TRD Battery Clamps

Just put in some Battery Clamps for my Red Top 35.

 

Yes. There’s a guy that makes them. They are amazing.

 

Here is the “the place to get them”
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/trd-aluminum-battery-hold-downs.494345/page-44

 

I mean $95 shipped isn’t too bad considering the quality.

 

BTW, OP - That is one clean engine bay.

 

That’s a @Coupe clamp

 

I know these are not cheap, but let's look what it takes to get it made.

First off, I was not making these for 1st gen Tacomas. I was making these for 2nd & 3rd gen Tacomas. Someone from this approached me on this forum to make a run for 1st gens. I agreed to do it if we could get a group of ten (10) people that wanted them. We got the people, so this is the approach.

First I need a stock hold down to take measurements. I don't own a 1st gen ( I know I am deprived). So I had to buy one. I picked up one off ebay.

I had to take measurements of the existing part, then make drawings of what I though a custom hold down should look like. This is about 10 hours of time in this process. ( I need to mention you need to own about $6K worth of computer and software to make the drawings/models).

So now I have a cad model/drawing. Now I need a machine shop to make a prototype ( just one part). Most machine shops do not want to tool up for a single part. Then want to make a quantity run. (Maybe 20 or 30 parts on the minimum side). So you may need to look for a shop that is willing to play, with the promise they are going to get the quantity run later.

So after some searching for a machinist, we make a single part. (In all fairness, I have a group of machinists I work with all of the time, so I can get them to make a small run for me, but that is only because a have a relationship with them that spans several years).

I don't have a 1st gen, so I send the part to a member of TW for a trial fit. They install it on their truck and check fit. They give me feedback with photos then we make changes to the drawings to accommodate their feedback.

Now we are ready to make a production run. I have ten (10) people signed up, I ask for deposits or full payment and I typically get 90% of people that have signed up for the project to pay, but rarely do you get everyone to pay you. To keep my machinist happy I make a run of twenty (20) parts (not ten). I also let him fit this in on his schedule. He can run it on a slow day when he is not busy.

So in a few weeks I get the twenty parts and I take them to the powdercoater. Most parts we have been making are a two color process. So there is a sand blast of the parts. Then first color gets applied and baked in an oven. Then the second color gets applied and put in the oven.

Something to mention, the parts don't magically jump from the machinist to the powdercoater. Someone has to pick up the parts and take them to the powdercoaters. Not a big deal, but it does take time.

Powdercoater takes a week or two depending on their backlog. I pick those up and I take them to my office.

To complete this assembly, I need bolts, washers and j-hooks. I but these from suppliers like McMaster Carr. The J hooks have to be cut to length. The J hook lengths are different from 1st gen and 2nd gen. I sell these on Tundras and the J hooks are different lengths on 1st gen Tundra and 2nd gen.

Now they need to be packaged. This means I have to purchase boxes and bubble wrap. They parts get assembled and then taken to the post office and shipped.

The other part of this process that gets overlooked is the time it takes communicating on forums to get paid and make sure that people get their parts in a timely fashion. Most of the items I ship goes Priority USPS and arrive in a couple of days. I usually follow up with a tracking number the next day.

With all of that being said, this does not address people with special requests. Special colors, special materials, can you ship out of the country, etc.

After all of that, I still have ten parts that I have not sold. I had an original commitment of ten people that wanted this, but I made extra to keep my machinist happy. This means I get to sit on these parts for several months until I get buyers for them.

If you truly paid for all of these operations, the parts would be doubled what is charged.

Or you can have a boring OEM part.

 

I knew this wasn’t easy. I back up the quality and price you charged Coupe.

 

I suspect you asked this question just to make a point about the cost and also about what you believe to be something this is unnecessary.This is fine and you are entitled to that opinion. But anyone who uses their truck on trails knows that the battery can get tossed around and sometimes will dangerously move out of position when using the oem clamp. Especially if one is using a heavier/larger than stock battery. The Coupe hold down is a solid solution for this issue.

 

@Taco critter -- I hear you.
Probably best path for you if you design and fabricate your own.
No doubt you can do it for far less than $90 and save hours of time.

For me, Coupe's hold down was and is fairly priced, well designed, well made and works perfectly.

JL

 

It's just his opinion

@Taco critter isn't going around spouting out the many reasons why you shouldn't spend $95, but others are coming out and replying with why you should.

I find that odd.

 

@Kwikvette
Suggest you re-read my post w/o your own "filters" engaged.
I did not say that @Tacocritter or any else for that matter "should" spend $95 for a hold down. I said I did and found the value very fair.

JL