No Limit Engineering Battery Box
Working with limited space is always a problem when customizing a vehicle. Adding upgraded accessories can take up room, and in many cases even require more power to run such accessories like a second battery for stereo equipment, or an air compressor/ air management system. In most cases relocating the battery, or adding a second one may be needed to accomplish your goal, but even the smallest battery still needs a solid place to be mounted to on the vehicle that is not only a safe place, but also be accessible in times of service.
As many of you know heat is the evil nemesis of all automotive batteries. Although it does make sense that the shorter the distance for power to travel from a power source (battery) to the engine starter, or main accessories is valid, the fact that the battery is located in the same close proximity to these vital parts is rather lame. Moreover what is one to do if the wheel size takes up the room required for the battery or if the battery goes dead and bars access to the hood latch? (Guys with shaved doors, you know what I’m talking about.)
So the question is where can it go, and how can one mount it properly while still allowing the ability to service it while in the vehicle? Well, relocating your battery is easier to do than you think when using No Limit Engineering’s battery “drop out” box.
Made from heavy gauge Stainless Steel, the box is not affected by corrosion caused by service neglect, so the box won’t “rot-out” like their steel counterparts. Place it under the cab or bed on the frame or to the sheet metal if you like, the universal design allows you endless possibilities. The ingenious design holds a group 74 style battery in place using an open faced box, which slides down on the mounting plate that is held in place by mounting hardware allowing you to “drop” down the battery for service. To secure the battery back into place, the open face box sides back up, aligning with the mounting plate and a through bolt design tightens both items down locking the battery in place.
Check out how we relocated this battery from the engine compartment to the rear of the frame allowing for more room, and easier access in case of a failure situation.
The stainless steel construction of No Limits battery box won’t corrode like a stock steel battery tray.
First order of business is to locate an area on the frame that will donate the room to fit the battery and its box.
Next fit the mounting plate to the side of the frame and level the top using a bubble level. Mark the holes on the frame that need to be drilled through to allow the mounting hardware.
Using a ¼ drill bit, to drill 4 holes “pilot” holes through the frame, then step up the size of bit to a 3/8 bit to allow room for the hardware to pass through.
Now than all the holes are drilled, pass all the mounting hardware through the plate and the frame, snuging all of the fasteners down using a ratchet /wrench combination.
Align the back side of the box into the groove of the mounting plate. Next slide the battery up into place matching the tab under the box with the hole located at the bottom of the mounting plate.
Slide the 5/16 hardware through to secure it into place.
Here’s a look at what it looks like mounted in place without the bed on. Now just drop in the Optima “yellow top” down into place.
