How-to: PDC bracket for battery relocation

User avatar
Vinny
Administrator
Posts: 2246
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:42 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

How-to: PDC bracket for battery relocation

Post by Vinny » Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:53 am

When it came time to relocate the battery in my '97 ACR (to make room for intercooler piping), I needed a way to securely mount the PDC (power distribution center) under the hood without a battery tray. I made this bracket from 22ga sheet metal, it took me maybe 5 hours total to make with no real prior metal fab experience. I'm sure there are things I could have done better/differently with it, and a little heavier steel would have been nice, but I am happy with the way it turned out and figured I would share.


Tools I used:

jig saw (with fine steel blade)
bench grinder
bench vise
C-clamps
Vise-Grips
propane torch
hammer
round and flat files
drill with uni-bit
dremel tool


First I started by making a template out of posterboard, the top part with the tabs was traced from an Iceman battery tray. From there the pattern was transferred onto the sheetmetal.

Image

Image

Image


I then cut the steel to the shape of my pattern using a jig saw with a fine steel cutting blade, using a dremel tool with a grinding bit to smooth out the corners.

Image


Once I had the basic shape cut out and the mounting tab bent, I rolled the front edge over to prevent the bracket from flexing under the weight of the PDC. To do this I used a vice, C-clamps, Vice-Grips, two thick steel plates I had laying around, a propane torch and a hammer.

Image


Here is is almost finished, with just a little bit of final finish work to be done.

Image

Image

Image


And here it is mounted in the car. I still need to run the new battery cables and zip-tie the harnesses that were previously clipped under the PDC. For that matter I also need to clean up the top of my transaxle. :oops:

Image

Image

Image


The bracket is now completely finished, with the edges all flattened up with a file and smoothed out with sandpaper. I still need to paint the bracket and do the final installation. I will post more pics of this when it is mounted permanently in the car.

Like I said, I have almost no experience with this type of thing, and as funny as it may sound, I learned most of the techniques used in making this from watching shows like American Chopper.

Stay tuned for my how-to for mounting an Odyssey PC680 battery in the stock washer bottle location using a modified Odyssey aluminun mounting bracket.

APN
1GN Registrant
Posts: 1536
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:10 pm

Post by APN » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:23 am

Oooo I like it.
#64
Image
APN wrote:
Jordan2.4 wrote:Apn...please make a new sig with pictures of your car CLEAN...i am tired of looking at the dirt...
That's called chipping paint son. Get some glasses. 8)

twiztidklown1
1GN Registrant
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:01 am
Location: NW Florida

Post by twiztidklown1 » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:07 am

Happen to have a copy of the template?
98 R/T 2.4 Turbo

User avatar
99dohcneon
1GN Registrant
Posts: 388
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:44 am
Location: West Plains mo

Post by 99dohcneon » Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:12 pm

looks very good
Image
99 neon with 2.4 swap w/ 2.0 cams, afx race ecu, 60mm jeep tb, cai, header, polished intake, straight pipe with no muffler, poly. inserts, pt clutch, B&M sts w/booger bushing and skunk2 springs. 14.3 (gtech) 2.5 60 foot :O

'98 neon rt srt swap w/20g turbo ran on MS 18psi Project log
http://www.cardomain.com/id/the_game_rock

User avatar
mattie
1GN Registrant
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:37 pm
Location: Brainerd, MN

Post by mattie » Sat Mar 03, 2007 9:03 pm

I second the notion of any scale templates available?
98 R/T: CAI, 55mm tb, mid-length header, Megan racing UDP, solid motor mounts, rear booger bobble strut, KYB struts, lowering springs, autometer gauges (oil pressure/temp, water temp, pyrometer), 3.55 tranny

User avatar
Vinny
Administrator
Posts: 2246
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:42 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Post by Vinny » Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:24 am

I have a template I could scan, but I would be unsure how to save it in a format that could be downloaded, and printed out the correct. size. Give me some ideas and see what I can do.
suave23 wrote:Can you imagine how much pussy you'd pull if you had a pet monkey riding your pet dog with you everywhere you went?

