned. nicer finish in my opinion instead of seeing the cut rug. also, im not a fan of exposing ground to external elements but i understand your goal of a chassis ground
EricTheCarGuy I really hope you're kidding about no breaker or fusible links. You'll need two one about six inches maximum from the positive terminal and one under the hood . You could skip the one under the hood but not the one near the battery. You'll need to find the maximum cranking amps draw from your motor and add another twenty to get the right size breakers, I'm guessing two hundred and fifty amps should cover it.
Anom Amos you are 80% correct the fuse rating should be tide to the cable maximum capability and length too but the main is cable capacity an 1/0 cable is from 200-300 amps depending on the quality and number of strands. The cable Eric used i guess its 2awg or a 0 gauge and those handle from 150-200amps
Me too. If you're concerned about weight transfer, why put it at just one corner of the car? I liked the comment about putting it against the seat; out of the way, in the middle; but on reflection, and trying to visualize my old '80 Fairmont, I'm not sure there would be enough room...and it would make it a bitch to lift the battery out, regardless.
I think it also would have worked to tap threads in the undercarriage support. That way you can simply thread a bolt through the negative battery cable into the body and you're done. no messing around with nuts, bolts and washers (which I am sure will also be perfectly fine). Could have also welded a nut on the body. Great video!!
your going to hate that batery stay with that mile of all thread. if i may make a suggestion. if you notch/ elingate the holes in the ends of the stay so that they are open ended. you won have to back the nuts all the way off to get the stay out. id also suggesy poking holes in the rubber grommet for the cable and vent tube to run through rather than trough the same hole as the filler neck to avoid possible vibration rubbing and pinching. and finally it might be worth grabbing some rubber u channel the line the top and bottom of the side of the box to maybe seal the box and insulate from possible vibration noise. these are just things i would consider for such an install with the components shown. as always love the work and apreciate the free entertainment
Eric.I burned up two radiator fans because I used the frame for the ground.I had to run a ground cable to the fan from the trunk to solve this problem.The frame is not a good conductor of electricity.
Yes.The company I bought the fan from says the most often reason for a fan burning out is the frame being used as a ground.I ran #4 welding wire to the fan and have had no problems since.The directions that came with the fan states that a ground wire must be run from the battery to the fan.My car is a 47 Ford coupe with a 454 Chev motor.The battery is under the package tray in the trunk.
Yea, fans, or any high amp circuit for that matter, needs a good ground. I'll be sure to check things out when I do an install. Thanks for the comments and your input.
Eric this is such good idea I'm going to do this with my 1995 Rover 820si I've had the car 14 years this year 1917 didn't know this modification could be done, I have wanted to put a bigger battery in, and I can't fit a bigger one under the bonnet I would also like to fit a deep cycle leisure battery on the opposite side in the boot, for amateur radio use, the bigger the better, and fit a split charger unit, and if you are thinking an old car like mine isn't worth spending money on its not, but it's worth it to me and that's all that matters, as I will never get rid of it, I'm recording this video and putting it on a memory stick for future reference...
Bolt the cover down. With the cut off wheel, cut slightly above the nuts. When you unthread them, they will clean the ends for you. This is the fastest way to do it.
...but still leave the ends with burrs. Considering it's the trunk, I might have done the same he did. Less chance of catching something on expensive luggage or whatnot.
if I'm not mistaken, that optima battery is a sealed AGM battery. u don't have to vent those, and u can mount them on they're side or even upside down if need be. that being said, if u use a regular car battery, make sure it's vented to the outside... the fumes they let off can kill u
An Optima, AGM or any other sealed all position VRLA battery are vented, do outgas and do require a vent or a ventilated environment, particularly if enclosed in a battery box. The outgassing is usually hydrogen gas which can become a fire/explosion hazard if allowed to accumulate. The battery box in the kit Eric installed in the video has a vent and the vent tube is routed to discharge outside of the vehicle envelope.
When you put the threaded bar in the first time I thought you'd put a nut on about an inch or two on one side then slide that through the hole... but you did it the long way. Then did it AGAIN. You're more patient than me for sure lmao
Tack welding the stud in this case seems like a good idea to make a totally reliable connection with the body, even if it rusts. You might also check out some of the very nice gold plated heavy duty hi end aftermarket auto sound battery connection hardware, I greatly improved my GM small bolt battery connection with some auto sound connection pieces. Nice installation.
When you run the nuts up and down the threaded rod, put a fiber brush in your cordless drill and lightly press the brush against the nut to run it lickity-split.
Those battery cable ends are junk, but you can put a big ring connector on the cable and bolt it to the clamp. That works well. I agree with putting big wing nuts on the lid. Id also have a battery blanket if I lived out east still.
nice work... for future reference, leave a nut on the threaded rod when you cut it.... then you just back the nut off over the cut end and it "chases the threads" for you....
