battery under seat???

OK I searched and could not find a specific thread about this…If there is one that’s fine just point me in the right direction. I am interested in relocating the battery under the seat in my pickup. I would like to hear/see (if you have any pictures) of those who have done it. Im just working through the basics right now such as how to make my connections, if I should put the battery on a sliding tray so I don’t have to remove the seat in the need of changing it. Etc.

Please share with me your thoughts, ideas, etc. Go!

 

i did it once on a Model A pickup and it worked out fine. just had to take out the lower seat cushion to get to it. also had my wiring panel there . however , it did kinda get in the way or running the exhaust...no real problem , just a couple more bends if i recall correctly

hard to get more specific without knowing what vehicle you are working on

 

Make sure you have it where the fumes will stay out of your cab. I have a battery inside my trunk but it's a jell cell so no fumes.

 

I've put the bat just about everywhere the last under seat was a 40 Ply truck, it worked out fine but access was a bitch (no bottom cushion seat) we move it under the bed and made a trap door better access. Like 325w says if its in the interior always use a gell cell or AGM bat. Optima has a split six-pack that works very well in tight spots. I assume (you know what that means) your talking about your coupe?

 

.Have a gel cell batteryunder my 36 ford truck....works out fine

 

i am actually talking about my 1958 willys pickup.

i already have a red top optima that i am going to use for the battery. so im not worried about fumes.

 

the seat i am using doesnt have a removable cushion either. I have a pan or kick up that the seat mounts on. It creates a cubby hole or cavity of sorts. My thoughts were to create a door and on the side for easy access. Maybe even a battery try that slides out just to make it even easier.

 

I have had it under the seat on both of my 34 P/Us. The first one I did, I used an Audi battery that came with a plastic shield for the pos. terminal included to prevent any shorts if the seat cushion spring broke. How many times do you pull your battery out? I connect the battery charger to the starter terminal. (it's right there with the hood up) but my tender comes with a simple harness that stays in place once the tender is unplugged. Not a problem at all.

 

I have the battery under my seat in my 34 pickup, been there now for 6 years with no issues, I just put my seat on sliders so I could slide the seat foward enough to remove the battery with the time comes.

Later

Flatty

 

Ya know I have always wondered about the fumes, Volks Wagons had the battery under the back seat, nothing special as far as ventilation.

I would think that if you found a battery like an older motorcycle with a velt tube that would not be a problem, just run the vent line through the floor board.

Also for me battery under the seat would depend a lot on the seat base, some older trucks had a seat base tall enough for a battery.

 

could you put it on the passenger side frame just behind the front tire?

 

2001 Buick lesaber ( and many others) have the battery under the rear seat.
Should be able to scope the details in the local bone yard.

 

I read that you have your battery already. I'm going through the same decision on my pickup which now has the battery in the bed. I just saw one of those new Lithium batteries about 1/4 the size of a standard battery (and super light weight) start a fully optioned Chevy Suburban without breaking a sweat. That's about all I have room for under the seat, but with that size battery it opens up a lot more options elsewhere. Expensive and I'm still not convinced of their dependability though.

 

I have a small gel cell underneath the seat in my '29 rdstr. Ran the cables up through the floor.

 

I am running a battery under the seat in my 53 Willys presently.It is on the passenger side under the bench seat.Sits in the original Willys seat base.

 

Odyssey Battery PC680 No Fumes, leakage etc. Mount laying down. West Coast Batteries. I put it in last year and love it. Does not lose charge over winter etc. Check it out!

 

When i was younger my mom drove a mg midget. One day while driving with her the battery located in the back behind the front seats exploded. Never knew why but it did ruin my shirt

 

on both of mine I used conventional auto batteries in case of an on the road failure. I did cut a hole in the floor so that it sits lower but the bottom of the battery is above the bottom of the frame.

 

I wouldn't really want a standard car battery under my seat. Sulfuric acid burns are no good. Hydrogen explosions are no good. Electrical fires are no good.

Worst case scenarios, but still, I don't think I would risk it for looks.

Also, your state may have safety regulations that prohibit it. I would check that first.

 

My battery is behind my gas tank (which is my seat base) and under my seat in my 32 pick up. I need to remove my seat back to access it. Not a big deal, I will be switching to an optima to prevent unwanted leakage.

 

If inside the car you can vent through the floor ( Lesabre, Cobalt etc). Speedway has a drop down holder that you can access from the under side, eliminating the need to disturb seat. Oh ya the SSR had a nifty mounting too.

 

I've had mine there for 23yrs no problems, part of enclosure open so plenty of venting.The seat has 2 bolts that let me tilt it to access battery.

 

I've had my regular 'ol 12 v batt under the seat of my '29 roadster for over 13 years and have never had a problem with shorts, fumes, or leaks. I also had the batt box lowered thru the floor but not lower than the bottom of the frame rail. also have the fuse box ( all 4 of 'em) mounted on the floor under the seat. Granted, lifting the seat up to get to it is very easy on my car but probably not so much with a secured seat frame. I think you would be happy with the results, especially if you could figure out the seat issue.

 

I also put an Odyssey on it's side under the seat in my 32 pickup, has worked out fine so far.

 

I mounted an Optima in a box bolted to the frame directly under the passenger seat on my A sedan with an access door in the floor

 

Back in the '60s a friend had a VW and as people have said, the battery is under the back seat. A genius at Pep Boys replaced the battery with a top post one and a few weeks later two other friends got in the back and in about a block the seat springs shorted out the posts and the fire took out the back seat and head liner before they put it out.

Besides being hard to service I would try and find a better location.

 

I was lucky that I had the back seat out and was standing outside the car when the battery in my old VW caught fire. I wouldn't go out of my way to put one there but that's just me.

 

Under seat is the worst location of all. You cant get a jumpstart easily, you cant give a jump, its difficult to check the water or to change out.
Many underseat installations are butcher work. I put mine back on the firewall where god and Henry Ford intended for it to be.