User avatar
Diablo0
1GN.org Owner/Admin
Posts: 777
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:39 am
Location: Greenville, SC - Pelzer
Contact:

Post by Diablo0 » Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:06 am

If you want, instead of me explaining it, scan it in and give me some measurements for it and I can work something up for it.
-Jason
Black '02 Neon R/T | White '02 Neon R/T - SRT-4 Engine Swap
Image
^^^ no, that isn't what I look like haha
Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value. - Albert Einstein

1fast2liter
1GN Registrant
Posts: 1231
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:30 am
Location: Beaver dam, WI

Post by 1fast2liter » Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:16 am

use something like ms or somthing and zoom it in till it looks right then save it.
Image

96 blue coupe sold
96 white 4 door sold
95 blue sport parted out
97 straberrie red coupe sold
95 black base parted out

current drivers
97 dodge ram 1500 5.9 ext cab sport fire engine red. tinted windows cat back exhaust suer chips tune, 1 mephis audio sub

90 audi 80. 400 miles to the tank
2002 custom sportster 90 whp and quick too

User avatar
Archametes
1GN Registrant
Posts: 776
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:06 pm
Location: Red Hook, NY
Contact:

Post by Archametes » Mon Mar 05, 2007 11:16 pm

Yeah a template would be nice. Or we could just mail it out to each other. From one person to the next. Get the template trace it on to your own poster board and mail it out to the next person.... But then again that may take a REALLY long time. I'm such an idiot sometimes.........

I'm gonna go hide now.

User avatar
Vinny
Administrator
Posts: 2246
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:42 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Post by Vinny » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:25 am

What if I traced the outline of the template onto a piece of paper, got photocopies of it and sent them to ya? I even have a couple ideas for minor revisions that would make it look a bit nicer. PayPal me $1 each to cover my costs? I assume it would fit on a standard 8.5" x 11" sheet, but I could be wrong. If this sounds like a good idea, give me a few weeks to get it going.
suave23 wrote:Can you imagine how much pussy you'd pull if you had a pet monkey riding your pet dog with you everywhere you went?

twiztidklown1
1GN Registrant
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:01 am
Location: NW Florida

Post by twiztidklown1 » Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:46 am

I would be glad to paypal ya some $$$ for your effort...
98 R/T 2.4 Turbo

User avatar
99dohcneon
1GN Registrant
Posts: 388
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:44 am
Location: West Plains mo

Post by 99dohcneon » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:54 am

I would like one also. I would like to relocate sometime. Looks great
Image
99 neon with 2.4 swap w/ 2.0 cams, afx race ecu, 60mm jeep tb, cai, header, polished intake, straight pipe with no muffler, poly. inserts, pt clutch, B&M sts w/booger bushing and skunk2 springs. 14.3 (gtech) 2.5 60 foot :O

'98 neon rt srt swap w/20g turbo ran on MS 18psi Project log
http://www.cardomain.com/id/the_game_rock

User avatar
mattie
1GN Registrant
Posts: 22
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:37 pm
Location: Brainerd, MN

Post by mattie » Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:26 pm

ditto, what's your paypal addy?
98 R/T: CAI, 55mm tb, mid-length header, Megan racing UDP, solid motor mounts, rear booger bobble strut, KYB struts, lowering springs, autometer gauges (oil pressure/temp, water temp, pyrometer), 3.55 tranny

User avatar
Vinny
Administrator
Posts: 2246
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:42 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Post by Vinny » Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:12 pm

OK I need to remove the actual bracket from the car, make some comparisons between that and my current template. From there I can create the modified, revised template and run off copies. After I have copies of the revised template in my hands I will make a post with ordering info. Give me a few weeks and I'll make sure you guys are covered!
suave23 wrote:Can you imagine how much pussy you'd pull if you had a pet monkey riding your pet dog with you everywhere you went?

APN
1GN Registrant
Posts: 1536
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:10 pm

Post by APN » Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:34 pm

Or just take a tape measure and tell us the dimensions with some drawings..
#64
Image
APN wrote:
Jordan2.4 wrote:Apn...please make a new sig with pictures of your car CLEAN...i am tired of looking at the dirt...
That's called chipping paint son. Get some glasses. 8)

Post Reply