There are many reasons you may find yourself wanting to do this, probably the biggest though, is because you just installed or are planning to install a SMIM and want to know what to do with the battery. Some may just want to clean up the engine bay a bit and free up some space, which isn't a bad idea either. Whatever the case maybe, to do this modification you'll have to remove your A/C and charcoal canister to make it possible. If this is something you're willing to do or have already done then continue...
First things first, get a shopping list together of the parts you'll need to make this as painless as possible. That way you aren't halfway through the install and then realize you've got to make another trip to the hardware store or are missing a critical piece to the puzzle. The majority of the parts/tools you'll need you should already have on hand and the part you need to find can be had for a few bucks at a local junkyard.
I'm going to start the install/fabrication at the point after you've already pulled your original battery setup, charcoal canister, and air conditioning.
Once you've got EVERYTHING you need, parts and tools, you'll want to start by banging up the stock 2g turbo battery tray first and fitting it up. Take your hammer and bend the tabs down to form a 90* angle with the bottom of the tray.
Then flip the tray upside down and slide it down to the subframe with the tabs facing the strut tower. You'll notice two existing bolt holes down there that were used for the battery support bracket, the key is to get both those tabs you flipped to line up with those holes. Just keep "massaging" the tray with your hammer until you get them to line up; I did have to open up the tab hole closest to the firewall to get it to line up perfectly.
Once it lines up with those two holes pull the tray back out and start hammering the center of it. Since you're flipping it upside down the bottom of it isn't exactly flat so the battery won't sit on it very well until you beat it to death in the middle. You can see how "beat" mine was in the picture above. Also, cut the "lip" with those tin snips on sides of the tray, the battery won't sit flat with those on there either. DON'T CUT OFF THE TABS YOU JUST BENT OR THE L BOLT TAB BY ACCIDENT!
Once you've done the above to the tray go ahead and slide it back down in there and bolt it to the strut tower using the (2) 12mm bolts that were there holding the old battery support bracket. Then grab your battery and drop it down on the tray which is now sitting on the subframe.
Take your N/T DSM battery hold down and sit it across the top of the battery, centered between the terminals. Pull out your permanent marker and draw a nice circle on the frame of the car just inside the strut tower, this is where you'll drill and tap. Now, pull out the battery hold down so you don't somehow hit it with the drill and find your 6.8mm drill bit. Drill out the place you just marked and clean up the metal shavings, be careful you don't cut yourself on them because they'll be sharp!
Grab your M8x1.25 tap and t-handle and, keeping close attention to keeping it square on the frame, tap the hole you just drilled until you use the full length of the tap. Once you've tapped it correctly the M8x1.25 tap should thread in and out easily, just make sure you go at it straight as possible and not at an angle.
Once you've taped it pull out the 2" long M8x1.25 threaded stud and thread it in approx. 1/4". Smear your red loctite on the next 1/4" of threads that are exposed and the thread it in another 1/4". After doing this there should be 1.5" of stud left exposed and sticking up from the frame, you'll need it to secure the battery. Thread on a single M8x1.25 flanged nut all the way down to the bottom of the stud, be sure to keep the stud from turning will you do this, and put a wrench on the nut to snug it tight to the frame. This will tighten up that stud to the frame, ensuring that it won't go anywhere in the future. Now rest the battery hold down over the stud and drop on the M8 fender washer and other flanged M8x1.25 nut to hold it on.
Now its time to pull out your L bolt and run a M8x1.25 die down its already existing threads, extending them another 3" further down the rod. The same rules apply here that applied while you were tapping the hole for the stud, keep it square on the rod and turn it slowly. Metal shavings get everyone doing this so don't do it over your valve cover, find a place (like over a garbage can) that you don't mind getting a few metal shavings.
Here's a shot of the L bolt that you'll run a die down, it's the same one your stock battery tie down used.
Once you've ran a die down the L bolt all that's left is hooking the "L" part of it into the battery tray you bent up and running the threaded portion threw the battery hold down. Thread on the 12mm nut/washer that was on it, or get your own its just another M8x1.25 nut/washer/ and tighten it up.
Now drive to Staples and hit the Easy Button, "that was easy!"
Questions, comments, concerns? Shoot me a PM, I'd be glad to help.
First things first, get a shopping list together of the parts you'll need to make this as painless as possible. That way you aren't halfway through the install and then realize you've got to make another trip to the hardware store or are missing a critical piece to the puzzle. The majority of the parts/tools you'll need you should already have on hand and the part you need to find can be had for a few bucks at a local junkyard.