I’ve been watching your vids for a while they are very clear and informative. Now I see this, you have a cool foxbody square light Ford, now I have finally subscribed!!
just a safety tip Eric I don't think the negative connection you did on frame rail is safe that close to the fuel tank. think of this negative cable always unhooks first when disconnecting the battery and usually creates spark so fumes that could very well be present 4 inches away where the filler neck goes in with sparks from making or breaking battery connection weather its intentional or while driving it works loose equals boom. I'd strongly recommend finding a different spot.
Sir, a great install. I would've used more lock-washer, like everywhere a nut had to be used. I especially liked how you created the "ground connection", underneath the rail, on the vehicle's rear-end. Great, and very informative, video. Thank you Sir.
That whole rear axle looks so sick, with all the new shiny parts! I always feel, that it's such a shame that all those shiny beautiful parts are hidden. Cars need something like sidewindows on pc cases imo. 😃
+EricTheCarGuy Ahh. With an optima I don't think it would be much issue anyway. If someone used a conventional battery it may be a bigger concern though.
Sure you could've done things a lot better or differently but this works. your videos especially this one for some reason are so satisfying to watch. plus i noticed how you would cut the video of doing one thing out and using it for another video. like removing the gas tank. 1.more detailed videos 2. more efficient 3.more videos 4.maaaybe more money.
You've probably had it with all the know-it-alls, but here's a couple more suggestions. I would cut a couple small holes in the neck filler boot to route the vent tube and neg cable through. I would paint over your neg ground and the bare metal you uncovered. Next time you have to cut some threaded rod, run two nuts onto the rod so that they are as far apart as your vise jaws are wide. That way you can tighten the jaws onto the nuts tightly without damaging the threads, and after the cut you can run one nut over the cut end to clean up the threads.
If it were me I'd put a dab of cavity wax on the holes for the threaded rods (as paint would be chipped off as soon as you install the rod) and smear the ground area on the frame too. Great video Eric! Thanks!
Maybe you should have looked at how the older Mercedes battery box looked and used one of those. Grant you they are not chrome and are not pretty but very functional, and won't rust either. I would have gotten one of those out of a salvage yard and tried to fit that in. Just a suggestion, kind of late now.
My car's battery is in the back for V6 models engines but for the 2.0 its in front. The space where the battery would've been is just another storage space in the boot.
+EricTheCarGuy when cutting down the threaded rods or bolts, one thing found is before cutting them, if you install a nut before the cut mark after you make the cut you can run the nut off and it will clean the bur off for you
well eric ..i cant say your dooing it wrong ..and you did say it would be hours to run the nuts down the rods... my question is why would nt you run the nuts and washers up from the bottom then drop the rods into the box and put the other lower nuts on.. isnt hindsight a wonderful gift lol thanks for the videos and look forward to many more
relocated battery always looks cool. why not try to protect the drill holes from corrosion? why no thread locker on the nuts under the car? all those washers look ugly, should of used a different bolt with no shoulder on it... besides getting that off my chest.good work lol
Антон Южаков i would have drilled a hole and welded a nut or bolt on. way to many places to corrode and give a bad ground on that meddly of washers and nuts. weld a nut on you just have the nut face to clean up with a bad ground
Also, putting the lock washer on the bottom (top, when looking up) doesn't give it a good chance to bite into the frame to ensure a solid ground. Surely he had bolts somewhere in the shop that would have fit...although personally, I would have liked to see the ground terminal itself in direct contact with the frame, not with a stack of washers.
Eric, I think you should put some kind of rust protection on that frame/ground area. You just exposed the frame and drilled through it. If it rusts it will cause issues.Also that box is bare metal. Won't the battery fumes cause it to corrode over time?Maybe it's the OCD in me but as a detailer Rust is always a major concern to me, maybe I am just being paranoid :)Great video btw!
The washer going down the all thread made me laugh out loud. That is why I LOVE your channel. BTW I just got a '04 Mustang GT I will be playing with. This is the third Mustang I have owned.
Instead of the "Million thread march", just put a nut on one side, about 2 inches up, then flip the threaded rod and insert, that will hold it in the hold for you to install the bottom nut.
Eric, why didn't you use nylon lock nuts or at least also lock washers for the bottom nuts that hold down the bolts which hold the whole battery box right above the tank? Don't you think vibrations may also losen these fasteners while you're driving? If so, the battery box may become dislodged and jump all over your trunk, and I'm sure that's not what you want, right? :)
A stack of washers may cause headaches later, not that a uni-body conducts much better. An extra ground cable running to the original ground point might be a good idea.
Today, absolutely it will ! In a year or two, maybe not as much. If you draw it in cross section you will see that the larger aria of contact is in the washers and since the bolt is threaded it makes little to no direct contact with the wire end directly. Just keep this spot in mind when you need to trouble shoot later, hopefully you are right though.
I didn't read all 586 comments so forgive me if this was suggested already. Put the solenoid closer to the battery so that the only time that long cable is hot is when your turning the motor over, but then you would need a separate charging wire.
