Rubber Bumper Battery

Rubber bumper battery. Normally the terminals and the retaining bar (A) would be reversed to that shown here i.e. the terminals closer to the tunnel. But after a dispute over the guarantee of a second 'failed' battery the supplier very unwillingly replaced it, and deliberately I'm sure gave me one with the terminals on the other side, probably hoping I'd connect it incorrectly and burn my alternator and wiring ... but I noticed it as soon as he put it on the counter, said nothing as I was already pushing my luck, just gave him a hard look. Embarrassingly, there was nothing wrong with the batteries, it was the alarm gradually reducing capacity over a few months when I stopped using the car every day. That was in 2004, I fitted a battery cut-off switch with the new battery, and 15 years later the same battery is still working well! So I've had to fit it the other way round, with the clamp on the other side, and that with the size of the battery and the clamp used on RB cars means the retaining bar wouldn't stay on the battery. So I've had to put a spacer block (B) between the battery and the off-side of the cradle to push it further towards the tunnel to be under the retainer.

The battery is also shorter top to bottom than the threaded rods will cope with so I've had to add some extra packing (C) under the retaining bar. Since then I've obtained a set of dies so will cut more threads the next time the battery is removed for any reason.

'D' is the original insulating cover that fitted over the cup-type 12v connector, but having been replaced with the clamp type that no longer fits, so I have left it on the cable but the other way round to indicate the 'live' terminal. This shows why the earth terminal must be removed first and replaced last, as the 12v terminal is very close to the edge of the shelf over the battery compartment.

'E' is a couple of turns of electrical cable round the battery so it can be lifted in and out easily. Without that there is precious little by way of a lip on the sides or ends of the battery to get finger-tips under.