Battery clamp

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olympia57
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Battery clamp

Post by olympia57 »

I'm trying to understand how the OE battery clamping system operates on my E12 based '81 car .
I have parts 8 through to 11 on mine but that's all . The diagram lists parts 13, 14 & 15 as NLA , are these required to clamp the battery ?
Don

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... 30&lang=en
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Re: Battery clamp

Post by ron »

olympia57 wrote: . The diagram lists parts 13, 14 & 15 as NLA , are these required to clamp the battery ?
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... 30&lang=en
These are to vent the gas in the old style batteries. Not required now, Don.

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olympia57
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Post by olympia57 »

Thanks Ron, I couldn't identify those parts .
I'm still at a loss as to how the existing clamp , clamps ....is there parts missing from mine ?
Don
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Post by ron »

There should be a speed clip #10 across the hole.
They are ALWAYS rustier than you thought!!!!!!
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'87 M #367
'88 High line.
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Post by GripGreg »

If the rod is standing on it's own, you may have that speed clip? Male to female threads.
The convex plate rotates 180 with the same side up. (good picture) =D>
The plate sits on top of a little shelf at the base of the battery & the rod screws down into that clip
to tighten & hold the battery in place. Don't tighten too much though.
The battery needs to be adjusted toward the rear of the tray to work.
As much knowledge as I'v received here, I'm happy to know this! :wink:
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Brucey
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Post by Brucey »

at risk of pointing out the obvious, the clamp will only clamp a battery with a lip near the base.

The correct spec battery has such a lip (obviously) but it is possible that somehow you have ended up with the wrong battery without a lip, or the wrong width battery with a lip so that the clamp won't work.

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sansouci
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Post by sansouci »

I've got a similar setup in my 1984 633 VIN6997510 and the rod screws into a nut welded on the underside of the battery tray. But since battery construction has changed a bit in 30 years, I use a shock cord that ties into an "EYE" bolt threaded into the same nut on the front side of the tray.
--Ken
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Post by Brucey »

sansouci wrote:I've got a similar setup in my 1984 633 VIN6997510 and the rod screws into a nut welded on the underside of the battery tray. But since battery construction has changed a bit in 30 years, I use a shock cord that ties into an "EYE" bolt threaded into the same nut on the front side of the tray.
--Ken
some one has modified your car to weld the nut in position, your VIN shows the same arrangement as for every other 6er (apart from the M6/M635)

Image

http://2009.bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/ ... m/battery/

There should be an M6 threaded clip nut (not a speednut technically speaking...?) as illustrated.

I'm sure a bungy cord appears adequate in daily use but in any kind of a prang the battery will escape. A danger there is that a dead short + fuel = fire.

You can buy the right battery with the lips on quite easily, there is no need to use the wrong one.

If you must use the wrong battery, I'd suggest using a metal strap to hold it securely near the middle, such that the battery cannot move so as to contact it.

I'm sure this doesn't happen in every case but in principle the absence of a proper battery clamp is an instant UK MOT failure.

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olympia57
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Post by olympia57 »

Apologies for not replying sooner.

On mine the vertical rod will turn about 20 degrees on either side of it's position in the photo. This movement is actually the rotation that the captive nut in the guide below can move before jamming up .
Am I right in saying that the vertical rod is screwed down until the clamp shown in the photo secures the lip on the lower edge of the battery ?
If so the problem with mine is that the screwed rod and captive nut are seized .
The brake cooling duct is immediatley below so it mustn't screw very far .
It seems a simple question but I wasn't sure if there were parts missing from the clamp system as it has never operated .
Thanks
Don
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Post by Alpinacsi »

sansouci wrote:I've got a similar setup in my 1984 633 VIN6997510 and the rod screws into a nut welded on the underside of the battery tray. But since battery construction has changed a bit in 30 years, I use a shock cord that ties into an "EYE" bolt threaded into the same nut on the front side of the tray.
--Ken
Its not a matter of the battery construction changing over the years as much as retailers pushing batteries on us that are not really the correct ones. When I look at the batteries suggested by most auto stores: they make the same recommendations that fits and is cheaper. The correct batteries are available but may not be one of the ones that they keep in the store and they want to sell what they have now.
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sansouci
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Post by sansouci »

Brucey,
Thanks for the warning. I will re-think the hold down system
--Ken
Sansouci
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