Renovating Battery Compartment

[DonL]

If you have an older coach you may have a battery compartment that looks like mine, lots of rust and non-working drawer slides. My first search for replacement slides gave me a case of sticker shock. But after further searching I ordered slides from this company. Trans Continental Hardware, www.techweb.com Two sets of 16” x 250 lb slides for under $50.00 including shipping. I got the bottom drawer done. The upper one will have to wait until the weather warms. Installation required a bit of welding on the drawer, but none on the coach.

[Tha_Rooster]

Post pictures.

[lweekly]

I tried to click the techweb link and did not get the company that does metal fabrication

Could you try putting it in again, please

Thanks

[lweekly]

I guess I was expecting something else

I look forward to pictures as well

[tderonne]

TCH | Single source for case and speaker cabinet hardware - TCH

[Dave78Chief]

Go here: TCH | Single source for case and speaker cabinet hardware - TCH

Type Slide into search box in upper right. A list of options will appear. Select the one you are interested in.

Dave

[DonL]

First, my apology. The link, as you've discovered should have been www.tchweb.com. I'll try to attach a photo of before and one with the bottom drawer done. Hope to do the upper one this week.

[CaptainJerry]

Don L:

I looked at the TCH website and saw the side drawer slides. Do they offer a complete drawer or just the side slides? If just the side slides, then I assume you fabricated a new drawer? If you could provide just a little more detail, I would appreciate it.

I researched this issue recently and I too got a bad case of sticker shock on the Kwikee systems battery trays. I am trying to get a clearer understanding of what you did for apparently about 1/4 the cost or less.

[DonL]

I don't think TCH has the drawers and I too looked at the Kwikee drawers, but they didn't have my size and they were too expensive. I was able to salvage the old drawers with some scraping and wire brushing. I'll attach photos. I was working outdoors in cold weather so I've only applied a single coat of Rustoleum so far. I plan to apply a better coating this summer and would appreciate any recommendations in that regard.

On an earlier motor home I had to have a new drawer fabricated. You might want to check with a metal fab shop if yours are too far gone. Or if you're into welding you can have the metal plates cut to size and build drawer(s) yourself. Either way, you'll want to weld the inner part of the slide to the drawer.

Good luck. Let me know if I can be of any help.
Don

[deandec]

My steel battery drawers have a fiber glass type emovable tray inserted in each of the drawers and the batteries sit in that tray.

The inserts seems to have minimized the corrosion effect of the electrolyte spill over.

This concept might be effective for your new drawers.

[DonL]

Excellent idea. Thank you. I will see what I can find (or make) to fit. I will still recoat the drawers and compartment interior as well, so still looking for recommendations on that.

Thanks again.
Don

[Budski]

Is that a before or after picture? Me eyes aren't as good as they once were.

Dave

[lymanlouis]

Before repainting, get yourself some Coroseal or Ospho to stop the rust cold. Once it's try you can treat the rust like metal; sand, prime, paint. Ospho is at Ace Hardware; Coroseal is a bit harder to source. Check Coroseal - First in Fiberglass for their distributers or to order online.

If you paint without treatment you'll have more rust and corrosion by week's end.

[rgvtexan]

When I cleaned and painted mine, I used spray can undercoating. I have had good luck with it, in golf carts.