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General Information => Upgrades (non engine related ) => Topic started by: GEE-BEE on November 13, 2011, 01:22:44 pm

Title: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: GEE-BEE on November 13, 2011, 01:22:44 pm
http://pitstopusa.com/i-5081696-braille-battery-aluminum-battery-mount-kit-vertical-horizontal-fits-braille-b3121-b3121c-battery.html

Iam doing this and using a BMW E30 remote battery terminal, all positive wires will attach to the remote
battery terminal , I will have one wire from the battery to the remote terminal.


Welding a 3/16 s/s  plate to the frame rail just in front of the spare tire assy.

More room in engine compartment !!
GB
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: ORCoaster on November 14, 2011, 11:40:36 pm
So for getting or giving a jump you still raise the hood for the access to the positive terminal?  That means one very long cable to the starter and we all know shorter is best for our spin rate. 

I also would caution that cables loose their insulation when scraped or pass through normally negative parts, even with grommets.  I have seen such cables melt and spark and start fires on some fire suppression equipment in my day.  Thought we were going to have to run an engine off the road to keep the molten metal from spewing down the road at 60 mph into all the dry grass on the shoulder.  Quite a sight in the middle of the day. 
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: mystery3 on November 15, 2011, 12:47:14 am
So for getting or giving a jump you still raise the hood for the access to the positive terminal?  That means one very long cable to the starter and we all know shorter is best for our spin rate. 

I also would caution that cables loose their insulation when scraped or pass through normally negative parts, even with grommets.  I have seen such cables melt and spark and start fires on some fire suppression equipment in my day.  Thought we were going to have to run an engine off the road to keep the molten metal from spewing down the road at 60 mph into all the dry grass on the shoulder.  Quite a sight in the middle of the day. 

Yup, positive terminal on the firewall or wherever and ground to body. Take a look at the setup on an e30 next time your in the junkyard. BMW over-engineered them, the cable is '00' or something big, losing amperage will not be an issue.

I'm still thinking of boxing the battery and putting it behind the passenger seat but GEE-BEE, you'll have to post some pics when you finish this setup.
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: GEE-BEE on November 15, 2011, 01:20:02 am
using 1/0 special cable to terminal and special clmps on the frame rail inners to support the cable
I have a lift so this is the easy part, just another 500.00 dollar mod

3/16 s/s plate for battery mount , welded to bed supports

Braille Battery & Horizontal Mount

All the wires in the engine compartment are new sheilded

This install is to clean up the compartment for IC install

Corrado seats, so no room for battery box and I have a bedliner and bedrug so its not going in the bed
The wiring will be done by a professional shop
I only drive this thing a few times a month 47 k original
GB
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: ORCoaster on November 15, 2011, 01:20:42 pm
And the room you gain up front is for what purpose? 

Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: mystery3 on November 15, 2011, 10:29:47 pm
It sounds like GEE-BEE is doing it for an intercooler install and to clean up the engine compartment. I'm planning on doing it mostly for weight distribution hence my intention of putting the battery behind the passenger seat but I might use the area for a small side mount IC as well.
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: ORCoaster on November 16, 2011, 04:44:32 pm
Not sure I am sold on this idea for the battery to be inside the car.  I know that now we don't have the open tops that need to vent and the risk of breakage is down.  yada yada.  But my upbringing and need to get to the terminals a lot seems to over ride my desire to move the weight around.  Not when I purposefully have the back seat out and remove the passenger seat at times to haul lumber. 

Small side mount intercooler eh?  don't see many of those on this forum.  Just the whoopers, well of course, bigger is always better.  Except for bills.
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on November 16, 2011, 04:50:01 pm
Not sure I am sold on this idea for the battery to be inside the car.  I know that now we don't have the open tops that need to vent and the risk of breakage is down.  yada yada.  But my upbringing and need to get to the terminals a lot seems to over ride my desire to move the weight around.  Not when I purposefully have the back seat out and remove the passenger seat at times to haul lumber. 

Small side mount intercooler eh?  don't see many of those on this forum.  Just the whoopers, well of course, bigger is always better.  Except for bills.

if you are interested in an intercooler, mazda millennia intercoolers are TINY, and cheap, and fully aluminum. they fit quite easy in a rabbit with no mods to ANY SHEET METAL.

and i have a battery inside my car, but its in the trunk, and its for the stereo, or jump starting somebody from the rear, if the chance arises..
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: ORCoaster on November 16, 2011, 05:54:05 pm
I see, that is where my setup fails.  Open from the back of the drivers seat to the tail lights.  I really need a heavy duty screen of sorts to keep stuff from flying forward in the event I need to stop in a hurry.  Or get rear ended.  Already have an instance in my life where my tool box became airborn and took the head rest off the passengers seat and then punched a perfectly clean square hole in the windshield on a Jeep I rolled.  Very lucky dog that day.
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on November 16, 2011, 06:25:00 pm
I see, that is where my setup fails.  Open from the back of the drivers seat to the tail lights.  I really need a heavy duty screen of sorts to keep stuff from flying forward in the event I need to stop in a hurry.  Or get rear ended.  Already have an instance in my life where my tool box became airborn and took the head rest off the passengers seat and then punched a perfectly clean square hole in the windshield on a Jeep I rolled.  Very lucky dog that day.


the 100+ pound sub box in my GTI demolished the back seats when i wrecked the car. didnt come thru the seats, and i dunno how. the seats are absolutely mangled beyond ever using them again. the frame work is just trashed and twisted..
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: ORCoaster on November 16, 2011, 10:30:40 pm
So you are luck to have your head too?  The cop that responded to the accident was impressed with the damage and the fact that I was calm as a cucumber.  He was ready to call the meat wagon.
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: mystery3 on November 17, 2011, 03:19:17 am
Not sure I am sold on this idea for the battery to be inside the car.  I know that now we don't have the open tops that need to vent and the risk of breakage is down.  yada yada.  But my upbringing and need to get to the terminals a lot seems to over ride my desire to move the weight around.  Not when I purposefully have the back seat out and remove the passenger seat at times to haul lumber. 

Small side mount intercooler eh?  don't see many of those on this forum.  Just the whoopers, well of course, bigger is always better.  Except for bills.

I'm planning to put the battery in a sealed box and vent the box. As far as access I'll probably put a terminal inside the engine compartment but I've had a lot of experience jump starting bugs so just having the battery behind the seat in my truck won't really be too inconvenient.

The IC I have is from a jdm nissan I think, it's a little bit bigger than the mazda millenia unit but not much and it was $25 with some piping and a bypass valve included so why not.
Title: Re: Vw Rabbit Truck ( Caddy ) Horizontal battery Mount
Post by: R.O.R-2.0 on November 17, 2011, 02:55:06 pm
So you are luck to have your head too?  The cop that responded to the accident was impressed with the damage and the fact that I was calm as a cucumber.  He was ready to call the meat wagon.

thank god the cops didnt show up at my wreck, i would have been arrested. i should have not been driving that night, and have since learned my lesson. i dont hardly drink anymore, and when i do drink, i DONT DRIVE.

only had to cry over one car to learn not to drink and drive.. thank god i didnt lose any of my friends that were with me. car was FULL.