Surprised to see you cut what we in the electrical trade call all-thread without a nut above the cut line, backing the nut over the cut will rethread the cut area. If that is a Johnson Controls yellow top and it gets below freezing your going to need a battery blanket, mine would die after sitting for a day. Adding the battery warmer finally keeps my Optima from being dead on cold mornings, just have to remember to plug it in!!
why aren't there rubber washers for the threaded rod portion that go thru your trunk floor? I'd be concerned that water could come through if the nuts loosened
Hey Eric, thanks for the video. Do I need to use a circuit breaker for the long positive wire going through the car? Do you use a distribution block at the front of the car so you don't have to run accessories and new things you put into the car that require power, all the way to the back where the battery is?
Make sure and run a ground strap off the engine block to frame. Seen a lot of issues on race cars caused( some kinda strange) if not grounded well, even with solid mounts and motor plates. However, I have a feeling you knew this.
Hey EricTheCarGuy really enjoy your videos a lot and very information. I have a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with a 5.7l hemi. For some reason when I put the truck in cruise control it hesitant and skips like it's trying to stay consistent but when I take it off cruise control everything is fine and smooth. I'm not have any kind of jerking when the truck is out of cruise control and even when in 4wd it's fine. Just trying to get an idea why this is happening to see if it's a vacuum leak or is it my tranny starting to have problems. If you can give me some kind of insight I would greatly appreciate it.... This problem only radiates when engaged in cruise control! I do have a two codes of p0440 and a p0420 at the moment.
Hey Eric, Why did you not use lock washers or nylon lock nuts to secure the battery box and battery? In my experience between Murphy's Law and vehicle vibration, those things could come loose over time with standard nuts and flat washers.
Although it looks like a circuit breaker was not supplied with the kit I think it would be wise to put at least a 150 amp breaker as close the the positive terminal as possible. Bussmann makes a nice one you can pick up at almost any auto parts store, better safe than sorry! I'm pretty sure that yellow top can deliver around 830cca, you will have a nightmare on your hands if something happened on that positive line without a breaker in place! Great vid though!
Hello, Eric. I have placed starter batteries in trunks for all the reasons you state. What I found was that connecting the negative battery terminal to the frame wasn't always reliable. The engine grounds had to be cleaned and the ground straps inspected. In spite of all that, sometimes my engines were hard to crank. So, when I mounted the battery in a trunk, I also ran a ground (usually welding cable) to the engine, with ground strap to the frame at the engine compartment; along with the positive cable run. The positive cable was then branched off to the fuse block for instruments and lights. Yes, the extra cost of the copper cable was a factor, but reliability improved. Do you fuse the positive cable in case it should short to the frame? I do like your attention to details.
With the engine bay so filled up by turbo etc Have you thought about a rear mount? It would shift another 50 lbs or so to the rear and still work just as good if not better . A rear mount runs so much cooler that they probably produce more power I'd love to see someone do a dyno test on front vs rear mount.
6:31 // now free and clear to drill some holes in the trunk 6:42 // two nuts to go underneath 603: // now we start with the small hole and work my way up 😂😂😂
Really should have used some kinda of a rubber sealer on the posts that are holding the box onto the body under the car, as well as some form of sealer over the bolt/nut/washer mess to prevent rust and corrosion... Lots of surface area on that ground spot for salt/grime/water to collect and ruin that connection.
Honestly, I would hope not, but, salt never washes off in the first rain after winter, and salt isn't the only issue. But, I guess you plan on watching the weather every day to plan when to take it out for a spin so that you don't get it all wet. But hey, like you said, your car you spent a year building, your channel, being an ass hat if you wish towards someone that makes a critical remark of your work.
What I do when I cut off a bolt or threaded rod, I always put a nut on the thread, then cut the bolt or rod and round the end. So when you remove the nut it removes any burr that still might be left and makes putting the nut back on much easier. Old toolmaker trick.
I know it's not the done thing but if you angle it down when grinding it keeps the thread clean
when cutting through threaded rods I always use a sacrificial nut to run overbthe cut cleaned end. This has saved me on many occasions where a tiny shard of metalnremains in the thread. I was taught this by an old engineer many moons ago.
Appreciate you actually explaining why you're doing what, instead of leaving the viewers guessing.
I did the same thing to my 74 Mercury Comet GT back in the day.I had installed a 351 Windsor in place of the original 302. Comets are tail light anyway, so the extra weight is a plus. Just be sure that you install a ground cable from the engine block to the body that is equal in size to the ground wire from frame to battery. I connected mine from the frame to one of the starter mounting bolts to ensure that the starter has the best ground possible.
Looking just at the nuts in the rods and the threading and imagining all the work you have to do in between the shots, the actual shots, the editing and planning makes me appreciate your hard work a little bit more. Great job Eric, love the editing!
lol. Everyone has a suggestion for eric. I hope he doesn't get upset and stop making these videos. This was one of my favorites. I like "creative" fabricating work like this. Your videos are greatly appreciated.
I watched this entire series already, but i'm looking into doing this to my car now so I rewatched it. Love the Fairmont series.
