1974 Bus battery tray replacement

[whc03grady]

What's the best way (if there is such a thing) of affixing a new battery tray when one doesn't have access to a welder? Is it:
1. Chop off all the rust.
2. Treat with POR-15 (or equivalent)
3. JB-Weld new tray in.

...or is this method (or one like it) just too gruesome a hack to contemplate?

[Amskeptic]

What's the best way (if there is such a thing) of affixing a new battery tray when one doesn't have access to a welder? Is it:
1. Chop off all the rust.
2. Treat with POR-15 (or equivalent)
3. JB-Weld new tray in.

...or is this method (or one like it) just too gruesome a hack to contemplate?

Depends on your courage and engineering prowess. If the old tray has enough of a lip around the perimeter to provide sufficient weight-bearing capacity, you might be able to fashion a suitable drop-in that would necessitate grinding the new tray's lip down. You would be responsible for ensuring correct water drainage and proofing. . . ?

[satchmo]

One no-weld option, among the many, is to cut most of the old tray out leaving a lip around the perimeter large enough to support/attach the new tray. Cut off the bent edges of the new tray so it fits flat on the lip of the old tray. Coat any bare metal with paint or POR. Then drill some holes through the lip/new tray and attach with sheet metal screws or pop rivets. When you do have access to a welder, you can take the screws or rivets out and use the holes for spot weld points.

If you want to make things water tight around the edges after the above procedure, use automotive seam sealer or fibered roof cement on both the top and bottom seam. Make sure there is a hole at the lowest point in the tray for water to drain.

Tim

[Oregon72]

I did exactly satchmo's suggestion - as you can see this method can save even the worst looking tray.



cut out a lip


prime and paint the entire area, scabbed in the new tray, sheet metal screwed, and auto body sealer (this photo is a view of the underside of the battery tray





finished

[Bleyseng]

if ya go to that much trouble to make it nice why not weld it in.

[Hippie]

Probably could solder it in if you don't have a welder and didn't want screws. Flux and tin both sides, lay it in, and kiss it with a torch.

But that looks nice. I think it's great work and think screws are fine and not really noticeable anyway.