For some reason when I got my car the previous owner didn't put a hold down strap or anything to keep it locked down. There is a false floor in place that covers the entire boot (and I guess holds down the battery from flying away) but I'm thinking there might be a better way of doing it.

How does everyone hold down their battery? I've got two tabs with holes on either side of the battery box and I've seen a strap which makes sense, but I don't know if all car batteries are generic height so it would fit it. There is a lid for it as well, but I'm not sure how it fits and don't really want it to protrude out too much or I can't put the false floor back in. Does anyone have any pictures as to how they do it? I was thinking maybe a nice piece of angle steel, wrapped in electrical tape, but if there's something off the shelf, it would save me a lot fussing about.

Car is a Leyland Clubman.

The normal setup is a piece of angle resting over the tank-side of the battery on the corner.
Two J shaped rods go through it (the short leg in the holes of those tabs) and nuts pull the angle onto the battery, pulling it into the corner.
The cardboard box goes on top, and a rubber strap holds that down.

These are the bits you are after. Minisport is just for reference, most places can get you these.
You also need a wingnut and a normal nut (with a couple of washers) as well, easily available from a nut and bolt stand.


http://www.minisport.com.au/prod1033.htm
http://www.minisport.com.au/prod1032.htm
http://www.minisport.com.au/prod1031.htm
http://www.minisport.com.au/prod180.htm

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I just had a look and I don't see how the closed loop fits. I've got two tabs with holes, and I'm assuming that the loop has to go through the hole somehow. How does the loop work?

Also is the box decorative or vital? I'm figuring that you don't want metal on metal contact but if I can insulat/isolate the metal away from the terminals, would it work?

EDIT - those tabs and holes are just for the cover. I'm looking for a hole for the loop and hook to go to.

EDIT 2 - Okay I figured out - for some reason my battery box only has one hole. Hmm.

Yeah, the loop opens out a little and once the loop is in there, is will pretty well stay there and not get knocked off. That end will have a nut and washer on it, the other end will have a wingnut.

The box is more than decorative, more than a few minis have met their maker from a wheel spanner or jack falling onto the terminal. Once that happens, better than 350 amps will course through the shorted tool and melt anything it touches. The battery can explode as well. More important in a twin tank mini with the driver's side fuel tank being just there.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Oh I didn't even think to cover batter to prevent a potential short. Think I might make up a cover for my battery.

In mine there is a short piece of timber to stop the battery from moving sideways, a supercheap rubber strap with metal hooks on each end to tie it down and a thick rubber mat across the whole boot area to insulate it. Total cost $15. Doesn't need to be expensive if its not a show car..

When it arrived the timber was there but not the strap or the mat.

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Cheers
Alec
1275LS - July 78 - XNFAD18Y/102918