Thanks so much for the help I’m about to do this on my 90s foxbody mustang. I have watched so many vids on this battery relocation and yours has to be the best explained walk threw.
Great video! You dont need a vent port if youre using an Optima battery, since they're sealed already. The vent portion is for vented batteries. And since you now have a vent in it you should put a silica packet in there to prevent moisture build up. You can find these packets in shoe boxes and other electronics boxes
Been following along on the car one tip for doing chassis grounds use riv-nuts. I use the splined ones makes a super tight ground connection and you don't have to find a access hole for a wrench on the back side. Cheers keep up the good work and content 👍
Just a tip Eric, if I have to run a nut down a lot of all thread. I'll put 2 nuts on the top of the all thread as jam nuts. Then hold the nut I'm running down with a wrench and put an air/electric wrench on jam nuts. It also saves me a ton of time if I have to do something similar with a nylock.
Cool to see you use several of the same products and install them the same way. I'm no pro, im just winging it but it makes feel good that I'm the same level as someone as skilled as you are.
few things id do different:
1> use a STAINLESS bolt for the earth connection and weld it in for security , will be corrosion resitant and lower electrical resistance (especially over time)
2> put DOMED nuts on the top cover of the box, that way you wont catch (and cause damage to) your hands, luggage or hostages on the end of the threaded rods.
3> install foam under the battery box, especially as it wasnt 100% level, will stop any rattles
No doubt this mans blinker fluid is never a drop below full.
Eric & Brian;
You have my upvote for all the Fairmont episodes! It's taken a long time to get there, and now that we are, I'm loving seeing the step-by-step build of cool project car. Keep up all the good work, guys!
eric.. i know its already installed. but i usually pull the positive battery cable thru heater hose so it has a much thicker insulation around it. i also use one of the various remote shut off switches with the moroso push rod kit.. but i use an additional morse /pto type cable to give me remote control from the front seat area.
I would have cut the threaded rod after it was where you wanted it in the trunk. Replace sharpie with cut-off wheel... Just me. Thanks for the vid man. Keep wrenching!
Eric. Great video. I do have a few suggestions if you don't mind. First, I would have cut the box down to size. It appears to be a few inches too tall. Second, I would have attached the ground wire directly to the top of one of the threaded rods where they attach to the hold down bracket. If unsatisfied with the contact between the bottom of the rod and the body, I would have installed a short jumper to the ground bolt you attatched to the "frame". When I installed my hitch on my 1981 Fairmont Futura Wagon (which succeeded my 1979 Fairmont wagon), the kit came with bolts that dropped down from existing holes in the frame, near the one you were dealing with. In order to insert them into the box section, the kit came with a special wire that was wrapped around the threads of the bolt with about 10" of an extra wire "tail". The instructions were for me to feed the wire tail through a large hole into the frame (possibly the one you used) to a smaller hole not too far from the larger hole. When the tail passed over the smaller hole, I grabbed it with a pair of needle nose pliers and was then able to pull the bolt (threads first) through the large hole into the frame and then back out through the smaller hole that the head would not fit through. I then unwound the wire from the threads and was able to attach the hitch to the frame via that bolt that was now hanging down through the smaller hole. I kept this special wire tool for years until I realized that I could make one just by wrapping any stiff wire along the threads of any bolt. Kind of an easy way to get a bolt into a box section. Finally, whenever I cut a threaded rod, I put a nut on it right before the cut so that when I've completed the cut and cleaned up the end, I can back the nut off the rod over the new cut and it will fix any imperfections making the next nut easy to install. Looking forward to your next video. Please, keep up the great work!
Id put nyloc or loctite the bottom ones
krzysiekv12 id weld em on. bugger droping the tank because the bottom nut spins of changing the battery
Aint got a welder yet
krzysiekv12 jb weld and or adhesive
Battery hold-downs corrode. They're rarely welded because then you're screwed (ha) when you need to replace them
jeez people he could just double nut it or thread lock...
Brian was clearly fascinated by these washers
SpotterJacob who wasn’t?! 😝😂😂
Good job, when I did mine I didn't think of running the positive inside the vehicle.
You do like to do things the hard way, don't you?
If you put the inside nut on from the bottom and spun it up two inches you could then have put them through the holes and have them sit there holding them selves up while you went underneath and put the bottom nuts on as far as they needed to go and then not spent an hour spinning the inside nuts down as they would already be most of the way there. But if you had a tape measure you could have measured the height of the box added the thickness of two nuts and washers and cut the threaded bar to length. Also locking two nuts together on the rod would allow you to cut it without damaging the thread and if ever you cut a threaded bar or bolt you put a nut on first to clean the waste out of the thread, it's easier to undo a nut the clean a thread than try and run a die down it.
Just a couple of tips or ideas the edge of that box should have been on the inside of the fold it will be safer without a sharp edge on the corner.
Putting some silicon sealer down on the trunk bed before fitting the box will keep moisture from building up under it and rusting out your trunk.
