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04-10-2019, 09:54 PM
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#1
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3 Rivet Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Liberty Township
, Ohio
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 189
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AI OEM House Battery Tray Supplemental Support System
Sharing my economic DIY precaution against possible AI OEM battery tray structural failure...see attached summary.
House Battery Tray Supplemental Support System.pdf
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04-12-2019, 09:38 AM
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#2
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4 Rivet Member
2015 Interstate Grand Tour
Lake Oswego
, Oregon
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 418
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Was that bar above the the batteries with three bolts already there? That was a handy way to mount your eyebolts and brackets.
Hat tip to your creativity. I'd check the zip ties at their pinch points every few thousand miles for signs of cracking.
While I prefer my 2"x1/4" steel bar for extra battery support, I'd have no problem following behind you on the freeway !
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04-13-2019, 12:26 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2006 22' Interstate
League City
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 698
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I would weld up some steel straps/brackets to take the load off the tray but this solution is probably fine if your goal is to catch the tray if the bracket/bolts fail. Inspect the cable ties frequently or use UV stabilized ties for more piece of mind.
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04-14-2019, 05:04 PM
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#4
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3 Rivet Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Liberty Township
, Ohio
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LB_3
I would weld up some steel straps/brackets to take the load off the tray but this solution is probably fine if your goal is to catch the tray if the bracket/bolts fail. Inspect the cable ties frequently or use UV stabilized ties for more piece of mind.
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If I only had a welder in addition to some other metal working tools...oh what creative things I could create. I'm in agreement that a support system integrating metal strapping, bars, etc. would be superior to plastic. I believe that if down the road I go the route of a larger capacity batteries (hence increased size & weight) that I will modify this system with all metal parts.
It may be worth noting that my system uses two zip ties for each battery and that one of the zip ties the way it is threaded removes some of the weight load from the OEM battery trays.
Excellent idea to use UV stabilized zip ties; I did not think to research the availability of this in a 48" length; which BTW this length was almost fully needed...I cut away only about 8"~10" of excess zip tie after the threading and tightening of each.
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04-14-2019, 05:08 PM
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#5
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3 Rivet Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Liberty Township
, Ohio
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tronadora
Was that bar above the the batteries with three bolts already there? That was a handy way to mount your eyebolts and brackets.
Hat tip to your creativity. I'd check the zip ties at their pinch points every few thousand miles for signs of cracking.
While I prefer my 2"x1/4" steel bar for extra battery support, I'd have no problem following behind you on the freeway !
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Yes, the black metal bar with the holes & 1/2" bolts pre-existed. It seemed as if this set-up was pre-engineered for supplemental bracketing for this bar and bolts did not appear to be performing any function whatsoever. I'll be certain to check the zip ties often for any type of degradation.
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03-31-2020, 07:00 PM
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#6
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3 Rivet Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Liberty Township
, Ohio
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 189
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12 Month (7K mile) Follow-Up
Hello Friends,
Apologies for not providing a 6~9 month follow-up report as promised, but better late than never I suppose.
Happy to report that 12 months (7,000 miles) later this battery tray supplemental support system remains fully intact with no apparent signs of physical deterioration or failure.
https://www.airforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1585701844
One modification made shortly after taking this photo above was to replace the 48" 180 lb. Tensile Strength Cable Ties with these 40" 250 lb. Tensile Strength Cable Ties. The shorter (40") length of these stronger cable ties did mean that on two of the wraps I had to daisy-chain two ties together; it did not appear that having to do this compromised any of the strength integrity of the combined cable ties.
https://www.airforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1585702298
I'll do my best to provide another follow-up 9~12 months down the road.
Happy Trails
Steve
Luckysnuck
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03-31-2020, 08:24 PM
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#7
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3 Rivet Member
2023 Interstate 19
Colorado Springs
, Colorado
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 163
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I offer up my solution which can be found here. See post number 20 for the write up. https://www.airforums.com/forums/f24...wo-193153.html
This has been solid for over 15,000 miles. The only modification I made which is not documented in the write up is that I added a small turnbuckle to prevent the support angle bar from rotating out. This is attached to the aluminum angle bar and the flange on the battery box. It works very well and can easily be undone for battery removal.
Using the zip ties is acceptable until it isn't. They will deteriorate just like any bungee cord or any fabric strapping mechanism. That is why I see so many ladders on the freeway. Thoughtless contractors do not secure them with robust methods.
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04-01-2020, 08:10 AM
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#8
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3 Rivet Member
2023 Interstate 19
Colorado Springs
, Colorado
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 163
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Luckysnuck, I wanted to make sure that I am not implying that you are thoughtless by using this method by my reference to the some contractors who secure their ladders with bungee cords. No disrespect intended. I was trying to be funny but it may not have come across well.
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04-01-2020, 08:34 AM
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#9
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3 Rivet Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Liberty Township
, Ohio
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swilly43
Luckysnuck, I wanted to make sure that I am not implying that you are thoughtless by using this method by my reference to the some contractors who secure their ladders with bungee cords. No disrespect intended. I was trying to be funny but it may not have come across well.
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Absolutely no offense taken, I understood fully your sentiment and could not agree with you more, but I appreciate your follow-up. Things you see on our roadways that put others in potential physical peril blows me away. This was a primary reason I did something about these battery trays when I began hearing the horror stories of them cutting loose from rigs. As I said in my write-up I don't think I'm at risk because I've got the stock OEM battery set-up, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Your fix utilizing all metal parts IMO is a superior way to skin this cat and from what I can see in your photo is absolutely fail-safe. My cable tie system I believe is fairly robust, especially with the extra super-duty nylon 250 lb. tensile strength cable ties, but given the opportunity if I ever modify my system further I will opt for all metal/alloy parts.
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04-03-2020, 07:06 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2013 Interstate Coach
Waterloo
, Iowa
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,598
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It appears that you have to remove some/all of the zip ties when(if?) you remove the batteries for winter storage. Correct? I guess the good news in doing that is that you don't have to worry about zip tie degradation as they are only used for one season.
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04-06-2020, 09:43 AM
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#11
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3 Rivet Member
2018 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Liberty Township
, Ohio
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus
It appears that you have to remove some/all of the zip ties when(if?) you remove the batteries for winter storage. Correct? I guess the good news in doing that is that you don't have to worry about zip tie degradation as they are only used for one season.
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If needing to remove the batteries for any reason, then yes you'll have to cut all the zip ties away. Installing the zip ties, tightening them down and then cutting away any excess zip tie is fairly easy.
I reside in the Cincinnati area and the winter temps are (usually) not that extreme, so in my two winters endured since rig ownership I've not been compelled to pull the batteries for storage. Perhaps I should re-think that(???).
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04-07-2020, 06:19 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2013 Interstate Coach
Waterloo
, Iowa
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,598
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My comment on battery removal was a bit misleading. It is not the winter temperature that causes me to remove the batteries. Rather, it is that I store it for 5 months in a facility without power, and thus remove the coach batteries to keep them from discharging over the winter. I also remove the connector by the accelerator pedal to keep the chassis battery from discharging while sitting for 5 months.
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