roamingyak Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Hallelujah - It's been an almost spiritual day - after 18 years of ownership I've finally seen my battery box in the starkers! 😉 My 1991 hardtop used to be a winterised deep wader, all of the other MOD stuff long gone, except in the bottom of the battery box which I've always had my suspicions about. So today it all came out, the two batteries, the plywood under them, the foam insulation, the battery tray - and it wasn't great.... All four battery tray bolts disintegrated rather than unbolt, the battery tray is a complete rust bucket (replacing with a Flatdog one) and so forth. However the actual battery box itself doesn't seem +too+ bad... Whats the expert opinion on here: 1. Slap some hammerite on it and worry about it in 3 years when it falls apart 2. Replace it asap etc as it won't last a year (I travel in Africa a lot on very bad corrugated tracks and it holds a yellow and red top Optima in there) IMG_4539.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Better than most I would say.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Make your own like I did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamingyak Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 18 minutes ago, mmgemini said: Make your own like I did No way! 😉 My limit is bolting and screwing, no facilities or abilities to make much... and looking for a stress free refresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocklandjohn Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Rust stabiliser, then overpaint, then get a piece of aluminium of reasonable thickness 6mm or so and bend it round the bottom fastening it at either end as a strengthener, maybe the floor panel and some other place that basically 'cradles' the box and takes some of the weight. Should be doable without major tools - a drill and spanners, and you can bend it round two pieces of wood. I did this on my underseat box drivers side which was failing and years later its still there quite secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmayco68 Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 YRM do the parts all bent up and ready for fixing if you want to replace the bad bits . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotts90 Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Genuine battery box in steel (puma spec) from the dealer is about £85 over here in the uk. For the extra £15 I'd get the YRM one in aluminium. It's got more space for "accessories" and won't rust out again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamingyak Posted July 24, 2018 Author Share Posted July 24, 2018 19 hours ago, Jocklandjohn said: Rust stabiliser, then overpaint, then get a piece of aluminium of reasonable thickness 6mm or so and bend it round the bottom fastening it at either end as a strengthener, maybe the floor panel and some other place that basically 'cradles' the box and takes some of the weight. Should be doable without major tools - a drill and spanners, and you can bend it round two pieces of wood. I did this on my underseat box drivers side which was failing and years later its still there quite secure. Turns out my neighbour is a panel beater, he whacked it in all directions tonight and said its just surface rust, the metal is good, so it should be good for a few years yet... Is this a great plan? 1. Red oxide paint all over the inside? 2. Then a coat of Eastwood Flexible Sealer & Sound Deadener?https://www.eastwood.com/flexible-sealer-sound-deadener-16-oz-aero.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Mine is only screwed and bolted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 11 hours ago, roamingyak said: Turns out my neighbour is a panel beater, he whacked it in all directions tonight and said its just surface rust, the metal is good, so it should be good for a few years yet... Is this a great plan? 1. Red oxide paint all over the inside? 2. Then a coat of Eastwood Flexible Sealer & Sound Deadener?https://www.eastwood.com/flexible-sealer-sound-deadener-16-oz-aero.html I'd say that's sensible. No point in replacing what is still good. The important thing is to kill the rust, so remove all you can and kill the rest before using a zinc rich primer or red oxide, and cover with Schutz or similar. Hammerite paint is utter rubbish - it chips and flakes and has no rust prevention ability at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Hammerite is great. For painting concrete that's indoors. I wouldn't put it on metal I want to last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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