Rather than feeding the cable and vent tube through the rubber filler boot I would have put a small hole through the boot for the cable and tube separately and put some silicon around the holes to strengthen them.
Anom Amos yup, all wrong in this one.
I was thinking exactly what Anon Amos has written about the threaded bar, loctite and silicone sealant also required.
Anom Amos this is for comments, not letters.
I really doubt that any water will get up behind the take, if he ever drives this in the rain, judging by those tires its a dry weather only type of car.
Jack S . There is moisture in the air even on a dry day. And because a battery is a big lump of heavy metals and water it will get cold and pull the moisture out of the air similar to a cold bottle you take out of a fridge. So it doesn't matter if it's never taken out in the rain.
Hello Eric, when I have done similar jobs involving long studs, I wind the nut on the stud approx 1', that nut then sits on the trunk floor and gives me an in of stud underneath the trunk floor to wind the other nut on. Your vidjas rock and so do you sir, have an awesome 2017.
Excellent video as always! Should write a quote on that battery box; "I'll never let go, Jack. I promise."
You're just the right kind of weird. I like it.
eric, quick tip, whenever you need to secure something with threads on it in a vice. just put on the nuts and clamp the piece of thread on the nuts
I love etcg videos have watched every Friday for the last couple years also etcg1 fan
Jared Mccoy me too, high 5
Me 3. ;)
StevexNYCperformance #white peoples videos matter
no im the number one fam.
One neat thing about having the battery somewhere other than other the hood is that the battery lasts longer. This becomes worse if everything under the hood is cramped and extra hot.
If Nissan used this system on the 1985-1988 Maxima, it might have solved 20%-25% of the problems those cars were prone to.
I used to Have a Saturn ION which already used a battery in the trunk. The battery lasted 5 years, and load tests said it was marginal. When batteries are under the hood in Florida, having a marginal or dead battery after 2 1/2 years is common.
Some Mazda Miatas got 9 years or more from the trunk-mounted battery.
cool kit. to reduce metal chatter and less work, no need to cut the trunk rug. just drill through carpet and install box. the rug is harmless and between box and trunk. i would have chosen that option you mentioned. nicer finish in my opinion instead of seeing the cut rug. also, im not a fan of exposing ground to external elements but i understand your goal of a chassis ground
hey Eric, adding a dab of dielectric grease to the ground bolt is added protection against corrosion.
Tnx Eric, I hope you have not forgot to install kill switch! Very crucial.
Doublesided tape what about a fuse on the positive cable, close to the terminal?
Sure, also very important. I think it is better to upgrade the engine fuse box but i'm sure Eric has a plan for it.
Thanks for this video Eric! I did this exact same install in my ‘87 Fox Body Notch! 🦊
hey Eric dont forget to install inline fuse with maximum in case of the battery shorted the positive dont melt and short you whole car
That's what the solenoid is for. I'll also think I have a main fuse in the fuse box.
EricTheCarGuy that's what selonide will do if the battery is mount under the hood but now the battery is in the back what will protect the wire
EricTheCarGuy I really hope you're kidding about no breaker or fusible links. You'll need two one about six inches maximum from the positive terminal and one under the hood . You could skip the one under the hood but not the one near the battery. You'll need to find the maximum cranking amps draw from your motor and add another twenty to get the right size breakers, I'm guessing two hundred and fifty amps should cover it.
Anom Amos you are 80% correct the fuse rating should be tide to the cable maximum capability and length too but the main is cable capacity an 1/0 cable is from 200-300 amps depending on the quality and number of strands.
The cable Eric used i guess its 2awg or a 0 gauge and those handle from 150-200amps
Oh and its 11 inches not 6 from the battery
I'm still chuckling at weight transfer, another good video, cheers.
Me too. If you're concerned about weight transfer, why put it at just one corner of the car? I liked the comment about putting it against the seat; out of the way, in the middle; but on reflection, and trying to visualize my old '80 Fairmont, I'm not sure there would be enough room...and it would make it a bitch to lift the battery out, regardless.
I think it also would have worked to tap threads in the undercarriage support. That way you can simply thread a bolt through the negative battery cable into the body and you're done. no messing around with nuts, bolts and washers (which I am sure will also be perfectly fine). Could have also welded a nut on the body. Great video!!
your going to hate that batery stay with that mile of all thread. if i may make a suggestion. if you notch/ elingate the holes in the ends of the stay so that they are open ended. you won have to back the nuts all the way off to get the stay out.
id also suggesy poking holes in the rubber grommet for the cable and vent tube to run through rather than trough the same hole as the filler neck to avoid possible vibration rubbing and pinching.
and finally it might be worth grabbing some rubber u channel the line the top and bottom of the side of the box to maybe seal the box and insulate from possible vibration noise. these are just things i would consider for such an install with the components shown. as always love the work and apreciate the free entertainment
Eric.I burned up two radiator fans because I used the frame for the ground.I had to run a ground cable to the fan from the trunk to solve this problem.The frame is not a good conductor of electricity.
