Optima battery

[mdsalemi]

I just replaced my battery today with an Optima red top Group 34R. Like the prior battery there’s a plastic lift underneath which raises the battery about 3/4 of an inch. The battery holder fits, although not exactly perfectly. The frame is very close to the edges of the battery…perhaps a little too close for my comfort. Presently the battery is installed and tight.

Wondering if anyone has fabricated anything to place on top of the optima battery such that the factory battery hold down frame fits a bit better?

[Atazman]

I fabbed a new top frame to fit the Optima.  I know that is no help for you since you want to use the original top frame.  It is an option though.

[WhiteBlue]

I also have fitted the same battery…..could you share a foto fo your fabricated part? With thanks Michael

[Raymond]

For an emergency fix; do you have a couple of strips of metal similar to dinner knife blades?  You could fashion wider lips under opposite sides of the frame without raising the height more than a fraction.  Or return to the store with a measuring tape.

[mdsalemi]

For an emergency fix; do you have a couple of strips of metal similar to dinner knife blades?  You could fashion wider lips under opposite sides of the frame without raising the height more than a fraction.  Or return to the store with a measuring tape.

It’s no emergency and it’s held OK at the moment, but I haven’t driven it yet! I suspect I will do something similar to what you suggest perhaps with pieces of plastic adhered to the inside of the original frame to better surround and straddle the battery.

[Pawel66]

Michael, I would buy the original frame and give it to someone who could cut it and weld it back so that it has the right dimensions, then paint it and use it.

Keep the original untouched in the drawer.

Make sure that if the battery moves in your current solution or solution with plastic inserts the frame will not short the posts.

[66andBlue]

Michael,
for my first 230SL I had bought from an eBay vendor a battery holder that incorporated a heavy duty shut of switch with a reasonable fit.
However in addition I wanted to prevent movements as much as possible. So I added four epoxy corners on the base plate into which I had pressed the lifting tray before the epoxy cured completely. The original base plate of course fits perfectly into the lower frame as you probably know.
That prevented any movement.
I hope the photos explain this better.