'61 Tradewind battery box

[Q Cycle]

Hi all. The PO (O's?) removed the narrow, original battery box at some point and did a poor job of converting to double 6V forklift batteries. They never towed it so it's either a load distributing hitch or batteries. I'd rather get there in one piece and stay with the LD hitch. Any thoughts on recreating the original battery box and if so, could someone provide photos and dimensions? Or, comments? Thanks. Bill

[Phrunes]

Check the classifieds here on the forum, I think there is one for sale.

[RickDavis]

[I] removed the battery box from my tradewind, moved the propane bottles forward, and put the spare tire behind the bottles.. Probably a standard battery could be accomadated that way also.
The original battery box is a narrow box designed for a narrow agricultural (tractor) battery.. I think they can still be found but they are pretty uncommon.

I installed 2 golf cart battteries in a box in the closet.. Not a reccomended procedure but it has worked for the last 6 years with no odor, no corrosion and of course no explosions.. .
I can provide the dimensions on the box when i get home next week as I still have the box.

[Q Cycle]

Originally Posted by Phrunes

Check the classifieds here on the forum, I think there is one for sale.

Thanks. I saw it and sent them a message through the forum last night. It was just after I posted the question.

[Q Cycle]

Originally Posted by RickDavis

[I] removed the battery box from my tradewind, moved the propane bottles forward, and put the spare tire behind the bottles.. Probably a standard battery could be accomadated that way also.
The original battery box is a narrow box designed for a narrow agricultural (tractor) battery.. I think they can still be found but they are pretty uncommon.

I installed 2 golf cart battteries in a box in the closet.. Not a reccomended procedure but it has worked for the last 6 years with no odor, no corrosion and of course no explosions.. .
I can provide the dimensions on the box when i get home next week as I still have the box.

Thanks for the info. I have two huge LP bottles on the hitch now and two full size 6V batteries fit behind them and against the front outside of the trailer and a PO made a very nice cover out of nice heavy gauge and welded aluminum. The problem is I have to figure out how to also make room for the load distributing hitch pivots that take up exactly the same spot as the batteries. The other thing I don't like is the way the cables come out through the trailer body, when running them down to the 6V batteries, puts a big bend in those cables. If they were going to the original battery box, there would be little or no bend. I've found the skinny battery that goes in the original box from a number of sources so I don't think that's much of an issue. When you moved yours, how did you reroute the cables from the old battery box area to the inside? I have never had any interior panels off but I wouldn't mind some exploring as necessary. Thanks again and I would love to see photos. Bill

[Q Cycle]

One other thing. I have the rear bumper spare tire carrier so the new space that might be opened up by moving battery (s?) inside, isn't quite as critical.

[RickDavis]

I have seen an installation where the holder for 2 batteries was elevated above the frame on legs so the hitch brackets could be accomomadated.

In my case the trailer had been re worked by previous owners. The wire into the battery box was only a #10. I re routed it to use it as the charge line from the TV. My battery charger and batteries are adjacent to each other so there were no heavy cables to run through the body or under the floor.