Did you clean the connection to bare metal like I did?
Yes.The company I bought the fan from says the most often reason for a fan burning out is the frame being used as a ground.I ran #4 welding wire to the fan and have had no problems since.The directions that came with the fan states that a ground wire must be run from the battery to the fan.My car is a 47 Ford coupe with a 454 Chev motor.The battery is under the package tray in the trunk.
Yea, fans, or any high amp circuit for that matter, needs a good ground. I'll be sure to check things out when I do an install. Thanks for the comments and your input.
Eric this is such good idea I'm going to do this with my 1995 Rover 820si I've had the car 14 years this year 1917 didn't know this modification could be done, I have wanted to put a bigger battery in, and I can't fit a bigger one under the bonnet I would also like to fit a deep cycle leisure battery on the opposite side in the boot, for amateur radio use, the bigger the better, and fit a split charger unit, and if you are thinking an old car like mine isn't worth spending money on its not, but it's worth it to me and that's all that matters, as I will never get rid of it, I'm recording this video and putting it on a memory stick for future reference...
Great Video Eric. The Fairmont and Vigor are my favourites in your fleet. Next I would be tempted to disguise the battery box as a crate of beer. :)
They're my favorites too. Although I really love my truck. I like your thoughts on altering it's appearance.
EricTheCarGuy Thank You :) the finish looks good anyway but I figured a disguise would go with the sleeper look.
Nice yellow-top Eric! I have one that has lasted over ten years. Expensive but very cost effective.
that washer sliding down the rod made me happy
I'm sure you already thought of this but I would replace the top lid retaining nuts with wing nuts. For obvious reasons.
Bolt the cover down. With the cut off wheel, cut slightly above the nuts. When you unthread them, they will clean the ends for you. This is the fastest way to do it.
...but still leave the ends with burrs. Considering it's the trunk, I might have done the same he did. Less chance of catching something on expensive luggage or whatnot.
if I'm not mistaken, that optima battery is a sealed AGM battery. u don't have to vent those, and u can mount them on they're side or even upside down if need be. that being said, if u use a regular car battery, make sure it's vented to the outside... the fumes they let off can kill u
An Optima, AGM or any other sealed all position VRLA battery are vented, do outgas and do require a vent or a ventilated environment, particularly if enclosed in a battery box.
The outgassing is usually hydrogen gas which can become a fire/explosion hazard if allowed to accumulate.
The battery box in the kit Eric installed in the video has a vent and the vent tube is routed to discharge outside of the vehicle envelope.
That's true, but the kit came with a vent so I used it. Thanks for the comment.
When you put the threaded bar in the first time I thought you'd put a nut on about an inch or two on one side then slide that through the hole... but you did it the long way. Then did it AGAIN. You're more patient than me for sure lmao
Thank you. Finally someone did this plain, straight forward, and easy to understand
Tack welding the stud in this case seems like a good idea to make a totally reliable connection with the body, even if it rusts. You might also check out some of the very nice gold plated heavy duty hi end aftermarket auto sound battery connection hardware, I greatly improved my GM small bolt battery connection with some auto sound connection pieces. Nice installation.
When you run the nuts up and down the threaded rod, put a fiber brush in your cordless drill and lightly press the brush against the nut to run it lickity-split.
HF has a nice set of cushion clamps that you can use to hold the wires.
Those battery cable ends are junk, but you can put a big ring connector on the cable and bolt it to the clamp. That works well. I agree with putting big wing nuts on the lid. Id also have a battery blanket if I lived out east still.
nice work... for future reference, leave a nut on the threaded rod when you cut it.... then you just back the nut off over the cut end and it "chases the threads" for you....
Awsome video as usual. Thanks again. I didnt know they had kits to move the battery to the back.
I’ve been watching your vids for a while they are very clear and informative. Now I see this, you have a cool foxbody square light Ford, now I have finally subscribed!!
just a safety tip Eric I don't think the negative connection you did on frame rail is safe that close to the fuel tank. think of this negative cable always unhooks first when disconnecting the battery and usually creates spark so fumes that could very well be present 4 inches away where the filler neck goes in with sparks from making or breaking battery connection weather its intentional or while driving it works loose equals boom. I'd strongly recommend finding a different spot.
I haven't watched you in a while. Its good to see you working on a lift.
Sir, a great install. I would've used more lock-washer, like everywhere a nut had to be used. I especially liked how you created the "ground connection", underneath the rail, on the vehicle's rear-end.
Great, and very informative, video. Thank you Sir.
That whole rear axle looks so sick, with all the new shiny parts!
I always feel, that it's such a shame that all those shiny beautiful parts are hidden. Cars need something like sidewindows on pc cases imo. 😃
Not done yet. In later episodes I completely redo the entire rear suspension. The new set up is killer.
Is it the best idea to put a vent that could potentially expel corrosive gasses, right next to the filler neck?
Just asking, Love the channel.
I'm not concerned. I'll likely be running a fuel cell.
