Aux Battery Tray

[PbFut]

So I have a need for an aux battery, well maybe more want than need...Anyways, Brothers has a tray for about 160. A fellow forum member offered one for 100 bucks plus shipping, then got cold feet. I was looking at an old damaged hood and thought the steel was just too good to let just sit there. So it took most of the weekend but a reasonable effort.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work. I like doing projects like that. Don't have it, make it if you can.

[kwmech]

Dittos..........looks nice

[best view]

Make more of them

[jeffahart]

Nice work, fun project.

I just installed an aux battery within the past year. How are you wiring your second battery? I used a solenoid that marries the two when the power is on. I have my winch and compressor isolated on the aux so I can use them power on or off.

After I put the aux in, I bought two new Everstart Maxx 700s from wallmart. I'm pretty happy with the setup.

j

[dmjlambert]

That looks like a great hood! It would be fun to watch a video of how you cut and bent it into shape.

[PbFut]

Nothing Special. Cardboard to make a rough template. Cut 4 pieces off the hood. 2 sides, bottom and the small hold down. I used a small piece of angle for the mount for the removable hold down so it had more stiffness. Cut with a small cutoff wheel. Bent with a Harbor Freight 30" Brake. It was surprisingly simple once I quit over thinking and just did the work. Oh and a second piece of angle about a foot long to create a better more rigid mount on the radiator support behind the headlights. Bending over the leading edge of the sides gave a more finished look and added some strength. My lifetime of collecting tools makes these sort of projects fun and inexpensive. I drove a desk all my working life so being able to work with my hands is a welcome change.

[Getter-Done]

Nice work