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 ***** (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 ***ume (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 p***enger 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 p***enger 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 p***enger 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.