+EricTheCarGuy Ahh. With an optima I don't think it would be much issue anyway. If someone used a conventional battery it may be a bigger concern though.
Sure you could've done things a lot better or differently but this works. your videos especially this one for some reason are so satisfying to watch. plus i noticed how you would cut the video of doing one thing out and using it for another video. like removing the gas tank. 1.more detailed videos 2. more efficient 3.more videos 4.maaaybe more money.
You've probably had it with all the know-it-alls, but here's a couple more suggestions. I would cut a couple small holes in the neck filler boot to route the vent tube and neg cable through. I would paint over your neg ground and the bare metal you uncovered. Next time you have to cut some threaded rod, run two nuts onto the rod so that they are as far apart as your vise jaws are wide. That way you can tighten the jaws onto the nuts tightly without damaging the threads, and after the cut you can run one nut over the cut end to clean up the threads.
Are you not gonna take some paint on thoose holes you drilled? :)
If it were me I'd put a dab of cavity wax on the holes for the threaded rods (as paint would be chipped off as soon as you install the rod) and smear the ground area on the frame too. Great video Eric! Thanks!
Maybe some rubber feet on the button of the batter tray? And rubber washers on the rods between the trunk floor?
This is sweet! Thanks for Sharing! I will be moving my battery to the Trunk of my second gen camaro.
Eric,be careful leaving the carpet in the truk,many trunks have rotted out because water being trapped between the carpet or mat an the floor.
Nutsert would have make your life easier for the ground connector.
I'm always looking forward to your video keep up the good work
Maybe you should have looked at how the older Mercedes battery box looked and used one of those. Grant you they are not chrome and are not pretty but very functional, and won't rust either.
I would have gotten one of those out of a salvage yard and tried to fit that in. Just a suggestion, kind of late now.
My car's battery is in the back for V6 models engines but for the 2.0 its in front. The space where the battery would've been is just another storage space in the boot.
+EricTheCarGuy when cutting down the threaded rods or bolts, one thing found is before cutting them, if you install a nut before the cut mark after you make the cut you can run the nut off and it will clean the bur off for you
well eric ..i cant say your dooing it wrong ..and you did say it would be hours to run the nuts down the rods... my question is why would nt you run the nuts and washers up from the bottom then drop the rods into the box and put the other lower nuts on.. isnt hindsight a wonderful gift lol thanks for the videos and look forward to many more
relocated battery always looks cool. why not try to protect the drill holes from corrosion? why no thread locker on the nuts under the car? all those washers look ugly, should of used a different bolt with no shoulder on it... besides getting that off my chest.good work lol
Why not just cut a thread in the "frame" for that negative cable?
Антон Южаков or even better, why not to use holes that he already drilled and those threaded rods
Антон Южаков i would have drilled a hole and welded a nut or bolt on. way to many places to corrode and give a bad ground on that meddly of washers and nuts. weld a nut on you just have the nut face to clean up with a bad ground
Also, putting the lock washer on the bottom (top, when looking up) doesn't give it a good chance to bite into the frame to ensure a solid ground. Surely he had bolts somewhere in the shop that would have fit...although personally, I would have liked to see the ground terminal itself in direct contact with the frame, not with a stack of washers.
observation: An old Ford Fairmont? Faster time of the line? Turbo? Weed whacker pipe as well?
Bravo! Yellow top. Not cheap but they do last.
Eric, I think you should put some kind of rust protection on that frame/ground area. You just exposed the frame and drilled through it. If it rusts it will cause issues.Also that box is bare metal. Won't the battery fumes cause it to corrode over time?Maybe it's the OCD in me but as a detailer Rust is always a major concern to me, maybe I am just being paranoid :)Great video btw!
Well done Eric. 👍👍
The washer going down the all thread made me laugh out loud. That is why I LOVE your channel. BTW I just got a '04 Mustang GT I will be playing with. This is the third Mustang I have owned.
Nice!
Instead of the "Million thread march", just put a nut on one side, about 2 inches up, then flip the threaded rod and insert, that will hold it in the hold for you to install the bottom nut.
Eric, why didn't you use nylon lock nuts or at least also lock washers for the bottom nuts that hold down the bolts which hold the whole battery box right above the tank? Don't you think vibrations may also losen these fasteners while you're driving? If so, the battery box may become dislodged and jump all over your trunk, and I'm sure that's not what you want, right? :)
A stack of washers may cause headaches later, not that a uni-body conducts much better. An extra ground cable running to the original ground point might be a good idea.
I have every confidence in my grade 8 bolt conducting electricity. Thanks for the comment.
Today, absolutely it will ! In a year or two, maybe not as much. If you draw it in cross section you will see that the larger aria of contact is in the washers and since the bolt is threaded it makes little to no direct contact with the wire end directly. Just keep this spot in mind when you need to trouble shoot later, hopefully you are right though.
I didn't read all 586 comments so forgive me if this was suggested already. Put the solenoid closer to the battery so that the only time that long cable is hot is when your turning the motor over, but then you would need a separate charging wire.
