Removing Battery - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

zookeeper · 12-19-2012, 10:11 PM

DH wanted to remove the battery today before an expected storm but said he couldn't figure out how to get it out. He said it was wedged in there so tightly that he wasn't sure how they even got it in there. Since I didn't see it I'm not sure what he is talking about but thought i'd ask if anybody had encountered this. We have a 1999 31' classic

Kathy

davidc · 12-20-2012, 05:23 AM

Mine was kinda like that... they actually bent the lip around the door to get it in...

Not advicating bending it, but he may have to take the frame off to get it out, there may be no other way... kinda the square peg in round hole thingy. The frame was still bent, so getting it out was done the same way they got it in there - amazing what people do to make something work that does not belong.

PappaP · 12-20-2012, 12:31 PM

Here is what my battery box looks like on my 1999 29'Classic. Its probably close to the same as yours but not sure? Anyways it is not easy to get the battery out of mine, but I have to tilt it at an angle to get the first battery post out through the box opening and then tilt it again to get the second one out. If your battery box is the same let him know to just keep trying and suggest this method of tilting it somewhat to get it out. Hope this helps.

davidc · 12-20-2012, 01:43 PM

Mine is like that - only the pump is on the left and the box looks "taller" than mine... mine is barely taller than a group 24 battery. Plus it has space for a second battery side by side.

But you should be able to get it out with the tilt method - just make sure the terminal won't hit anything metal, shouldn't be any thing above it except the floor... worst case senario - tilt the battery sideways if possible - just clean up any spill with baking soda.

P.S. you may be able to tilt the top towards you to get it out...

zookeeper · 12-20-2012, 08:27 PM

After reading the replies I had my husband show me our battery compartment I can see what he means. I'll take a pic tomorrow (if it stops raining) and try and figure out how to post it. In the meantime, our battery compartment is the same setup but the battery goes beyond the left side opening and butts right up to the wall on that side and on the other side it is right up against the pump. Does that make sense? It almost looks like they put the battery in and slide it to the left so that part of the battery is concealed on that side then put the pump in right next to it.

Kathy

RichR · 12-20-2012, 09:35 PM

What group size batteries do you all have? It seems like the batteries are bigger than the original that came from the factory.

davidc · 12-20-2012, 09:46 PM

Not sure who you're asking - but mine is a group 24... any thing else is either too long or too tall...

sam · 12-21-2012, 12:30 AM

199025ft. Classic. Our battery was located in the passenger side storage area. It was real tricky to get it out. DH ended up having something touch and fry the battery out. He got fed up with this bad design and extended the battery cables. The battery now sits behind the propane tank. He had to do some fab. work to support the battery. Never had a problem since. I also heard that HiLo put the battery on a sliding tray(side storage). Then when you were driving down the road the slide tray would slide out. Honk,honk from other motorists. I guess the door would pop out easily from the weight of the battery. He got the battery cable extensions at Auto Zone.

RichR · 12-21-2012, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidc

Not sure who you're asking - but mine is a group 24... any thing else is either too long or too tall...

I was just wondering if everyone had the same size batteries and if maybe having a different size may be part of the problem. I'm guessing that HiLo used a generic hatch cover and just made things fit the best they could.

davidc · 12-21-2012, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichR

I was just wondering if everyone had the same size batteries and if maybe having a different size may be part of the problem. I'm guessing that HiLo used a generic hatch cover and just made things fit the best they could.

Group 24 is pretty common amoung trailers - class A,B,C are different stories - the hatch for mine is as long as 2 group 24 batts (put in so you can see the ends) and the pump... well pretty close to it anyway.

In the picture, it looks like that batt is too tall to be a group 24 - they are pretty squat looking.

PappaP · 12-21-2012, 12:57 PM

My battery is also a group 24. It is an Interstate SRM24 and here is a link that may help with different selections for batteries and includes the dimensions.
Basically on mine I turn the battery to the left so that you are looking at the side of the battery and then proceed to lift it out of the opening, that is when I have to tilt it a little to get the battery posts out of the opening. Its a tight squeeze but it can be done. Hope this helps.

Interstate Batteries

zookeeper · 12-28-2012, 06:37 PM

Don't know if you can see what I mean from the pics but the battery extends about 4 inches beyond the edge into the cavity on the left. There is no wiggle room on either side or the top to tilt it in any direction. We are stumped on how to get this out without cutting something or removing the pump on the right.

Kathy

davidc · 12-28-2012, 06:43 PM

It almost looks like the pump is to far to the left??? Was the base changed at some point and the pump just not put in right?

I'm thinking you may have to take the bolts out for the pump and push it to the right... Mine is on the left, and it's all the way to the "wall", no gap...

RichR · 12-28-2012, 06:54 PM

Comparing the two photos in the earlier and the later threads there is a difference of about half the width of the label on the pump motor if you line it up with the center rivet on the door below.

davidc · 12-28-2012, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichR

Comparing the two photos in the earlier and the later threads there is a difference of about half the width of the label on the pump motor if you line it up with the center rivet on the door below.

Yeah I agree, it's looks like the pump is too far left, but either way, I think he will have to remove the bolts to get the battery out... Maybe fix it at that time.

RichR · 12-28-2012, 07:05 PM

Yes, I think it will be quite necessary to do that.

zookeeper · 12-28-2012, 08:00 PM

The bracket on the right side of the pump goes right to the wall. Would have to figure out a way to modify the brackets in order to move the pump over. Not even sure if it would be possible then. Is this even the right size battery? Dh said there isn't a battery small enough to fit the existing space that would be usable. Not knowing much about batteries I'll have to take his word for it lol

Kathy

davidc · 12-28-2012, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zookeeper

The bracket on the right side of the pump goes right to the wall. Would have to figure out a way to modify the brackets in order to move the pump over. Not even sure if it would be possible then. Is this even the right size battery? Dh said there isn't a battery small enough to fit the existing space that would be usable. Not knowing much about batteries I'll have to take his word for it lol

Kathy

My pump doesn't have a bracket... Mine is bolted through the board on slots... I suspect modification from PO? Others can chime in, I'm not sure and won't say "no brackets"...

Without knowing what size batt that one is - I dunno, but I don't think that's the issue

PappaP · 12-29-2012, 01:23 PM

Yes, I agree with Rich and David, it looks like the pump is too far to the left side causing no room to move the battery. In your picture it looks like there is a 2x4 on the right side of your pump, is that part of your mounting for the pump? I don't have anything like that on mine, I think the pump is just mounted straight to the bottom of the storage box. So that could be the first thing to try and correct, if that 2x4 is removed then the pump could move over enough to allow you to move the battery over and get it out easily.