Cleaning Up the Battery Area

[Otto Man]

Spent some time messing around in there and decided to clean up the battery tray and other cruddy pieces over there in that corner and am stuck a little.
Under the battery tray itself, the hold-down stud thingy doesn't appear to come out, slide out. Can't figure how to get the underside. This piece (circled in pic) is pretty corroded and I'd like to clean it up or replace it. Any ideas on how to remove it?
Chris

[Erics SVO]

I "think" that is actually the back end of a bolt from the bottom for the coolant bottle bracket. Look at it from the bottom of the car.

-Eric

[Otto Man]

That's the problem!
You can't can't get to this one from below! It's rear end is in the frame tube"y" area.
Coolant bottle bracket is next, Perhaps once I take it off i get a better shot at it! But I can't believe someone here has NOT dealt with this sucker.
Chris

[Erics SVO]

Dunno... I ran out to the garage and checked under my battery, which is already very clean since I blasted the whole engine compartmant last summer. I don't have anything in that hole... I don't see anyway to get at that bugger either! Maybe its one of those assembly line mysteries along with the half smoked roach! Said after a big hit from previously mentioned roach - "Hee, Hee, lets do this so someone will scratch their head 20 years from now!" LOL! I say if its not holding anything, get out the cutoff tool and whack it.... The leftovers will fall in and you can get 'em from the hole on the bottom. You wont see it after the tray is back in.

-Eric

[Otto Man]

This is the stud that the battery hold-down plate uses. Eric, how are you holding your battery down?
I'll take a better picture. This "straight-down" shot isn't as good as I thought it would be. I'll probably just bust it off and use a stainless bolt from below.
Thanks again
Chris

[Otto Man]

Here's a better shot

This is the stud which we hold our batteries in place with. You can see in this pic this stupid, ugly fastener LOOKS like it should slide "aft" and just pull up throught the square hole. But it doesn't!. Almost like I gotta put to locking nuts on the stud and "back" it out. I guess I'll try that unless you guys know something better!
Thanks

[Erics SVO]

I'm using a later model battery tray. E8 # on it. Doesnt have any bolt down area in the bottom, just on the side for the two in the fenderwell. If you want one I think I have a couple more.

-Eric

[GAboySVO]

Chris,

Normally, those style of spring steel clip fasteners has a couple of pointed prongs stamped into them that tend to dig into the sheetmetal when being removed. I believe you should be able to use a hammer and tap it towards the opening to take it off.

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Or another way...

Grind off the bulk of the threads that show as previously mentioned. Douse the top with penetrating oil, PB Blaster or a similar product. Mark the center of the bolt with a center punch. Carefully drill a 1/8" hole through the center of the bolt. Drill again with the next 1/8" larger drill size. Continue with larger drill bit sizes until the bolt unthreads itself or there is no bolt left.

[bob tweedy]

bolt

GAboy is right on the money.take a cold chizle or a drift pin and a hammer and move it toward the hole it will pop out.
bob

bring back muscle cars-ban low performance drivers

guns dont kill people-drivers with cell phones do

[Otto Man]

I figured It Out

The rusty threaded "post" is a leveling device for the battery tray!
It contacts the rubber "washer" that goes in the forward tray "foot". I somehow have to back that crusty threaded stud out and replace it.
But my darn cat just played with the washer and who knows where it is. My house is a ship of fools sometimes!
See pic and illustration if you want.
Chris

[Otto Man]

Revisiting this topic

Hey Guys,
I am not convinced what this threaded stud is for!
Studying the battery tray, goofy washer, and where it sat inside the tray but below the battery bottom (which is 3/4" above the recessed area of the tray) I can't see what all of these parts DO
The tray is attached to the inner fender with bolts and is further supported by resting on the metal "flang" which the coolant bottle bracket is attached to.
This threaded stud protrudes up through the front "foot" of the battery tray and that washer simply rested (perhaps pushed on at the factory) on the very top of the stud, forming a kind of plug for the hole?(but certainly not much of one) It did not touch the battery.
Does anyone here now why this stud and washer exist in the first place? I know none of this really matters, but some designer went through great pain to put this all together, and it sure would be interesting to know why.
Chris

[Otto Man]

Close-Up of Washer

Here is that washer up close.
It is rubber but not very plyable anymore.
Is it possible that the original Motorcraft battery fit this tray or vented down to this area?

[Erics SVO]

Dude, I have no idea what its really for... When you mentioned it "leveled" the tray I compared the D9 tray to the E8 tray and saw no difference in the feet.... Just a hole in the one on the D9 tray... Hmmm, dunno. I'm sticking with my earlier theory on the roach. I take it you got the washer away from your cat. Another reason mine isn't allowed in the garage!.

-Eric

[Otto Man]

I'm beginning to agree with you Eric.
But with this wacky useless thingy, and my glued on headlight gaskets I'm begining to wonder.....
Could mine be the first 85.5? I ordered it in February of 85 so it ought to be an early one. So maybe they did goofy, useless things on the first few. I wonder what other jewels I have yet to find? It would be neat to compare notes with another original owner (orignal paint and stuff) of an early 85.5.
I should get one of those build (999?)reports and see if that tells me anything.
For what it's worth I'm gonna get a new washer and a stainless threaded stud and put it back the way it was. (I also wonder if 8T6 SVO has this in his parts bin)

Chris