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New battery doesn't fit?

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Discussion starter · #21 ·
The bar is made of pretty sturdy steel. It can't be bent without tools (read : my arm ain't strong enough to bend it ?), which was why I thought the only way to get the front down is to tilt the back brace up or stack up the back side of the battery with something underneath.

It is a good point to think of the clearance. There is enough space for the battery which sits in the right near middle. I double checked to make sure the 1cm lift to the bracket where it connects to the frame has enough space. The space is tighter towards the front of the hood than the back if you look at the contours underneath the hood.

The 35 height is to the spec when measured to the top of the terminals. The height to the rim seems to be higher than OEM, which makes mounting difficult because the mounting braces rest on the front and back rim of the battery.
 
#23 ·
Just replaced our RAV4 battery this past weekend. Got 5 years - 4 months out of it. Still passed the load test but it I know its days were numbered. Went with the MAXX 35N from Walmart - perfect fit. Attached the front bolt first then the rear bolt on threaded rod. No issues.
 
#25 ·
Just measured my OEM 24F battery this morning. The case is exactly 8” tall, then the vent caps are about 3/8” over that, and the terminals are 1” above. Total height of the battery is 9” to the top of the terminals.
 
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#26 ·
NE2015Rav4 said:
This is my first time replacing a car battery. I watched a few youtube videos before taking out the screws :)

Being a newbie, I optimized the time by returning the old battery at the same time I bought the new one, without checking whether they are identical in size. The height of the new battery is right for a 35 but that height measures all the way to the top plastic extrusion, which is a bit higher than the front and back rim where the bracket is mounted.

The new battery is an Interstate size 35 from Costco. The bracket toward the front is about 1 cm higher than the mounting hole. I moved the plastic tray a bit on the bottom just in case I misfit it. The two plastic buttons below the bottom tray fit with the metal groove down below. I am clueless how the 1cm gap came about. There is no easy way to "bend" that steel bracket down so the short front screw can reach the hole on the frame.

I hope I miss something obvious that you would share with me so I can mount this battery properly.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I put an eye-bolt at the bottom where the back post fits. Hooked the post in the eye and problem solved - bracket fits perfectly over the top of the battery. Put a dab of Shoe Goo where the post hooks onto the eye just for good measure.
Image
 
#27 ·
Check which hole you put the bottom of the vertical (L shape) threaded bar. I had this issue and found out I was trying to put it into the elongated hole on the bottom plate. I put mine in the hole on the vertical (back side) of the battery holder which is higher than the other hole and it fits. Size 35 is correct.
 
#28 ·
To hold down the battery, try this; as long as the bar is straight and will contacts the battery across its top, with the nuts loose, hold the bar on the top of the battery with your left hand. Then tighten the back nut just enough to touch, then tighten the front nut just to touch as well. Now take your wrench and tighten the front nut 1/8 of a turn, then turn the back nut 1/8 of a turn as well. Keep going back and forth between the nuts turning them only 1/8 turn each time until the bar is tight on the battery. The key is to keep the bar level across the top of the battery so its holding it evenly.
 
#29 · (Edited)
What I did to fit a 35 was I got two bolts (one for top one for the bottom holes). A “rod coupler” is used to join them together. It tightens down by twisting the coupler. You can build it for cheap using your local home improvement store’s hardware section.
Image
 
#30 ·
NE2015Rav4 said:
I suspected variations on height to rim because the group size define the height to the top opening(where you can add liquid to the battery), not to the rim. The OEM battery didn't have a strap like the Costco one does. In order to put the strap mount in, the top of the battery is probably reinforced because it now carries the weight of the whole battery if you lift it with the strap. With the OEM, you usually lift it from the bottom. That is my guess though until I can confirm the height of an OEM battery from the bottom to the rim.
Click to expand...
I had the same problem with my 2017 RAV4. I just put a zip tie through the hole where the rod connects. The zip tie loop gave me the extra 1/4” that the Interstate battery has in height over the originals battery. Pays2Save
 
#33 ·
NE2015Rav4 said:
This is my first time replacing a car battery. I watched a few youtube videos before taking out the screws :)

Being a newbie, I optimized the time by returning the old battery at the same time I bought the new one, without checking whether they are identical in size. The height of the new battery is right for a 35 but that height measures all the way to the top plastic extrusion, which is a bit higher than the front and back rim where the bracket is mounted.

The new battery is an Interstate size 35 from Costco. The bracket toward the front is about 1 cm higher than the mounting hole. I moved the plastic tray a bit on the bottom just in case I misfit it. The two plastic buttons below the bottom tray fit with the metal groove down below. I am clueless how the 1cm gap came about. There is no easy way to "bend" that steel bracket down so the short front screw can reach the hole on the frame.

I hope I miss something obvious that you would share with me so I can mount this battery properly.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I ran into the same problem. I have watched many videos and still can't get the pole thingy at the back to fit. The battery is the same height as the old one. At the end, I was like, screw that! So, I duct taped it. 😅🤣
Image
 
#34 ·
proverbs32 said:
I ran into the same problem. I have watched many videos and still can't get the pole thingy at the back to fit. The battery is the same height as the old one. At the end, I was like, screw that! So, I duct taped it. 😅🤣 View attachment 207736
Click to expand...
With that technique is the battery secure enough so that in the event of a crash the battery will not shift? There have been reports of RAV4 batteries shifting in crash and even in sharp turning situations so that the terminals short out on the metal hood and so cause fires which have destroyed the vehicles.
 
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#36 ·
The recall states "Notifications to owners of the affected vehicles will occur by December
31, 2023." So if you haven't been notified yours isn't covered.

But I'm not sure what the fuss is about anyway when all it takes may be a longer hold-down rod from Walmart.

The ONE THING I'd definitely NOT do is leave the battery unsecured or "secured" by tape.
 
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#37 ·
NE2015Rav4 said:
According to my research, 35 is the size for the 2015 rav4
Click to expand...
It's not a group 35. 35 slides around and doesn't sit in the battery tray fully and can short out. There's a recall due to using group 35 where toyota supplies a proper hold down and new tray. They told us to put a smaller battery then recalled it as it shorts out but don't have the parts yet as of 6/2024. Use the older wider battery or let it burst into flames
OK
Image

mes.
 
#38 ·
Yes it is the vertical hole. I tried for 30 minutes trying to get the rod through the lower horizontal hole. Thank you Jeffer4444. I was getting quite frustrated as I removed the battery & then attempted to put same battery in. Same issue on both my 2008 & my 2018 Rav4.
 
#39 ·
Blogson said:
With that technique is the battery secure enough so that in the event of a crash the battery will not shift? There have been reports of RAV4 batteries shifting in crash and even in sharp turning situations so that the terminals short out on the metal hood and so cause fires which have destroyed the vehicles.
Click to expand...
Had the same problem. The bent end of rod doesn't go in the hole it looks like it should. There is a vertical hole up a little higher that this rod goes in.
 
#40 ·
I just replaced my battery for the first time with a Canadian Tire Motocraft Group 35 battery. The length of the battery (front to back) is about 1 inch short and generally smaller with a completely different design to the OEM one. The battery is sturdy and cannot be moved by hand, but the L brackets on top of the battery is not sitting at their ideal positions.

Front bracket: gap between the vertical side of bracket and battery.

Also gap with the insulator:

Rear Bracket: Also a gap with vertical side of L bracket. This time the L bracket is also at an angle.

The rod in the back is also slightly bent:

Is this ok, or should I return this battery?
 
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