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Perales
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 2046
Location: Nova Scotia
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 Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:01 pm Post subject: Battery hold-down |
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My battery hold-down bracket is long gone. PO trashed it I am sure. I have been using bits of cork (cross country ski waxing cork blocks) and folded cardboard to jam my battery in place so that it does not vibrate. Bouncing batteries are not good I understand. I am curious as to what strategies others have employed to keep their batteries in place. I would really like to come up with a better solution than the one I am presently using.
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-- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino) |
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r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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Get the factory clamp......
Just saying.
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"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
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Perales
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 2046
Location: Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| r39o wrote: |
Get the factory clamp......
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I assume you mean the original part. Are they still available?
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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Had no idea such a part existed until a couple of years ago, what I did was to cut up one of those FLAPS fatigue mats they sell in a kit. I think about four or five come in the package.They are made from a real firm closed cell foam rubber about 1/4 inch in thickness and measure about two feet by two feet.
I cut up one of them into four pieces to encompass the battery and with what I had leftover I cut up a seperate one to sit on top of the battery.
With the three leftover pads I made a nice mat to sit on top of the engine hatch.
Had I known about the battery hold down clamp I probably would have gotten one but the mats seem to be working just fine. |
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PDXWesty
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6344
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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I did see one of the vendors selling them but now I can't find it. A call might be worthwhile. It comes in most auxilliary kits. I don't have one either.
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Perales wrote: |
| r39o wrote: |
Get the factory clamp......
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I assume you mean the original part. Are they still available? |
Greetings Perales...I think sleepyjoe has one up for sale, check out the used parts section for Vanagons.
If not listed online, give him a call....he's got lots of items up for sale at good prices and fast shipping. Ive been able to find some fuel injection parts that havent been available for eons. |
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Perales
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 2046
Location: Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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The part seems ridiculously simple to make. Does anyone have the dimensions on hand of a battery hold-down bracket? It seems like it is just a bent piece of steel at some specific angle with a hole drilled in the shorter leg.
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-- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino) |
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climberjohn
Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005
Posts: 1840
Location: Portland Orygun
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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Perales,
Thanks for asking this, as I have the same issue for my aux battery. I'm curious about the solution options.
RCB, thanks for the mat tip.
-CJ
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'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often. |
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PDXWesty
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6344
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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The stock bracket only works with a Group 41 battery. If you have something different you will need to come up with a custom solution.
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12338
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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zonxs7
Samba Member
Joined: June 16, 2012
Posts: 14
Location: Emeryville, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:08 am Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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Bumping this thread:
Anyone have any idea where to get one of these these days? Looking specifically for one for a swivel seat, '84 Westy.
Thanks,
Chris |
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erdonline
Samba Member
Joined: September 26, 2004
Posts: 944
Location: CT
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 5:57 am Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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| zonxs7 wrote: |
Bumping this thread:
Anyone have any idea where to get one of these these days? Looking specifically for one for a swivel seat, '84 Westy.
Thanks,
Chris |
Here's one from the classifieds:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2270546
Ed
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zonxs7
Samba Member
Joined: June 16, 2012
Posts: 14
Location: Emeryville, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:10 am Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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Thanks!
Waiting to hear back from the seller.
Do you happen to know if these are the correct hold downs? I'm assuming that weekenders also have rotating seats? |
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riceye
Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: Caledonia, WI
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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| zonxs7 wrote: |
Thanks!
Waiting to hear back from the seller.
Do you happen to know if these are the correct hold downs? I'm assuming that weekenders also have rotating seats? |
My '87 Westfalia half camper (Weekender?) did not have swivels from the factory. The passenger does, now. This is the battery hold down that came from the factory.
Edit - Here you go. http://www.busdepot.com/251915313
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 10389
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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Even 85 and 86 base campers without swivel seats could have sealed battery boxes and need the longer flatter type of battery hold down bracket. You should go by photos of the bracket, not by what van someone says the bracket came from or fits.
Mark
| zonxs7 wrote: |
Thanks!
Waiting to hear back from the seller.
Do you happen to know if these are the correct hold downs? I'm assuming that weekenders also have rotating seats? |
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levi
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005
Posts: 5522
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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Honestly, I wouldn't want the following to occur, but if Godzilla himself were to grab up my van, turn it upside down and shake it for all he's worth, the only thing NOT to come out of its assigned location would be the battery.
That thing takes more finesse getting out o' the box than any reasonable engineer would have demanded.
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Last edited by levi on Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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VWeGoBeachNow
Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2010
Posts: 197
Location: CRUISING DOWN PCH IN THE OC
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erdonline
Samba Member
Joined: September 26, 2004
Posts: 944
Location: CT
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| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 5:35 am Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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| zonxs7 wrote: |
Thanks!
Waiting to hear back from the seller.
Do you happen to know if these are the correct hold downs? I'm assuming that weekenders also have rotating seats? |
I just know that the long one eye reference this the one used in my Westfalia. In my passenger van I have the one that looks like a simple l bracket.
Ed
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'84 Vanagon 7-passenger
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Perales
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007
Posts: 2046
Location: Nova Scotia
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| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 6:51 am Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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It would be useful if someone who actually has one could trace out the profile and give accurate dimensions. These should be easy enough to make with minimal skills. I am still using cork blocks to jam the battery in place. Inelegant perhaps, but it works.
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Paulbeard
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015
Posts: 2611
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 9:45 am Post subject: Re: Battery hold-down |
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given how tight mine fits and how it has to be finessed just so to get it out, and the cables with approximately zero to give, I'm wondering how yours is different. I wouldn't want it to come down to the cables holding it in place if I invert the van, but I think that would be the least of my worries. Why not just get a strap from your FLAPS or elsewhere and attach it to the battery box?
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