Battery relocation for HANDLING (not drag) - best spot to mount?

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autoxcuda said:
I’ve never used the factory jack. I don’t trust them not bending my bumper. Any distance I bring the smallest HF aluminum floor jack. Or I’d rather bring a small bottle jack and wood blocks.

I have an aluminum Ford donut spare with center opened up.
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Lol, Yeah well your perspective isn't the same when you're 18 as it is when you're 50.
 
supertruck said:
Battery should be in right rear IMHO, as close to directly above the rear axle, or slightly ahead of it, as possible. Not behind the rear axle. That location won't show a mistake on the scales but it acts sort of like an un-sprung weight in actual use. Similar to how a trailer would act if you put all the weight behind the wheels instead of on top of them, but on a much smaller scale, of course. The big issue is that most folks don't have the experience to notice a big difference when a battery is moved around. Some do, but most don't.
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probably best place would be to mount it in a box cut into rear floorboard just inside passenger leafspring and just in front of rear axle tube.

Many circle track cars mount them low right before axle. But those guys want more drivers side weight since they are only making left turns. So they tend to mount them drivers side.

BTW, nice truck!
 
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supertruck said:
...The big issue is that most folks don't have the experience to notice a big difference when a battery is moved around. Some do, but most don't.
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most people never drive the car hard enough to notice 1/2 of the mods they do anyway

A56 said:
Lol, Yeah well your perspective isn't the same when you're 18 as it is when you're 50.
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good thing too :lol:
 
Since 1999, my car has never had a jack, nor a spare, nor horns. In years gone by, if I pulled over and popped my hood; there would be a guy with a truck stopped behind me almost as soon as the hood was up. I love that about this country, and driving the same hi-viz car for so many years.
In all those years I only ever had one flat. And wouldn't you know it, it was the only time my wife and I ever cruised together. I don't think we made it walking a hundred feet, and along came a total stranger, who drove 7 miles out of his way, to drop us at our door. What a great place to live.
Jacks, spares, and horns are dead weight to me. The folding back seat too, I think that beast was 72 pounds.
Pop-quiz;
You know why the battery is under the hood? So that when you hit something at speed, it doesn't come flying at the back of your head, lol.
When I put my battery in the trunk, I bought a dry-cell type and bolted it down on the Pside. I already had bit of a reputation for getting into trouble, so I didn't want to be worrying about that sucker coming loose. As it turns out, a Barracuda is not a Swinger, and mine has been very good to me; no crashes, and has never left the road. Probably not having E70-14 polyglass tires might have something to do with it.
 
Wow, thread revival. Thanks for all your info, experiences, & opinions. Still curious what MrGTX decided to do. I’m still working on my junk, hopefully I’ll get to drive it this summer if I can keep progressing.
 
supertruck said:
Battery should be in right rear IMHO, as close to directly above the rear axle, or slightly ahead of it, as possible. Not behind the rear axle. That location won't show a mistake on the scales but it acts sort of like an un-sprung weight in actual use. Similar to how a trailer would act if you put all the weight behind the wheels instead of on top of them, but on a much smaller scale, of course. The big issue is that most folks don't have the experience to notice a big difference when a battery is moved around. Some do, but most don't.
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You guys can say what u want , but chrysler used to recommend putting them as far back as possible , on the pass. side , for weight leverage on drag cars , they even ran bumpers that were lined w/ leaded inside !
 
famous bob said:
You guys can say what u want , but chrysler used to recommend putting them as far back as possible , on the pass. side , for weight leverage on drag cars , they even ran bumpers that were lined w/ leaded inside !
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You’re 100% right.... for drag racing.

For handling, road racing, and circle track they didn’t always put them all the way to the back if the rules allowed the battery to be moved. Circle Track car often put the battery on left side for more left side weight bias.
 
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autoxcuda said:
You’re 100% right.... for drag racing.

For handling, road racing, and circle track they didn’t always put them all the way to the back if the rules allowed the battery to be moved. Circle Track car often put the battery on left side for more left side weight bias.
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would make sense !
 
RogerRamRod said:
Wow, thread revival. Thanks for all your info, experiences, & opinions. Still curious what MrGTX decided to do. I’m still working on my junk, hopefully I’ll get to drive it this summer if I can keep progressing.
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What did I decide to do? Well, I had to prep/sell my old house, move into a new one, get laid off from my job of 15 years and start a new career in a totally new field. I has been a crazy few months. Sorry I don’t have more relevant news to report. :D

My old house had a heated garage and the new place, while much better for the family, has no such luxury which will be a setback for progress on the Dart. That said, whenever I have a couple hours to myself and it’s warm enough to wiggle my fingers, I’m generally thrashing away to get as much done as I can in the garage. Now that the snowblower has a new carburetor and the generator is tuned up, I hope to have more to report soon!

This thread is loaded with good advice from the experienced racing/handling gurus. Thanks to all who have lent their wisdom.
 
AJ/FormS said:
Since 1999, my car has never had a jack, nor a spare, nor horns. In years gone by, if I pulled over and popped my hood; there would be a guy with a truck stopped behind me almost as soon as the hood was up. I love that about this country, and driving the same hi-viz car for so many years.
...
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Agreed 100%. I’ve been the guy on the side of the road with the hood up and I’ve been the guy in the truck stopping to offer help.

At one time in this country, we generally saw each other as brothers and helping out a fellow American on the side of the road was the obvious thing to do. After the garbage that has been on the news this week, I worry that those days are behind us. All I can say is that I’m doing my part to carry the torch of the old way of being an American regardless of who someone voted for or who they want to marry.

A bit off topic but it struck a nerve and I felt like saying it.
 
autoxcuda said:
That purple valiant calc’s to:
54.1% front
45.9% rear

here’s my car: no cage, without driver, without spare tire, front mounted battery.

1/2 tank of gas +/- 1/4 tank... gas load is a big deal. I should have noted it better.

57.1% front
43.9% rear

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Just noticed my mistype. The numbers didn’t match my picture for my 68 barracuda coupe with no fiberglass, full interior. Correction:

57.3 % front

42.7 % rear

3209 lbs total: no driver, 1/2 tank gas +/- 1/4, front mount battery
 
autoxcuda said:
Just noticed my mistype. The numbers didn’t match my picture for my 68 barracuda coupe with no fiberglass, full interior. Correction:

57.3 % front

42.7 % rear

3209 lbs total: no driver, 1/2 tank gas +/- 1/4, front mount battery
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How much did it change when you moved the battery to the trunk?
 
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