GBurton
08-25-2002, 23:34
For all of you who want to add one or two additional batteries to power your audio equipment, radios, winch or whatever. GM produces a full size diesel van, Express or Savana. The second battery is located on the outside of the frame rail under the drivers seat. It is in it's own removable battery tray that is bolted to the outside of the frame rail. The GM part number is 15017904 and it is from the 2000 (and other years?) Express or Savana van.
You can not mount it on the drivers side on our trucks because of the emergency brake cable on the outside of the frame rail and fuel lines on the inside. However, the passenger side frame rail is clear.
Look under your truck at the frame on the passenger side. As the frame comes down from the engine it is spliced into the main frame. You can tell because of a size change in the frame. What I did was mount the first battery box as far back as I could and just in front of the body mount. The second box will be mounted a few inches in from of the first and it will cover the splice. I positioned the bottom of the battery box even with the bottom of the frame.
GM used some type of threaded inserts but I just used bolts and nuts to mount the box.
The box comes with 4 mounting holes, 2 on each side. The top holes are "key hole" shaped slots to allow you to hang the box assembly over the bolts during installation. The bottom bolt holes are oval slots for alignment.
When you are ready to mount the battery you will install it in the battery tray, clamp it in place and then lift both the tray and the battery into position using the "key hole" shaped slots. You can then install the lower bolts and tighten all 4 bolts. When you order the battery tray be sure to order the battery hold down clamp and metric bolt. It is the same clamp that GM has been using for years.
It's a bit hard to service the battery but I don't know where else to install an extra battery or batteries in our trucks.
WARNING, be very careful if your battery has side post terminals! I am using sealed, non serviceable batteries that have both top and side posts. I am leaving the side post covers in place and using the top posts.
Comments or questions are welcome. At this time I am not able to post pictures.
George
You can not mount it on the drivers side on our trucks because of the emergency brake cable on the outside of the frame rail and fuel lines on the inside. However, the passenger side frame rail is clear.
Look under your truck at the frame on the passenger side. As the frame comes down from the engine it is spliced into the main frame. You can tell because of a size change in the frame. What I did was mount the first battery box as far back as I could and just in front of the body mount. The second box will be mounted a few inches in from of the first and it will cover the splice. I positioned the bottom of the battery box even with the bottom of the frame.
GM used some type of threaded inserts but I just used bolts and nuts to mount the box.
The box comes with 4 mounting holes, 2 on each side. The top holes are "key hole" shaped slots to allow you to hang the box assembly over the bolts during installation. The bottom bolt holes are oval slots for alignment.
When you are ready to mount the battery you will install it in the battery tray, clamp it in place and then lift both the tray and the battery into position using the "key hole" shaped slots. You can then install the lower bolts and tighten all 4 bolts. When you order the battery tray be sure to order the battery hold down clamp and metric bolt. It is the same clamp that GM has been using for years.
It's a bit hard to service the battery but I don't know where else to install an extra battery or batteries in our trucks.
WARNING, be very careful if your battery has side post terminals! I am using sealed, non serviceable batteries that have both top and side posts. I am leaving the side post covers in place and using the top posts.
Comments or questions are welcome. At this time I am not able to post pictures.
George