Topic: Double Battery Hold Down Question

Hi all, last year Dale nicked us in tech inspection for not having a *second* battery hold down.  Our normal battery hold down is very solid, welded angle iron, good j-bolts, etc.   Very solid.   But Dale said we needed a second tie down.   We are happy to do that but I cannot find anything in the tech rules about a second tie down.  I did find something in the rules about batteries visible from the passenger compartment needing a box.  But it was not clear what that meant and how to do it safely.

We are happy to do whatever we are supposed to do - safety is important and keeping Dale happy is important.   We could just use a little guidance or some pictures.

-- Chuck (SakaiCar #42)

2 (edited by chaase 2021-03-17 07:14 AM)

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

I am not sure what he means by a second tie down. Ours is in a box. The box is bolted to the floor with zipties hold the lid closed and the battery has a hold down inside the box (bolted to the floor w/jhooks) to prevent it from moving around inside the box. Those are the rules if you are not using the OEM battery location.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

We have a racing metal mount like this:

https://static.summitracing.com/global/ … _wu_ml.jpg

This feels quite secure  - a plastic box would seem less secure.   Is there something we could add to meet tech or do we need to remove our current mount and go with something like this?

https://static.summitracing.com/global/ … 212_ml.jpg

It feels like a step backwards and more likely to "let go" in a crash since it is just plastic.

Thanks!

4 (edited by chaase 2021-03-17 07:08 AM)

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

drchuck wrote:

We have a racing metal mount like this:

https://static.summitracing.com/global/ … _wu_ml.jpg

This feels quite secure  - a plastic box would seem less secure.   Is there something we could add to meet tech or do we need to remove our current mount and go with something like this?

https://static.summitracing.com/global/ … 212_ml.jpg

It feels like a step backwards and more likely to "let go" in a crash since it is just plastic.

Thanks!

A picture of your battery installed would help. If the first picture/item is all you have then my guess is Dale wants that setup in a battery box. Basically, combine the two items especially if that is inside the passenger compartment because the battery terminals are exposed so its safer to have the battery in a box.

Otherwise, I am not sure what he means and I would suggest taking pictures and sending to Pagel to get a ruling.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

Do you have a picture of your actual install that you can share?

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

6 (edited by chaase 2021-03-17 07:20 AM)

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

drchuck wrote:

We have a racing metal mount like this:

https://static.summitracing.com/global/ … _wu_ml.jpg

This feels quite secure  - a plastic box would seem less secure.   Is there something we could add to meet tech or do we need to remove our current mount and go with something like this?

Thanks!

There may be a concern that under cornering loads the battery can slide around in the above mount since it only covers 3 sides of the battery. There is nothing preventing slide on one side of the bracket if the clamp comes loose. If that clamp comes loose and the battery slides you  could short the terminals together.

That point may be moot if the clamp actually go on the open side prevent up/down and front/back motion but hard to tell without seeing it installed.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

chaase wrote:

Those are the rules if you are not using the OEM battery location.

Well, just to be clear, a box is required even for some OEM locations. The question is whether the battery is in, or is visible from, the passenger compartment. If the answer is yes, then the battery must either be AGM (such as an Optima) or in a box, even if that is the stock location. Air-cooled Beetles and SAAB Sonetts (other than the Super Sport, as if that were an issue) come to mind as examples.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

mharrell wrote:
chaase wrote:

Those are the rules if you are not using the OEM battery location.

Well, just to be clear, a box is required even for some OEM locations. The question is whether the battery is in, or is visible from, the passenger compartment. If the answer is yes, then the battery must either be AGM (such as an Optima) or in a box, even if that is the stock location. Air-cooled Beetles and SAAB Sonetts (other than the Super Sport, as if that were an issue) come to mind as examples.

That is true. All of our cars have had batteries in the engine compartment of a front mounted engine so it was a moot point.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

That is the type of battery mount like the OEM one in my Triumph.  Its not really the greatest setup.  That crossbar needs to sit on the corner of the battery and it must be absolutely tight or it slips off.  If that crossbar slips up/down or gets loose just a little, the battery is untethered.  I think they much prefer the type of hold down where a crossbar straddles the top or a perimeter frame holds the battery down.  In either of those types of setups, even if the j-bolts are a bit loose the battery is still tethered.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

cheseroo wrote:

That is the type of battery mount like the OEM one in my Triumph.  Its not really the greatest setup.  That crossbar needs to sit on the corner of the battery and it must be absolutely tight or it slips off.  If that crossbar slips up/down or gets loose just a little, the battery is untethered.  I think they much prefer the type of hold down where a crossbar straddles the top or a perimeter frame holds the battery down.  In either of those types of setups, even if the j-bolts are a bit loose the battery is still tethered.

That's what I thought, They might be able to get away with putting a piece of metal on the bottom of the open side to prevent it from sliding around in the event the clamp comes loose.

1992 Saturn SL2 (retired) - Elmo's Revenge -  Class B winner, Heroic Fix winner x2
1969 Rover P6B 3500S(sold) - Super G-Rover - I.O.E Winner, Class C Winner
1996 Saturn SW2 - Elmo's Revenge (reborn!), Saturn SL1  Dazzleshipm Class C x2 and IOE winner
1974 AMC Javelin - Oscar's Trash heap - IOE,”Organizer's Choice" and "I got Screwed" award winner

Re: Double Battery Hold Down Question

My two cents, If it's in the passenger compartment you should have the battery box bolted to the floor along with using the strap that comes with it AND then you should also have some type of angle iron over the top of box that is bolting everything down to the floor as well.

Multiple Entries - Best Finish CMP Fall 2017 - 9th Overall - 1993 BMW 325
Lemons cars: 1983 VW Rabbit, 1993 BMW 325, 1988 BMW 325e