FEELER: Undercarriage Battery relocation tray. (2-3) Grp 27 batteries capacity.

I have essentially this:

 

I have a Diamondback cover on my bed. I also have room back there to relocate a mount back there against the rear wall. What should I know/consider about doing this?

 

You could definitely put it und the bed with a cage or a battery box.
I’d try to ground the negative pretty close to the battery, and put either a breaker or a battery switch as close to the positive terminal as you can. For the oem terminals at the front I put the negative just on the oem body side ground and put a small block for the positive.

 

Still have to do some finally fabrications. Thinking of adding a intergrated front rock/moisture shield and waterproof box for the batteries. Final tray will be mounted inside the frame for max ground clearance.

8 ga steel. Overhead clearance is now at about 7.5”. Better buy some AGM batterries and mount sideway.

Looking for any inputs/improvement before I fab up another tray.

 

Space is certainly limited. If along frame I have AGMs and will lay them down but I do have the void space from the spare. Hammer hangers crossbar and big tires means it's available.

Biggest problem im running into is accessing them somewhat easily and safely. They be heavy mofos.

Saw a while ago someone cut a trunk in their bed with batteries inside.

 

This bolt is used as a mounting point for many brands of sliders and should not be obscured:



I'd also recommend a heat shield from the exhaust pipe for the passenger side battery.

 

good points although if I mount the tray on the inside the C frame it shouldn't be any conflict. Ahead of you on the heat shield. Need a good partition and reflected aluminum panels.

 

some sort of double walled divider sounds perfect. Kind of like those arctic mugs, with an air space in between.
Some reflective tape on the exhaust side and it should be plenty.
Or even just an exhaust wrap for that section

 

I suggest you keep a good eye on this setup. I wouldn’t trust that tray to hold the battery like that for long. Especially using it off road.

 

Interested to see what comes of this. I am considering moving my battery right now.

 

Why’d you pick the spot you did? Surely there is a better place farther where you aren’t loosing 1-2” of ground clearance right where it matters. Would be a hell of a lot stronger if you got it inside the frame rails and not hanging off of them with one bolt per side.

 

yeah this is just a mock up to see how things fit. It will be inside the C frame.

 

8 ga galv steel with lots of cross section stiffness. I wouldn't go bashing rocks all day but for a moderate offroader, it will do

Probaly a 4 of 3/8" bolts will be a whole lot better. May be even stiffen up the chassi even more.

 

Ah okay. Much better then.

 

There’s an odd space between the outside of the bed and the sheet metal in the rear of the truck, maybe something there?

 

This is truly a terrible idea. Just no; much better to leave your battery alone. You are reducing break over angle/ground clearance, and you are adding more weight on the side that already has the driver and the fuel tank. This idea fits the motto “if it ain’t broke, fix it till it is”

 

I like your thinking. It's better to fit two 50# batteries under the hood along with your 200# bumper, #60 winch 70# worth of skid plates. All semi trucks put four batteries under the hood too along with the air tanks and whatever else they can fit right on top of the front axel. Da hell with weight distribution

 

There is a good amount of space between the spare tire and the charcoal canister location. I mounted an air tank there on my truck. Id think this would be much better of a location.

Ive got a picture somewhere. Ive got the on board air mounted behind the spare. There is a lot of empty space way up there, why do it under the frame?

I used uni-strut on the bottom and plate on the top of the bed in the lower recesses to mount the stuff. Super sturdy. Im sure there are other mounting points as well.

 

Is that you in your avatar?

I suggested to leave the battery alone. Where did I recommend putting two 50lb batteries under the hood, let alone turning your truck into a 7,000lb rolling gear catalogue? Weight distribution argument coming from the guy who wants to stick the batteries on the side that’s already got the fuel tank and driver (like I said in my previous post). Sorry I came off strong earlier. Perhaps I should have said mildly terrible? I mean I’ve seen worse on here. And hey, it’s your truck, do as you please. Just trying to help out others to see the shortcomings of this invention.

 

In my mind I was picturing something a bit more aesthetic and functional like these boxes I make for the underside of motorcycles.

It hinges open to take the battery in and out. It would have to made heavier and designed for the space but the idea is similar.

BMW under frame mounted Battery Box — dc motive

And it would be a fools game to move the stock battery. Id use it just for added power for accessories, camper, solar system, etc.