Surprised to see you cut what we in the electrical trade call all-thread without a nut above the cut line, backing the nut over the cut will rethread the cut area. If that is a Johnson Controls yellow top and it gets below freezing your going to need a battery blanket, mine would die after sitting for a day. Adding the battery warmer finally keeps my Optima from being dead on cold mornings, just have to remember to plug it in!!
A pair of 'good' scissors might just cut the carpet and pad a little better than a pair of tin snips ! LOL
Very clean work Eric. Nice job.
why aren't there rubber washers for the threaded rod portion that go thru your trunk floor? I'd be concerned that water could come through if the nuts loosened
You should get a "Do not open. Contains Human Organs" sign, for the battery box! :)
*Wingnut* the top with those washers. Channel battery brace _is_ upside down, 2 contacts are more secure than one.
He already knows it's upside down Mom.
Mine is weight transfer and wire tuck. Plus needed room for the some extra turbo activities
Hey Eric, thanks for the video. Do I need to use a circuit breaker for the long positive wire going through the car? Do you use a distribution block at the front of the car so you don't have to run accessories and new things you put into the car that require power, all the way to the back where the battery is?
Make sure and run a ground strap off the engine block to frame. Seen a lot of issues on race cars caused( some kinda strange) if not grounded well, even with solid mounts and motor plates. However, I have a feeling you knew this.
No worries. That's in an upcoming video.
As Mr. Burns says.. Excellent
Hey EricTheCarGuy really enjoy your videos a lot and very information. I have a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with a 5.7l hemi. For some reason when I put the truck in cruise control it hesitant and skips like it's trying to stay consistent but when I take it off cruise control everything is fine and smooth. I'm not have any kind of jerking when the truck is out of cruise control and even when in 4wd it's fine. Just trying to get an idea why this is happening to see if it's a vacuum leak or is it my tranny starting to have problems. If you can give me some kind of insight I would greatly appreciate it....
This problem only radiates when engaged in cruise control!
I do have a two codes of p0440 and a p0420 at the moment.
Hey Eric, Why did you not use lock washers or nylon lock nuts to secure the battery box and battery? In my experience between Murphy's Law and vehicle vibration, those things could come loose over time with standard nuts and flat washers.
Instead of rounding it, put the nut down a few threads before cutting, cut it off, then unthread it a few times and it'll be real easy to install too.
Thought that, too; but he didn't seem to have too much of an issue after he ground it off.
Although it looks like a circuit breaker was not supplied with the kit I think it would be wise to put at least a 150 amp breaker as close the the positive terminal as possible. Bussmann makes a nice one you can pick up at almost any auto parts store, better safe than sorry! I'm pretty sure that yellow top can deliver around 830cca, you will have a nightmare on your hands if something happened on that positive line without a breaker in place! Great vid though!
Probably not a bad idea. Thanks for the comment.
Hello, Eric. I have placed starter batteries in trunks for all the reasons you state. What I found was that connecting the negative battery terminal to the frame wasn't always reliable. The engine grounds had to be cleaned and the ground straps inspected. In spite of all that, sometimes my engines were hard to crank. So, when I mounted the battery in a trunk, I also ran a ground (usually welding cable) to the engine, with ground strap to the frame at the engine compartment; along with the positive cable run. The positive cable was then branched off to the fuse block for instruments and lights. Yes, the extra cost of the copper cable was a factor, but reliability improved. Do you fuse the positive cable in case it should short to the frame? I do like your attention to details.
With the engine bay so filled up by turbo etc Have you thought about a rear mount? It would shift another 50 lbs or so to the rear and still work just as good if not better . A rear mount runs so much cooler that they probably produce more power I'd love to see someone do a dyno test on front vs rear mount.
Good work Steady hand Bryan....
vetterfellow .............why dots.......?......
I was hoping you would say something about the supplied positive cable lug, I hate those too they are garbage. Fusion solder lug is the way to go IMO.
You can also use acorn nuts on the top of the box for a finished look!
6:31 // now free and clear to drill some holes in the trunk
6:42 // two nuts to go underneath
603: // now we start with the small hole and work my way up
😂😂😂
Is another advantage for this relocation is longer battery longevity since the battery won't be located in the hot engine compartment?
Really should have used some kinda of a rubber sealer on the posts that are holding the box onto the body under the car, as well as some form of sealer over the bolt/nut/washer mess to prevent rust and corrosion... Lots of surface area on that ground spot for salt/grime/water to collect and ruin that connection.
Do you really think I'm going to be driving my 575hp car that I spent a year building in the winter?
Honestly, I would hope not, but, salt never washes off in the first rain after winter, and salt isn't the only issue. But, I guess you plan on watching the weather every day to plan when to take it out for a spin so that you don't get it all wet. But hey, like you said, your car you spent a year building, your channel, being an ass hat if you wish towards someone that makes a critical remark of your work.
Yeah I don't know. I think a Marine battery hard plastic container would have easier access. Hate to have to jump start that dude. hahaha