Making battery relocation to trunk on driver's side?
 

I may be interested in a battery relocation down the road, but I have the Shaker 1000 and I don't want to move or remove the subwoofer. Is it possible to move the battery to the driver's side trunk? Is there an install guide/thread on this subject?

Thanks

Check this walkthrough out that I just googled....

S197 Battery Relocation

If you decide to do this, make SURE all connections are excellent. Otherwise you will notice your lights will be dimmer and the car will be a little harder to start.






Food for thought, battery relocation (to the trunk) actually adds weight. Going with a small light weight battery mounted low under the hood actually reduces the weight and helps with the weight distribution at the same time. The key here is how much battery do you need? You sound like you have a decent sound system so this does not sound like a good option for you. But I thought I would throw it out there. (information never hurts). Also make sure you use automotive grade 0-2 gauge copper wire for best results. (obviously the bigger the wire the better, but also the heavier).

Lastly know that most all drag strips will NOT let you pass tech with a relocated battery unless it is properly secured in a battery box with a kill switch mounted on the rear bumper of the car. Which means you will have to drill a hole in your nice pretty bumper, and install a turn or pull type kill switch if you ever plan to take the car to the strip. (Yet another reason to go light weight battery under hood mounted low) <--- and if your power demands are not to high it's a very good option imo. Depends on how much your sound system draws.

It's not as easy as you think, I can tell you from an engineering standpoint, there is a lot of design that goes into placement of the battery. If you car at all about electrical noise and overall exposure to high electric fields I would leave it where its at. There are vehicles that have the batteries in the trunk from the factory, but like I said its not the kind of thing you can just put anywhwere without any consequences.

Battery is in trunk of my car, on passenger side. Kill switch used to be on bumper, just moved it to faux gas cap.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ecar/rear1.jpg

The idea is to move 40 lbs or whatever away from nose of car and relocate around the rear axle, where a little more weight can help. As stated, if you move the battery anywhere from its factory location, it needs special housing/venting and the kill switch (as far as NHRA goes anyway)

Old pic of trunk, showing battery box.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...MVC-005S-8.jpg

^ This, and the reasons I listed are why I would strongly recommend a light weight battery mounted low in the engine bay. The ONLY draw back is if you have a large sound system that draws a lot of current. In which case if you care that much about weight, um get rid of the subs? With the light weight battery mounted low is still improves the cars weight distribution, lowers the center of gravity, and has really no negative side effects. A lot of the light weight battery's still have more CCA than you will need. And result in no electrical issues since you will still end up using the same terminals.

But hey 15lb (reduction in weight) mounted low, or 45lb+ (increase in weight) mounted in the rear with a high chance of multiple small electrical issues, your call, your car, your money. All the data you need is here in this thread. (Which is the first really good thread I have seen on this forum to show mostly all data and good info vs opinion and general bs!)

Indeed... even the lightest trucks weigh about 4,000lbs! :icon_stooge:

But this is a very good thread, one of the better I've seen.

Fixed, smarty pants. :p

Just curious...
You could put the subwoofer on the driver side (providing that it doesn't sound funny) and still have your battery on the other side.
You might have to mess with the wiring but it's doable.

I would also have to buy a new casing, because it's only fit for the passenger side.