i was poking around the site Schlud mentioned on the voy board about flipping the shock mount and ubolts and ran into this nice HOWTO.

http://www.sierrajeep.com/dual.htm

the kit he is using is from a company called Wrangler Northwest Power Products located in Portland, OR. and they do custom cabling and such not. they have a VERY slick kit that is exactly what many of us want in a dual battery setup. their battery management system seems simple and very effective and doesn't look to be that expensive, most kits are $124.

Anyone want to go hit these guys up and plan out a kit for us?:-) It cannot be very far for some of you. here's there local (http://www.mapquest.com/cgi-bin/ia_find?link=btwn/twn-map_results&zoom_level=6&uid=u6w1r2m7p352z9vd:zs9fygq4y&aphoto=0&SNVData=3mad3-h.fy%28w8sq0y_%29ualgzrg%24tw2%28%3aynu%2bL%2bSNVP %12E%2bF%17%3aWI%14J%13%13WQ%28I%14%3a1a10t.9y70%3 dGG_q4851r%28.90a00wy_1.lq%286,qej%7cynbgmej,fwgf-d&pcat=&zlgif.x=1) Mosi?? come on, it isn't very far from you at all. PLEASE?? someone out there? :D

i was looking at the jeep TJ kit they offer and it looks like all we might have to do it extend the battery cables to wherever the second battery will go. but i am not sure. i could get the customer cable cut here locally, but still would be nice to have a kit to install.

now the dilemma of finding a spot for that second battery comes up yet again if we have the isolator and battery management system from these guys. maybe a custom battery box where the spare tire used to be? there's a ton of room up under there. but of course it would be nice to put up under the skid plates of possible too, to protect it. any thoughts anyone?? just sorta brainstorming while i listen to the rumble of thunder outside my house.

here is a pic of the one CJs setup of sierrajeep.com

http://www.sierrajeep.com/images/Electrical/Opt%20Set-up%20from%20side.jpg

looks pretty straight forward there.

I think you could easily create enough space for the batteries up front. You'd just have to move the fuse box and such back a bit. Under the back may be a good way to do it, but you would have to do some custom fabrication. Hmmm!!!

yes, but isn't your middle name "custom fabrication". Mr "I have the need to modify my bumper." ;)

yeah, but only because KMA didn't build it right!

Of course I have other projects too, but the KMA one is just because they screwed the job! :(

I will see if they want to consider making something... it's not that far from me.

cool. thanks Mosi. :) I am sure there are quite a few people on this board that would buy one, no?

I talked with the Wrangler NW guys a few months ago and have their catalog. He said (can't remember the name of the guy I talked to) they hadn't had any other interest from Xterras yet, and wasn't really sure about the kit because most of the other kits didn't require as much modification (i.e. we will need to move/tweak more stuff.) If one of the local guys can loan him a truck though perhaps we'll have better luck. Go go gadget PWNX!

(Kirk--I'll bring the catalog by the next time I see you.)

BTW--here's their website (didn't see the link above, maybe I missed it.)

http://www.wranglernw.com/

Originally posted by gothamist
I talked with the Wrangler NW guys a few months ago and have their catalog. He said (can't remember the name of the guy I talked to) they hadn't had any other interest from Xterras yet, and wasn't really sure about the kit because most of the other kits didn't require as much modification (i.e. we will need to move/tweak more stuff.) If one of the local guys can loan him a truck though perhaps we'll have better luck. Go go gadget PWNX!

(Kirk--I'll bring the catalog by the next time I see you.)

please quantify "as much modification." all we need to do is find a place for the second battery and extend the lines to there what else needs to happen??

Originally posted by ChuckH
I think you could easily create enough space for the batteries up front. You'd just have to move the fuse box and such back a bit. Under the back may be a good way to do it, but you would have to do some custom fabrication. Hmmm!!!
I've been thinking about this for a while, too (running out of things to mod!). I agree about room up front near the current battery. Another option is to leave the fuse box where it is & have the second batter next to the fuse box but closer to the engine (remember, Optima & similar batteries can be mounted in any orientation). This second scenario would require bending two steel tubes (I don't know exactly what their for but one is high pressure & the other is not) that are about 1/2" outer diameter and relocating the power steering reservoir (buy a longer flex tube & move it closer to the fire wall. Either way, I too am confident that a second battery would fit up front near the current battery.

If you can find room, great. but i was under there finding room for my compressor a while back and it was a bitch and a half finding room. i wouldn't move those tubings you were talking about. and personally i am going to go after the mod to switch the location of the alternator with the powersteering pump like the way the pathy has it as brent mentioned (a very noble mod to go after). i was under there today looking at all the belts and remote resevoir and where i could relocate that too.

you might be able to fit a battery where most of us have been putting our air compressors, but i am not sure if there is room there either. and constructing a battery well there would be tricky cause it is sitting on the wheel well and that part is curved. so getting something stable might be tricky. the stock battery sits on a flater surface so it is easier to afix it there securely IMO.

I too would ultimately like to swap the PS pump with the alternator; this would be an ideal opportunity to move the PS reservoir to the driver's side of the engine bay & thus free up more space on the passenger side. As for bending the steel tubes, I would probably buy one of the tubes & bend/re-bend it to see how easily it breaks, etc.... Bending the tubes in the engine bay would have to be done carefully--i.e. controlling the bend radius to avoid pinching, etc.... Also, I would not bend more than 45 degrees so as not to introduce much additional flow resistance. What I have in mind is fabricating a sturdy battery shelf mount. Finally, the air compressor: that is my dilemma 'cause I said to myself "If I can clear enough space for an extra battery, then wouldn't I want to use it for an air compressor, instead?" I dunno, having the winch & lights & what not, I think I'll end up with a second battery *before* the onboard air system 'cause I really want to spend a lot of time/planning on the air system (i.e. multiple 1-3 gallon tanks (plumbed in parallel) stored in various vacant spots in the undercarriage to maximum storage volume, etc...). Perhaps the second battery should be located under the X (somewhere out of harm's way of course) in a watertight housing? I even looked at some large dead spots w/in the ARB bumper to see if they could accomodate a battery (I know, kind of silly but there are some large openings)!

Originally posted by xterrabull
Perhaps the second battery should be located under the X (somewhere out of harm's way of course) in a watertight housing? I even looked at some large dead spots w/in the ARB bumper to see if they could accomodate a battery (I know, kind of silly but there are some large openings)!


A couple of us have talked about mounting the battery (s) under the truck and well covered (like where the stock spare sits) but have thought of other things to do with that space too (tool box, etc.) ... I wouldn't be trying to mount a battery in the ARB.

Originally posted by Philosopher

... I wouldn't be trying to mount a battery in the ARB.
I know, I know but with the space-shortage in the X one is occasionally cast into a bottomless pit of despair...how 'bout mounting the battery on the roof!!:D:D:D:D

I think an Optima group 31A yellow top instead of two singles might be an option. I plan on a winch and think it will have enough reserve for the winch and still maintain for the starting system. Is this a silly idea? A group 31 should still fit in the stock 01' battery tray.

Wow, I think you just set the record for the oldest revived post!
Dig around (in the appropriate section) and you'll find Gothamist managed to fit a RT and a YT in his engine bay together.

I don't think there is any problem with digging up old posts. That's where the info is when people "search" :)

There is a thread with more info like OffroadX mentioned though.

He fit a group31?!

Absolutely no problem with reviving old topics, just haven't seen one this old get brought up before. Definitely good to see people actually using what's already around!

Here's the thread I was referencing:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=3914
Pictures are gone though...
Brent