Cheap, $10 aluminum battery hold-down

Need 1 piece L-track, with couple holes drilled. They can be bought on Amazon, $18 for couple pieces of 12", again, you only need 1.

(Pack of 2) 12" Aluminum L-Track with 2 1/4" Flush Mount Hardware

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-12-L-Track-Aluminum/dp/B07VF9KLK3

I did this out of necessity in a pinch on our 2016 Sequoia(27F battery), could apply to Tacoma's. We had a 9-hour road trip last weekend, I was checking the oil and coolant the night before, found out we had a cracked battery, acid already seeped out. I jumped in my truck to get a new battery from Costco before they closed for the day. Came back to swap the batteries, just to find out the factory battery hold down was corroded to paper thin, part of it was rotted through.


By that time, every places was closed and with the crappy roads we have here in Indiana, I definitely need to have a good battery hold down to make the trip. I found a piece of leftover L-track from my bed rail project, cut it down and drilled two 1/4" holes, now we are in business.

I was gonna buy a new one but after a week, this thing is so rock solid, I'm keeping it as a permanent solution. I did buy a new set of battery terminals and hooks for the hold-down because the old ones were so corroded.

 

Be careful not to over-tighten it.

I have a battery hold-down that has damage from a leak.

There's a reason for the arch on the OEM battery tie-down.

 

Yes, they both can do. The old battery was cracked with the factory hold down.

I added couple piece of EPDM rubber strips at the edge where the bar contact the battery top. It's not pinched down on the battery.

Because the width of the battery and shape of the bar, I can turn only one of the nuts. One hook nut was set in place then tightened down from other end.

 

Yeah, same set-up with mine/the OEM Battery Tie-down is flush up against the fuse box in fixed position.

I may have over-tightened that side which caused the leak.

When the time comes for a new battery, I'm going to get one without the caps and put back the Black TRD Sport.

 

Yikes. I guess you don’t look around your engine bay.
I usually check fluids once every couple of weeks (oil, brake,coolant, power steering and washer) also look at grating intake for fans(leaf collect) hose and battery.. those clamps are way corroded. I also wipe down flat areas. I am a little over the top. But basic look around is important. Glad it worked out

 

It's our land yacht, used to be my wife's daily driver but she got tired of parking it at work. We only drive it on road trips and some weekends. 2016 and only put 70k miles on it. The last time we put gas in it before this trip was in mid June.

 

Poor land yacht...no love and kinda kicked to the curb. lol

Yeah, that corrosion took some time to develop...like a virus!

In any case, problem solved.

Now, set that calendar for weekly/bi-weekly/monthly check-ups and love your "Land Yacht." lol

 

Can I ask where did you get the silver looking TRD battery hold down? “Real pretty.”

 

Here you Go!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-trd-battery-hold-downs.574494/page-22#post-30233838

 

Here is what's left of the factory bar after I removed the gunk:

 

Wow, no squirrel or rats nesting in it yet? Your SS Tacoma is prime habitat for that!

 

Holy Moly!

That sort of deterioration takes time.

Acid (or whatever material it is) eating away at metal.

I'm glad I caught my "Battery Tie-Down" meltdown when I did.

I do weekly oil level checks which also includes "Functional Checking" the Hood Struts.

Also, making sure my oil cap is not loose as well as fluid level checks and anything that looks out of the ordinary.

 

Thanks for link. I sent person PM, he did not reply yet. Don’t know if any are in stock, the TRD holdowns.

 

He will reply.

He posted on Nov 1st that he had some available.

 

My truck is my daily driver so "Inspections" are very important.

 

Let us know how it holds up.
Aluminum + steel + sulfates = galvanic battery. You might grease up the nuts as where they sit on aluminum bar is likely accelerated oxidation reaction.

 

Wow your engine bay is so clean...

 

dielectric grease can go a long way in preventing galvanic corrosion from dissimilar materials

 

@Junkhead

Thanks Serge!

I have a "Street Princess" and don't really drive in the dirt.

You on the other hand...lol!

 

In for pictures of battery-mounted L-track accessories