Tools:
* The 2g 4g63 battery hold down is too long to do this mod which is why you'll need one for a 2g N/T 420A DSM. Unfortunately, having the part number for it is no good since it isn't manufactured anymore; your best bet is getting the hold down at a local junkyard. Fortunately, this battery hold down isn't only found on 420A equipped DSM's so it's really easy to find.- Basic metric socket/wrench set
- BFH (Big Freakin' Hammer), kidding, any hammer will do
- Tin snips
- Metric tap/die set, specifically M8x1.25 tap/die & a t-handle tap wrench
- Drill
- Metric drill bits, specifically a 6.8mm bit
- Red loctite
- Permanent marker that ISN'T the color of your car
- 2g battery tray
- 2g battery "L-bolt" and hardware for it, just a M8x1.25 nut and washer
- 2g N/T (YES 420A equipped 2g) battery hold down P/N: MB920556, this is the part that makes this possible
*READ NOTE BELOW THIS LIST* - (1) 2" M8x1.25 threaded stud
- (2) M8x1.25 flanged nuts
- (1) M8 fender washer
'95-'96 CHRYSLER AVENGER
'97-'98 CHRYSLER SEBRING
'95-'98 DODGE AVENGER
'97 DODGE RAM
'95-'98 EAGLE TALON ESi
'03 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
Be careful when digging up this battery hold down, its easily confused with the stock 2g turbos. The difference between the two is the overall length, notice the left portion of both hold downs and how much smaller the upper is compared to the lower. By getting the N/T DSM hold down it shortens up the portion of it you need to clear the strut tower. '97-'98 CHRYSLER SEBRING
'95-'98 DODGE AVENGER
'97 DODGE RAM
'95-'98 EAGLE TALON ESi
'03 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
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I'm going to start the install/fabrication at the point after you've already pulled your original battery setup, charcoal canister, and air conditioning.
Once you've got EVERYTHING you need, parts and tools, you'll want to start by banging up the stock 2g turbo battery tray first and fitting it up. Take your hammer and bend the tabs down to form a 90* angle with the bottom of the tray.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Then flip the tray upside down and slide it down to the subframe with the tabs facing the strut tower. You'll notice two existing bolt holes down there that were used for the battery support bracket, the key is to get both those tabs you flipped to line up with those holes. Just keep "massaging" the tray with your hammer until you get them to line up; I did have to open up the tab hole closest to the firewall to get it to line up perfectly.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Once it lines up with those two holes pull the tray back out and start hammering the center of it. Since you're flipping it upside down the bottom of it isn't exactly flat so the battery won't sit on it very well until you beat it to death in the middle. You can see how "beat" mine was in the picture above. Also, cut the "lip" with those tin snips on sides of the tray, the battery won't sit flat with those on there either. DON'T CUT OFF THE TABS YOU JUST BENT OR THE L BOLT TAB BY ACCIDENT!
Once you've done the above to the tray go ahead and slide it back down in there and bolt it to the strut tower using the (2) 12mm bolts that were there holding the old battery support bracket. Then grab your battery and drop it down on the tray which is now sitting on the subframe.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Take your N/T DSM battery hold down and sit it across the top of the battery, centered between the terminals. Pull out your permanent marker and draw a nice circle on the frame of the car just inside the strut tower, this is where you'll drill and tap. Now, pull out the battery hold down so you don't somehow hit it with the drill and find your 6.8mm drill bit. Drill out the place you just marked and clean up the metal shavings, be careful you don't cut yourself on them because they'll be sharp!
Grab your M8x1.25 tap and t-handle and, keeping close attention to keeping it square on the frame, tap the hole you just drilled until you use the full length of the tap. Once you've tapped it correctly the M8x1.25 tap should thread in and out easily, just make sure you go at it straight as possible and not at an angle.
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Once you've taped it pull out the 2" long M8x1.25 threaded stud and thread it in approx. 1/4". Smear your red loctite on the next 1/4" of threads that are exposed and the thread it in another 1/4". After doing this there should be 1.5" of stud left exposed and sticking up from the frame, you'll need it to secure the battery. Thread on a single M8x1.25 flanged nut all the way down to the bottom of the stud, be sure to keep the stud from turning will you do this, and put a wrench on the nut to snug it tight to the frame. This will tighten up that stud to the frame, ensuring that it won't go anywhere in the future. Now rest the battery hold down over the stud and drop on the M8 fender washer and other flanged M8x1.25 nut to hold it on.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Now its time to pull out your L bolt and run a M8x1.25 die down its already existing threads, extending them another 3" further down the rod. The same rules apply here that applied while you were tapping the hole for the stud, keep it square on the rod and turn it slowly. Metal shavings get everyone doing this so don't do it over your valve cover, find a place (like over a garbage can) that you don't mind getting a few metal shavings.
Here's a shot of the L bolt that you'll run a die down, it's the same one your stock battery tie down used.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Once you've ran a die down the L bolt all that's left is hooking the "L" part of it into the battery tray you bent up and running the threaded portion threw the battery hold down. Thread on the 12mm nut/washer that was on it, or get your own its just another M8x1.25 nut/washer/ and tighten it up.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Now drive to Staples and hit the Easy Button, "that was easy!"
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Questions, comments, concerns? Shoot me a PM, I'd be glad to help.
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