Battery Tray Position 72 Mach 1

[andy72]

Battery tray was gone and the battery area rusted away when I got my 72 Mach.

I got a new battery tray and it fits and positions the battery very much along the fender.  The battery is at an angle, not straight inline like my 67 stang.

Obviously this must be correct.?

Can someone tell me how close the battery tray should be to the radiator support?  How far forward?

Like 1/2" or something, just so the battery fits in and clears?

Thanks

 

[jeff8877]

Battery tray was gone and the battery area rusted away when I got my 72 Mach.

I got a new battery tray and it fits and positions the battery very much along the fender.  The battery is at an angle, not straight inline like my 67 stang.

Obviously this must be correct.?

Can someone tell me how close the battery tray should be to the radiator support?  How far forward?

Like 1/2" or something, just so the battery fits in and clears?

Thanks

Maybe these will help...from a 73 Mach 1.

 

[rackerm]

I can't tell from your picture but I am guessing you may need a new Battery Tray Support Bracket too. There is a guy who makes and sells them on eBay. A very nice piece. Here is a thread t to it.... https://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-battery-tray-apron-support-winner?page=4&highlight=battery+tray

 

[NOT A T5]

andy72,

I have an original battery support bracket that was taken out of my 71. It still is in very nice shape, if you want you can have it, pm me!

 

[jowens1126]

I just replaced my battery tray last weekend. The front bolt was rust-welded to the inner fender. The tray collapsed around the bolt so I was able to remove it, but it left a 2 inch hole right in the inner fender. The front bolt was still there, so I had to drill a hole thru it trying to get it loose. I ended up threading the hole thru the bolt and grinding it down and putting the new smaller bolt thru the old one. Its a ghetto fix, but it will do till I replace or repair the inner fender. That part always seems to rust thru from all the battery acid. You should see the core support in my Bronco. It looks like I dumped 10 gallons of acid on it. Another big project for some time in the future.

I can do some measurements for you on the battery tray when I get home if that helps. and a picture or 2. The location of the battery tray though is dictated by the support plate that @Rackerm linked above. That plate welds on or bolts on to the inner fender.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Here is a pic of an original 73 Mach 1 had the big battery since it had P.W., rear window defrost and such.

I can get measurements but battery tray is useless without the reinforcement that has the places to bolt the tray.



baby mouse name

 

[andy72]

The new tray I bought from NPD is a complete unit.  Support bracket and tray.  That's how I was able to set it in place and notice that it does position itself right along the inner fender wall. 

I just want to know how far forward it is to be placed from the radiator support?  The pictures with just the holes or pictures where I can't see the front edge of the tray in

relation to the radiator support aren't really a help.

A picture of the front edge of the tray at the radiator support would help...

 Thanks

 

[rackerm]

The new tray I bought from NPD is a complete unit.  Support bracket and tray.  That's how I was able to set it in place and notice that it does position itself right along the inner fender wall. 

I just want to know how far forward it is to be placed from the radiator support?  The pictures with just the holes or pictures where I can't see the front edge of the tray in

relation to the radiator support aren't really a help.

A picture of the front edge of the tray at the radiator support would help...

 Thanks

NPD Does not sell the battery support bracket referenced in this thread. This support bracket is a separate piece from the battery tray that NPD sells, and is welded to the outer side of the fender apron. As David stated in his post, this bracket has the cage nuts in it that the battery tray bolts to.  Without this bracket you will need to provide some other way to attach the battery tray. See the picture I provided earlier in this thread.

 

[Rdgray]

I didn’t known someone made these, I looked and couldn’t fine them. I made mine from 14 gauge.

 

[andy72]

It took me a second to figure out what you guys were communicating...

Here's my tray that I got from NPD, the only one they sell...

It has built in support leg that goes down to bolt through...

I thought you were suggesting the battery tray is a flat piece and the support leg is a separate piece...

So, there's a piece that goes on the OUTSIDE...?

I guess mine was totally eaten away so I didn't realize...

Why can't I just bolt in what I got from NPD?

Is the battery weight to much and this area needs additional support?

Any thoughts?

 

[andy72]

oops, here's picture of what I got from NPD

 

[rackerm]

Andy72, You should consider making some sort of reenforcement bracket to support the apron under the battery. The renforcement bracket has two threaded cage nuts welded in it. The two Nuts are what the tray bolts to thru the apron. The fender apron has two holes in it, without the renforcement bracket you will need to use a washer and nut from under the apron to bolt the tray down.. The third bolt hole on the tray's support bracket uses a J clip.

 

[andy72]

Thanks Rackerm,

You basically answered the question that I should provide some additional support underneath.  I can weld in a heavier gauge piece of metal below.

I appreciate that the support would have the "nuts", but bolting thru is not the end of the world.

Funny, the info I really wanted has not been answered by anybody.

How far forward to the radiator support does the tray sit?

It looks like from the pictures that have been posted, it is basically all the way forward.  The battery must need to kinda tuck in to the tray as the battery seems to sit a little below the upper edge of the radiator support.  Do I have this correct?

Thanks

 

[rackerm]

Thanks Rackerm,

You basically answered the question that I should provide some additional support underneath.  I can weld in a heavier gauge piece of metal below.

I appreciate that the support would have the "nuts", but bolting thru is not the end of the world.

Funny, the info I really wanted has not been answered by anybody.

How far forward to the radiator support does the tray sit?

It looks like from the pictures that have been posted, it is basically all the way forward.  The battery must need to kinda tuck in to the tray as the battery seems to sit a little below the upper edge of the radiator support.  Do I have this correct?

Thanks

Yes. If you align the 3 tray holes with the 3 pre-stamped holes in the fender apron you should be good to go.

 

[andy72]

Rackerm,

If you look at the picture that I started this thread with, I don't have holes in my fender to go by.  It was rusted/corroded away and I had to weld in a new piece.

That's why I started this thread in the first place!

All I wanted to know was how to position the tray to look as correct as possible.

 

[rackerm]

Rackerm,

If you look at the picture that I started this thread with, I don't have holes in my fender to go by.  It was rusted/corroded away and I had to weld in a new piece.

That's why I started this thread in the first place!

All I wanted to know was how to position the tray to look as correct as possible.

Sorry, I lost sight of that fact. The tray is just about as close to the radiator support as it can be and you want the square hole in the battery tray closest to the fender apron to line up vertically with the square hole near the top of the fender apron (if you still have this hole). These square holes are for the one battery clamp bolt (see my previous picture in this thread). I don't have a good overhead picture of the tray and/or apron holes, but I took these from under the car looking up at the battery tray inner fender apron area. It's the best I can do without pulling the battery out.  I hope it helps.



.

 

[andy72]

Rackerm,

Thank you very much!  You outdid yourself.

All the way forward basically.

When I got the car, the battery was sittin on a piece of wood.

I could see from Googling pictures basically how it sits, but I wanted to ask in case I was missing something.

I appreciate all the info.

Now I can lay it out, weld in some support and keep the project movin.