Forum friends,
Here's a quick and easy way to mount up a lightweight battery in the GTI.
I chose the "Extreme Magna Crank" battery from Advance Auto Parts. Its relabeled ETX16L Deka. In fact, its model is the ETX16L as well. Its a 17lb 325CCA battery and so is suitable for daily street use even through the winter. It cost $90 and has a year replacement warranty at any Advance Auto which is really convenient. www.etx16l.com
A cool bonus of using this size battery is that it fits perfectly into the back of the stock battery tray. All it needs is a way to secure it.
Parts:
Deka ETXL battery (from Advance Auto Parts)
M6 to SAE battery terminal adapters (from Batteries Plus)
(2) 1/4-20 5" long carriage bolts
(2) 3/8" washers
(6) nylon 1" spacers
(1) 8" bracket from the hinge section
(2) 1/4" washers
(2) 1/4" lock washers
(2) 1/4-20 wing nuts
First, remove the stock battery and the stock battery tray. There are three screws that hold the tray in.
On the bottom there is a piece of foam
Use a couple screw drivers to pop the holder things off and remove the foam.
Next, you need to drill two holes for the bolts. You want them positioned so that the bolts with the spacers are snug against the battery. They're at an angle due to the hole spacing of the bracket.
Put the carriage bolts through the 3/8 washers and through the bottom of the tray.
Reinstall the foam with the holder clip things. I used a 13mm socket to press down over the clip to secure them.
Install the battery post adapters onto the battery terminals using the included screws. Using some locktite on the screw threads is a good idea.
Set the battery in place for the mock up. Add the spacers (i only used two per bolt, but three would be better). Then the bracket, 1/4" washers, lock washers, wing nuts.
Take the battery back out, but leave the bolts in it. The foam will hold the bolts in place. Reinstall the battery tray in the car just like stock. Set the battery in place and secure it down with the spacers, bracket, washers, and wingnuts.
Reinstall the power and ground cables to the terminals. The stock terminal clamps are very tight on the SAE posts. I widened them up with a screw driver and then tapped them on with a wrench.
Good to go!
Here's a quick and easy way to mount up a lightweight battery in the GTI.
I chose the "Extreme Magna Crank" battery from Advance Auto Parts. Its relabeled ETX16L Deka. In fact, its model is the ETX16L as well. Its a 17lb 325CCA battery and so is suitable for daily street use even through the winter. It cost $90 and has a year replacement warranty at any Advance Auto which is really convenient. www.etx16l.com
A cool bonus of using this size battery is that it fits perfectly into the back of the stock battery tray. All it needs is a way to secure it.
Parts:
Deka ETXL battery (from Advance Auto Parts)
M6 to SAE battery terminal adapters (from Batteries Plus)
(2) 1/4-20 5" long carriage bolts
(2) 3/8" washers
(6) nylon 1" spacers
(1) 8" bracket from the hinge section
(2) 1/4" washers
(2) 1/4" lock washers
(2) 1/4-20 wing nuts
First, remove the stock battery and the stock battery tray. There are three screws that hold the tray in.
On the bottom there is a piece of foam
Use a couple screw drivers to pop the holder things off and remove the foam.
Next, you need to drill two holes for the bolts. You want them positioned so that the bolts with the spacers are snug against the battery. They're at an angle due to the hole spacing of the bracket.
Put the carriage bolts through the 3/8 washers and through the bottom of the tray.
Reinstall the foam with the holder clip things. I used a 13mm socket to press down over the clip to secure them.
Install the battery post adapters onto the battery terminals using the included screws. Using some locktite on the screw threads is a good idea.
Set the battery in place for the mock up. Add the spacers (i only used two per bolt, but three would be better). Then the bracket, 1/4" washers, lock washers, wing nuts.
Take the battery back out, but leave the bolts in it. The foam will hold the bolts in place. Reinstall the battery tray in the car just like stock. Set the battery in place and secure it down with the spacers, bracket, washers, and wingnuts.
Reinstall the power and ground cables to the terminals. The stock terminal clamps are very tight on the SAE posts. I widened them up with a screw driver and then tapped them on with a wrench.
Good to go!
