Repairing / Replacing the battery holding strap - FIAT Petra 1.6

[kvdeep]

So, the battery holding strap was old brittle and finally it broke into two.


And this was how it was looking.

Obviously the first point of contact was the whats app forum and got the following suggestion.

1. Order a new one.
2. Have something made from a bag repair shop.
3. Use a strap from an old school bag - This from Joe sir, and decided to do this, as I had a few old bags lying around.


Got these two strap from cutting them away from an old bag.


They had the ends stitched back on to themselves to make them hold on to buckles.


And these two buckles.

Removed the old strap by cutting it away. First I tried to make the strap tight using only those two buckles, but it did not work. Then one side of the strap was passed through a buckle and the stitched end was used to make it lock on to the buckle, so that it stays locked.


One side of the strap locked on to the buckle.

Then removed the small holding metal eyelet using a 13 no box spanner / T spanner.


Remove the eyelet on the other side. Use 13 No box spanner / T spanner.

Pass the other end (The end not passed through the buckle through the metal hole.


My plan first was to pass it through the metal hole and heat seal the strap on to itself like a loop, but I could not find the right temperature, so decided to stick it using Fevi Quick.


One end passed through the buckle and other end passed though the metal hole and fixed by Fevi Quick.


This is how it looks.

Only thing to keep in mind is, to do it in such a way that the length of the strap is just right. The side with the buckle is to be fitted first, pulled tight and then the other end is to be bolted back on to the small bar. So on tightening the nut, the strap has to tightly hold the battery.

For this, measure the strap correctly.


Fix this first

Then pull the strap tight and use the box / T spanner to bolt down the other end on to the small bar on the other side.


Tighten the small nut so that the strap is stretched tight across.


Seen from the front side of the car...


Seen from the top of the battery...


Seen from the cabin side of the car. Make sure that the strap hold s the battery firmly, on tightening the nut seen.

Thanks for reading!!!

[Rudrah]

Deepak that was a superb DIY job done

Surely gonna help all the old timers

Thanks for sharing