Defender - 2nd battery (again!!)

When I had twin batteries in my old 110 I had the second battery under the drivers seat. To get more depth under the seat, I cut a hole in the floor and bolted up the sump from a borg-warner 35 auto trans (valiant). This lowers the floor about 2" and you can fit quite a large battery under there. :D

A mate of mine cut out the base under the passenger seat and dropped in a baking dish he picked up from the local kitchen shop. I never saw the result but he said it was dead easy and solved all space probs.

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Originally Posted by JEEPEYTR

it fits under the seat and holds two Optima batteries, and comes with the company's relay isolator system. It is pricey, and I have no idea what it would cost to ship, but it is a preengineered solution if that is what you are looking for. Check it out..

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That's interesting, as the Optima Red Tops I've seen are no shorter than my standard battery, and I'm pretty sure I'd be struggling to clear the metal lid if I added a tray to the bottom of the seat box. Any ideas what model Optima's they are designed for?

Would be great if they just sold the tray though, as I have the rest of the stuff.

**Ignore the above - just had a dig around on their site, and they do do just the tray and they reckon the kit fits the normal model 34 Optimas. Still can't see how it fits though, but if I can't find anything similar locally I may get one on my next trip to the US.**

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Originally Posted by Lionel

Is this the common procedure, or have people used the commercially available (& expensive :() Defender battery cradles?

Cheers,

Lionel

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Can you point me at the URL for these please? Want to see how much they raise the floor level or how else they fit?

My friends county has a new floor in the under seat compartment.
It has been all lowered to the same depth as the original battery dent was at.
That was you can putt what ever set up you can fit in there and then work out battery hold down devices after.
Seems quite simple and inexpensive was of doing it.

I've had the big yellow top, and the smaller red top (for starting) Optimas, located North/South in my County for the past two years, they will fit. I recently fried both (but thats another story:mad: ), and have now gone for two 100AH Ultimates, N/S. I also have another separate 65AH standby under my seat with the air compressor. It all fits & works well.:)

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Originally Posted by JEEPEYTR

Got any part numbers for these parts, or photos of your set-up you can share? Thanks..

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Dunno about part numbers but here's a pic... :D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...13/01/1498.jpg

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Originally Posted by camel_landy

Dunno about part numbers but here's a pic... :D

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Interesting, thanks for the pic. I wonder if the part is a "Special Vehicles" division part, since it appears to be in a CT truck...

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Originally Posted by JEEPEYTR

Interesting, thanks for the pic. I wonder if the part is a "Special Vehicles" division part, since it appears to be in a CT truck...

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Nope, standard part... You'll find it under 'Split Charge' on the parts system.

RRC7409 for the base.
RRC7359 for the clamp (for 2x batteries).

There's a few other minor parts but those are the main ones.

HTH

M

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Originally Posted by jik22

That's interesting, as the Optima Red Tops I've seen are no shorter than my standard battery, and I'm pretty sure I'd be struggling to clear the metal lid if I added a tray to the bottom of the seat box. Any ideas what model Optima's they are designed for?

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I wrote the company for some more information, and some photos, this is the response I got.. (I am also attaching the photos they sent)

"Hi Scott, the part number for just the tray assembly is 34-990, normally retail would be $211.36, we have those on special this week for $169.09. I have also attached a couple of pictures that I have of it installed. Let me know if you have any other questions?

Stan Hackathorn
5061 N. Lagoon Ave
Portland, OR 97217
Phone: 503-235-4110
Fax: 503-517-0753
www.WranglerNW.com"

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Originally Posted by camel_landy

Nope, standard part... You'll find it under 'Split Charge' on the parts system.

RRC7409 for the base.
RRC7359 for the clamp (for 2x batteries).

There's a few other minor parts but those are the main ones.

HTH

M

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Thanks for the part numbers. It should be interesting to see the price difference between this and the NWPP part, if US sources even pull the number up as valid. LOL!