Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

Last night I stripped down my Rubicon with the intention of making some suspension travel mods and look at potentially moving the battery lower and behind the shock hoops. I re worked the front cross brace so that it clears the servo horn, moved the electronics box to the rear, and started looking at battery relocation plans. I really like to do mods clean and OEM looking so I started looking at some of the aftermarket options.

I really like the Jevne racing bracket but for $50 I'm not so sure it is worth it. Even the Howler Customs is a bit pricey since I feel like I can make something like that from ace hardware for a fraction of the cost. So I started looking at making my own bracket and ran into an issue.

It doesnt matter how I try and place the Battery plate unless I mount it high against the back of the shock hoops it interferes with the tires at full turn. I currently have it zip tied to the back of the hoops and it clears everything but 1: I dont like the zip ties, and 2: I see tons of pics online with it mounted much lower. How, even with the after market brackets is the plate not rubbing on the tires?

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

You run 2.2s, big batteries or tighter turning radius parts? I know the tray can't rest on the frame on the low side because it will hit the driveshaft, but I only got the wheels to hit when I upgraded to 2.2s with stock steering radius. Maybe mount the battery on a slider?

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

I have a Jevne racing tray on my JK and have no problems with tire rub at full turn/suspension travel and I have 50deg of steering travel, but if your looking for a cheaper option, try BPC battery relocation tray.

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

They are 1.9's. The battery is a venom 3s 4000ma and is about the same size as the tray. The only aftermarket steering I have is GPM Steering knuckles.

I did notice that flat on the chassis the drive line hit so I made some spacers to rais it up a bit and drive line cleared but tires still hit.

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

To be more clear, the only time it rubs is at full flex and turn. At relaxed position just sitting there is not rubbing.

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

I'm using the Howler Customs battery plate with 1.9 tires and wheels with stock steering and a huge 5000 mah 2 cell. I have no issues with binding or rubbing the tires against he battery plate.

I could have made the battery plate myself, but 20 bucks shipped with all the kinks worked out and a nice factory stamped look made it a no brainer for me. The only issue I see is that I will need special tabs added to metal sliders so I can still use the mounting holes the stock sliders provide.

Here's a couple of pics to show battery placement.

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/a...porary-1_1.jpg

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/a...emporary_2.jpg


Here's a shot to show the angle of the battery on the bracket. It's not all the way down, providing a bit of space for the tires.

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/a...porary-2_2.jpg

This is where it mounts in the front. It uses the same two holes that hold the receiver box in place. The spacers are the same used in the forward battery mod.

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/a...porary-1_5.jpg

Here I've turned the front wheel in all the way. Even with the MT Baja Claws TTC tires, which are the same height as stock tires but much wider, there is plenty of room between the tire and the battery plate.

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/a...emporary_6.jpg

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

Just for the heck of it I took a 2.2 stock wheel off of my Wraith to see how it fits under the battery tray. As you can see, it fits nicely. There is no rubbing or binding and there is actually a good bit of clearance.:)

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/a...emporary_7.jpg

Here the chassis is fully compressed and the 2.2s are turned all the way in. Now they rub badly. When the frame articulates to the right and left, the battery tray actually compresses the tire.:shock:

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/a...emporary_8.jpg

So, from what I can see, the Howler Customs Battery tray works beautifully with 1.9s. If you are going with larger tires and wheels, I would make a custom tray that uses more narrow batteries so as not to allow the tray to be so wide that it interferes with the tires."thumbsup"

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

I didn't take a pic of the chassis compressed and the wheels turned with the 1.9s, but there is plenty of room. "thumbsup"

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

stopmojim, Awesome! Thanks for the pics, that all makes sense now. based off the side angle pic you posted my tray is zip tied at the exact same angle. I may go ahead and spring the $$ for the howler tray or see if I can bend up a sheet of aluminum on my own.

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

Honestly, I think it would be real easy to make it yourself. I ordered the Howler Tray because it looks nice and finished and for 20 bucks shipped, that ain't so bad.

The same thing can be done with the factory battery tray and 4 shock mounts bolted in the same position as the howler ray. There is a thread on that somewhere here. Then, you just need a place for your ESC and receiver.

The Howler Tray just seemed like the easiest and simplest solution for me."thumbsup"

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

I will have to search for the shock tower idea. Thanks for the input. Love the Sig too! lol

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

There's some real easy stuff you can make with stock parts. Stock tray with endlinks and servo mounts mounted in the right place make this an easy task for even THE most particular of modders (poking stick at myself here).

Will find the thread and link it for you ...

Post #3 from ... http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/axial...ld-threas.html


Not sure if he came up with that originally, but it shows what i'm talking about regardless.

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

I built mine from stock parts and a piece of sheet metal
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7507/...6e7a912c_b.jpg20141126_200538 by KJHillbery, on Flickr

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

Cool. I have been working on a solution as well. I'll post more when I have something to show.


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Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...8a938aebb8.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...bff637aeb1.jpg

If I didn't have so many beers that night, it would have taken under an hour to make the plate. I used 20g duct sheet metal, made two holes with a tab to mount on the cross brace, used the 2 servo mounts in the spare parts. I still have to trim off the excess, but it cost nothing to do.

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

...alternative

and the lowest possible COG

saddles made from scrap 1/8" lexan sheet
lexan heated, ends angled upwards slightly
Then mounted directly atop the stock slider using original screw holes/mounts.
Counter sunk the screw heads into the lexan saddles,
I used slightly longer machined screw with a nylock nut.
velcro buckle straps secure the batteries to the saddles.

dual 3S 2200's connect using parallel harness (harness mia)

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...psa9a8291d.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...psaaff2b3b.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...psa5a516e8.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...ps16d1caa7.jpg

also did this with my homebuilt sliders...
even manage to run a dinky interior on my honcho
and clears my 2200's... but just barely.

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...psf0b0b5a4.jpg

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...ps60e5f738.jpg

yeah, I was bored with myself. Lol

Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

Here is how I have done it. I made a simple mount that used the stock tray parts and positions the battery as low as possible behind the front fenders. I just fitted it tonight and will be giving it, it's first test tomorrow out at Vasquez Rocks.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...1378df1f9a.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...1bf55a1bc1.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...50f9db1035.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...9b34ae56fa.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...6c9a4370d1.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...5d1b0c85d6.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...0ff6a04cb0.jpg


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Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

I just drilled somes holes in the stock plate and ziptied it in four locations. That sucker isn't going anywhere.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/32...908/gO5qML.jpg

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

Paves Dingo Build, Battery relocation in post #4Heres how I did mine... used this method twice now and it creates NO issues.

Ive also used the Jevne and the Howler plates with no issues at all. And finally I used an aluminium one from Ebay that also worked great.

I use only 1.9 tires though.

Re: Cross mounted battery options and issues
 

I would like to hear more about this and how to get a bracket made like that.


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