my battery plate broke

[christinalynnkalix]

Ok, I've tried looking around the site to see if I could find help for this. Saw Oldone was looking for this, too, at one time...The battery plate busted. I bought a "universal" for a temp. replacement but it's literally sitting in there not being held down. I can't find any junkyards that have them near us. In fact one u-pull it person laughed at me when I said what kind of car I needed a part for and couldn't tell me any cars that have a matching part. I have the old battery plate and thought about epoxying it back together. Anyone try this before? Also when I removed the plate a screw busted and will need to drill out whats left in the body. Any suggestions? We're in Bucks County, PA and if someone not too far has a parts car with a battery plate they would sell, we'd probably be willing to travel for purchase/pick-up. Thanks!

[christinalynnkalix]

Oh, forgot to ad ours is a '90 Festy. Not sure about the model..the only thing on this car is a Ford emblem. It does have a/c and the original ford am/fm stereo so it's not the "basic" model. Thank you to anyone in advance who can help!

[Sparky]

That's a great Avatar!

[imateo44]

i also broke my battery plate when i put my optima battery in the car.. it is now held up with bungee cords that is untill next weekend when i relocate it into the back of the car along with three others.

[jglutz]

What's a battery plate? Do you mean the tray under the battery?
Where in Bucks County? I live a mile outside Riegelsville, Bucks County. 10 minutes above Lake Nockamixon thou I have an Easton mailing adress.
If it's the tray.....bring it here....I can weld plastic.

[Axlander9289]

Weld plastic, you say? How?

[Pu241]

If it's the tray.....bring it here....I can weld plastic.

Joe, I haven't seen mine in sometime, but I think it might be glass filled!
Meaning it might not plastic weld so well!

Just tried to pull it out of the car, but the bolt under the "plate" needs some PB blaster!
So can't really get a good look at it!

[FB71]

you can't weld these, Joe. It's not a thermoplastic. It's fiberglass. On the bright side, it can be repaired with fiberglass and polyester resin.

[jglutz]

They are glass filled.....glass filled polypropylene. The glass is not polyester but real glass or at least silica based. Fiber glass will not hold up to any leaking battery acid.

An ear on mine broke years ago and I sucessfully welded it. For filler material I scraped some plastic off the side.

My set up included an soldering gun with a flat tip puged into a variable auto transformer. I would guess the temp was ±450°F. I always test the tip to make sure I can't melt 100% lead solder.

[Pu241]

They are glass filled.....glass filled polypropylene. .

Glass PP is filled is good stuff!
Pays my salary, meger though it is!

Joe do you need some "fresh" glass filled PP?

send me a piece and I can determine the glass content.
Can't be too high or would be very hard to mold.
Then I can match it up with something off our floor here.
Or,if better, can press out some pellets into sheets if those would be a better form to weld from/to?

[FB71]

I didn't know that, Joe. Thanks for the correction.

Now, Uncle Fester's tray was repaired with fiberglass almost 5 years ago, and shown any signs of degredation...

[jglutz]

^^^^Never a problem... the current score Jim D 10e6....Joe L 1

Think of this....years ago....trays were steel and after a ½ dozen years or so they were rusted thin as paper.....never any signs of battery leakage....non the less rusted thin as paper. I think even the PP battery cases permiate the acid vapor and rust every thing in proximity. My point...I think PP is the best know/economic material for battery case....why not the same for trays.

[xanthinic12]

i have a spare battery tray in west chester, pa

[christinalynnkalix]

Thanks for all the help so far. I must discuss this w/the hubby tonight after work to see if he'd like to visit West Chester or Upper Bucks. When looking at the plate I did think it was fiberglass as well, interesting to learn the make up of the plate. We're in lower Bucks and it's great know someone on these boards is from Bucks, too. Around the Bristol/Levittown areas I've seen at least 4 other Festys and wondered if they were on the boards as well. (The avatar is our "Lady", a great choc lab who I dressed in our daughter's jacket and headband. Thought since we didn't have a pic of the festy I'd use that for now.)

[jglutz]

I also have and extra tray in good shape....picked it up for free from the bone-yard today.
Also, I can get the broken bolt out if necessary.
I'm about 20-25minutes above Doylestown....straight up route 611