Mounting a 13" / group 31 battery to frame rail

jamesm113

New member
Is there battery box / tray that would fit a 13" wide group 31 battery? Trying to mount one or two group 31 batteries to the frame rail of my chevy express.

I've searched everywhere I can think to look, and can only find trays that would fit a 11" wide group 24 battery like this one

Thanks
 

Nailhead

Well-known member
Go to remybattery.com. That’s where I got my group 31 battery trays. Pretty stout, too.


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llamalander

Well-known member
I mounted an AGM sideways to my frame rail of my Nissan, it was the right width to tuck in there nicely.
The enclosure is a metal electrical junction box, open top, drilled to drain if it gets wet, lined with 1/4" ply where the poles are.
The whole box sits in an "L" shaped tray framed out of angle steel welded together with some diagonal bracing on the front & back ends.
It resembles the link in the first post, but is totally enclosed. All that bolts through the fame, much easier when it is positioned with a floor jack.
It comes down every year or so to have the silt cleaned out, otherwise it stays put and does what I need without complaint.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
Lots of medium duty delivery trucks use frame mounted battery shelves (lacking a better word)... hit a salvage yard with a tape measure?
 

jamesm113

New member
Was hoping to avoid welding as I don't have a welder or access to one. Where I am, it's probably $200+ to just get a welder to show up.

The bolt on tray was attractive in that it was fairly inexpensive, just wished it was 2 inches wider so it'd fit a 13" wide group 31 battery instead of an 11" wide group 24 battery.

Yeah, the chevy express has a tray, but it only fits a 10.25" wide group 34/78 (or group 24dc) battery. Also, closest pick n pull is 100 miles away.
 

Willsfree

Active member
I too am going to mount batteries to the frame; see thread and post link below for the trays I purchased after I read SBaircraft's battery tray install. However, I am now considering going with lithium as the prices are dropping and the charge times are much faster. Wanting to use the van as a mobile office when off on an adventure.
 

jamesm113

New member
@Willsfree Looks like those are group 24 battery trays as well... That sure is a sweet build though!!

Couldn't find anything in that style for group 31's on summit racing ?
 

Willsfree

Active member
Why do you want the group 31 batteries? What voltage/amp hour capacity are you wanting? Lots of threads on here recommend using two 6 volt group GC2 as a value solution for house battery set up. A lithium would be more compact/lighter per amp hour as well.
 

jamesm113

New member
I want to get refurbished batteries from the local interstate dealer. The group 24DC's are $47 (82 AH), group 31DC's are $53 (98 AH). So there's a minimal price difference for the group 31, provided I can find an easy way to mount it.

Long term, I want to power a .88AH ARB fridge over 4-5 days. 2 Group 31's would get me pretty close to a full 5 days of running the fridge.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
You could also build one out of the perforated angle from the home center, or maybe find a tractor battery tray at a farm supply, or even make one out of wood if you wanted to. Lots of solutions to this issue... even just buying one.
 

chet6.7

Explorer
FWIW










"The Torklift International HiddenPower is a specially designed and convenient auxiliary under vehicle battery mount for all types of Group 24, 27 and 31 12-volt batteries such as lead acid, AGM, sealed, gel cell etc. This secure RV battery box is engineered as no-drill installations with quick disconnect electrical connectors, the system quickly attaches to the truck's frame under your truck."



https://www.torklift.com/rv/hiddenpower
 

Nailhead

Well-known member

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