How to Install a 12-Volt Bay

Whether you have purchased a used vehicle without one, or if you're building your own vehicle from parts, having a bay for a 12-volt car battery is essential. The battery bay, also known as the battery holder or the battery tray, is a flat platform bolted onto the frame or the engine compartment. Sometimes, the tray can become so rusted it can even eat away at the plastic casing on the battery itself.

Instructions

1

Remove the negative and positive battery cables on the battery with the socket set, lift the battery out of the engine compartment and set it somewhere safe.

2

Remove the bolts on the old battery bay with the socket set. If they are rusted on too tight, spray the bolts with penetrating lubricant, allow it to sit and then remove them.

3

Lift the old battery bay out. Clean the area where the old bay sat with an old rag. If the area is really corroded, sand the area down with metal sandpaper or a steel wool pad.

4

Set the battery bay onto the frame, insert the retaining bolts and bolt them down with the socket set.

5

Set the new battery into the battery bay, replace the positive and then the negative battery cable with the socket set.