Date:         Thu, 7 Jul 2005 20:14:23 -0700
Reply-To:     David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Subject:      Optima Battery safety question
In-Reply-To:  <11dcddf805070715547d92773f@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Tonight I installed a Group 34 Optima battery in my TriStar.  I did as many
people have done, laid it over on it's side so the terminals point forward
and then secure the battery clamps.  Has anyone ever started arc-welding
using this method or have a battery be a projectile in an accident?  With
the battery on it's side the positive clamp is only a few millimetres away
from the floor under the seat and there is no way of securing the battery.
What I did to make me feel half at ease, is use the stock clamp down bar to
force the battery to the rear of the tray so it can't lift up and used four
layers of water softening salt bag under the positing terminal so will not
[hopefully] touch if the Syncro goes on a weird angle or gets into an
accident... but it can still slide from side to side - if it goes too much
to the passenger side the positive clamp will touch the factory battery
retaining bar.  I have inserted a 2x4 and a 1x4 piece of wood on the
passenger side of the battery to keep it in the driver side of the tray...
someone please tell me there is a more elegant and safe way of doing this!

David Marshall

Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada  V2J 6Z3

http://www.fastforward.ca    mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775        FAX: (250) 992 1160

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