DIY Battery tie down

[dnieves]

This one seems like a no-brainer (and it is) but it's annoying!

I replaced my battery tie down with one from Torque Solution (red) for something that looked better and wouldn't rust (edges or areas that meet with mounting hardware always lose paint and rust up). Don't know how the rust happens but it happens on my Altima, Si, and tC. Since the aftermarket tie down is anodized aluminum I used rubber washers from Home Depot to go under the nuts to protect the finish.

First, loosen up the nuts with 11mm socket (I may have to double check this) enough to get the J hooks to clear the mounting holes then set aside.

*Good time to use the shop vac and a rag to clean any crud/leaves around the base of the battery!

Note: since I hate rust and try to mitigate it whenever possible I thought of this after the fact: put some shrink insulation at the bottom of the J hooks to protect the paint where the hook mates with the mount.

Connect the rear J hook to the mount, pass it through the tie down, put in the washer and do the same with the front J hook then put on the nuts and tighten (the washer should be able to hold on until you put in the nuts.

Note: the OEM tie down's mounts are lower than the top of the battery so it goes further down whereas the new tie down is perfectly flat and level with the top of the battery therefore you don't have to go down as far to tighten it.

[TheDanimal]

Looks good!

[Pacific]

Personal manufacturing with my CNC.

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[dnieves]

That's great, is that blue anodized? How long does it take for the CNC to make one?

[Pacific]

In fact the color chosen was grey but it was my first anodizing, may be the time in the color was not the good one but it remain nice.
For the CNC machining this took about 4 hours taking into account the change of mills.