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>

Just a heads up to my fellow cc travelers about the > surprising

problem i found when preparing for the trip to > moultrie, ga a few

weeks ago! After about 6 years my engine battery > finally gave out and

in the process of removing it and the other 2 house > batteries {all

8d's],all 3 in a row on a white fiberglass spill > tray in one bay. I

decided to remove the other 2 batteries and clean up > the whole

battery bay like i did 2 years ago. When the tray > was removed i found

that they were all soon to go thru the flimsy steel > supports under

the tray, and land on the highway below. If you look > at the way the

suports are constructed, 3 rectangle steel 5/8"x 1 > 1/2" pieces go

across to one similar rectangle steel main support.
What i found was

the main support was so badly rusted thru that i > could put 3 to 5

fingers inside the support in 3 different places, > and at the left end

of it there was a crack at the weld almost all the > way across the

support! I couldn't believe that it held the 3 > batteries that

probably must be near 150 lbs or more total weight > for this long. The

pieces were rubber undercoated from below as you can > see by the tray

sprayed underneath too, except where the rectangle > steel pieces were.

Anyway after careful thought i've designed and weld > up a strong drop

in replacement for the flimsy rectangle pieces.
Using 1/4" 2" x 2"

and 1 1/2" angle iron pieces , we made a nice strong > drop in tray

that uses the left and right main frame supports to > hold up the

fiberglass tray properly. We coated it with the > por-15 paint product

thats strong like porcelain. Any cc with the 3 > batteries in a row in

one bay like my '98 intrique might do well to look > at their supports

too! If you would like a simple drawing with my > measurements for this

support i made may email me and i'll send it to you! >

garyphillips@... >

Just a heads up to my fellow cc travelers about the surprising > problem i found when preparing for the trip to moultrie, ga a few > weeks ago! After about 6 years my engine battery finally gave out

in the process of removing it and the other 2 house batteries {all > 8d's],all 3 in a row on a white fiberglass spill tray in one bay.

decided to remove the other 2 batteries and clean up the whole > battery bay like i did 2 years ago. When the tray was removed i

that they were all soon to go thru the flimsy steel supports under > the tray, and land on the highway below. If you look at the way

suports are constructed, 3 rectangle steel 5/8"x 1 1/2" pieces go > across to one similar rectangle steel main support. What i found

the main support was so badly rusted thru that i could put 3 to 5 > fingers inside the support in 3 different places, and at the left

of it there was a crack at the weld almost all the way across the > support! I couldn't believe that it held the 3 batteries that > probably must be near 150 lbs or more total weight for this long.

pieces were rubber undercoated from below as you can see by the

sprayed underneath too, except where the rectangle steel pieces

Anyway after careful thought i've designed and weld up a strong

in replacement for the flimsy rectangle pieces. Using 1/4" 2" x 2" > and 1 1/2" angle iron pieces , we made a nice strong drop in tray > that uses the left and right main frame supports to hold up the > fiberglass tray properly. We coated it with the por-15 paint

thats strong like porcelain. Any cc with the 3 batteries in a row

one bay like my '98 intrique might do well to look at their

too! If you would like a simple drawing with my measurements for

>

Hi Gary;

I have a newer coach and I my battery supports are probably OK and > I'd like to keep them that way. I have a question for you...

If I disconnect and remove all the batteries, check everything, > undercoat the heck out of all the exposed metal, then re-install

the plastic tray and batteries, am I going to have any problems > because all the batteries were out and the coach had ZERO battery > power for a couple of hours?

Regards,
Bob Kumza
2003 Intrigue

>

[quote author=garyp33629"

>

> Just a heads up to my fellow cc travelers about the surprising > > problem i found when preparing for the trip to moultrie, ga a few > > weeks ago! After about 6 years my engine battery finally gave out > and

> in the process of removing it and the other 2 house batteries

8d's],all 3 in a row on a white fiberglass spill tray in one bay.
I

> decided to remove the other 2 batteries and clean up the whole > > battery bay like i did 2 years ago. When the tray was removed i > found

> that they were all soon to go thru the flimsy steel supports

the tray, and land on the highway below. If you look at the way > the

> suports are constructed, 3 rectangle steel 5/8"x 1 1/2" pieces go > > across to one similar rectangle steel main support. What i found > was

> the main support was so badly rusted thru that i could put 3 to 5 > > fingers inside the support in 3 different places, and at the left > end

> of it there was a crack at the weld almost all the way across the > > support! I couldn't believe that it held the 3 batteries that > > probably must be near 150 lbs or more total weight for this long.
The

> pieces were rubber undercoated from below as you can see by the > tray

> sprayed underneath too, except where the rectangle steel pieces > were.

> Anyway after careful thought i've designed and weld up a strong > drop

> in replacement for the flimsy rectangle pieces. Using 1/4" 2" x

> Gary, I have a 2002 Intrigue and have the same battery set you

Thanks so much!
Stan 2002 Intrigue # 11471

]
Gary

After inspecting the battery area upon our return from > FMCA it seems like a good idea to replace it. There is > a guy here that can do that work so I want to do it > before we leave for our western trip in early May.
Please send to Bruce Ashley 3276 Seven Lakes West NC > 27376. Thanks for all your ideas.
Bruce

--- garyp33629 wrote:
>

> Just a heads up to my fellow cc travelers about the > > surprising

> problem i found when preparing for the trip to > > moultrie, ga a few

> weeks ago! After about 6 years my engine battery > > finally gave out and

> in the process of removing it and the other 2 house > > batteries {all

> 8d's],all 3 in a row on a white fiberglass spill > > tray in one bay. I

> decided to remove the other 2 batteries and clean up > > the whole

> battery bay like i did 2 years ago. When the tray > > was removed i found

> that they were all soon to go thru the flimsy steel > > supports under

> the tray, and land on the highway below. If you look > > at the way the

> suports are constructed, 3 rectangle steel 5/8"x 1 > > 1/2" pieces go

> across to one similar rectangle steel main support.
> What i found was

> the main support was so badly rusted thru that i > > could put 3 to 5

> fingers inside the support in 3 different places, > > and at the left end

> of it there was a crack at the weld almost all the > > way across the

> support! I couldn't believe that it held the 3 > > batteries that

> probably must be near 150 lbs or more total weight > > for this long. The

> pieces were rubber undercoated from below as you can > > see by the tray

> sprayed underneath too, except where the rectangle > > steel pieces were.

> Anyway after careful thought i've designed and weld > > up a strong drop

> in replacement for the flimsy rectangle pieces.
> Using 1/4" 2" x 2"

> and 1 1/2" angle iron pieces , we made a nice strong > > drop in tray

> that uses the left and right main frame supports to > > hold up the

> fiberglass tray properly. We coated it with the > > por-15 paint product

> thats strong like porcelain. Any cc with the 3 > > batteries in a row in

> one bay like my '98 intrique might do well to look > > at their supports

> too! If you would like a simple drawing with my > > measurements for this

> support i made may email me and i'll send it to you! > >

> garyphillips@a...
>

> Dear Bruce I'm going to spruce up my sketch of the frame then