Installing a Dual Battery in a 2013 Gen5 4Runner

[Spencertron]

Any update on how this has held up? I'm going to install a 2nd battery and I like this location a lot better than where the power steering res. is. I feel like you can put a bigger battery back here.
thanks.

 

[Madiusmax]

I don't believe the OP is still around/active here, however I'd like to see if others have had luck with this or any other methods for the 2nd battery, specifically on this year and I believe the newer '14s with the same location issue.

 

[Spencertron]

well i'm planning on doing this setup in the future so i'll keep you guys posted

 

[JSparky]

OK. Maybe others have had luck with this but I can't reccomend it. I've spent a lot of time to make this work and I've come to the conclusion that this location is simply not structurally supportive enough to hold a (group 34) battery.

I did pretty much the same thing as the OP, using coupler nuts, but added an additional 4th post further in towards the engine. Used a quality steel battery tray designed specifically for an an odyssey 34 battery.

Aside from having to shoehorn the battery in, regardless of orientation the strut for the hood lift are dangerously close to the terminals. Terminal boots are mandatory , but even still I'd want to brace the battery cage to prevent it from moving too far towards the passenger-side wall. Also, the "major grounding lug" mentioned is not satisfactory to me, it's a body ground. I plan on running a ground cable to the frame.

Biggest problem is the overall structure where the battery tray mounts. While there are convenient threaded studs in place, it's still simply the inside of the wheel well. It's thin sheet metal. With everyrhing in place and bolted down there is far too much movement of the battery, due to deformation of the sheetmetal. You can actually see the inside of the wheel well dimple in and out as the battery moves. Enough miles over rough road and I fear the metal will begin to stress and crack. For a smaller battery or on-road only it MAY be ok, but I wouldn't. Save yourself some time and come up with a different mounting solution. Sorry OP.

 

[JSparky]

BTW, I have a crappy iphone video demonstrating this. I don't know how to attach it, I'm not sure the file format is supported. Either way if anyone wants to see it PM me and I'll email it to you.

 

[JMG73072]

OK. Maybe others have had luck with this but I can't reccomend it. I've spent a lot of time to make this work and I've come to the conclusion that this location is simply not structurally supportive enough to hold a (group 34) battery.

I did pretty much the same thing as the OP, using coupler nuts, but added an additional 4th post further in towards the engine. Used a quality steel battery tray designed specifically for an an odyssey 34 battery.

Aside from having to shoehorn the battery in, regardless of orientation the strut for the hood lift are dangerously close to the terminals. Terminal boots are mandatory , but even still I'd want to brace the battery cage to prevent it from moving too far towards the passenger-side wall. Also, the "major grounding lug" mentioned is not satisfactory to me, it's a body ground. I plan on running a ground cable to the frame.

Biggest problem is the overall structure where the battery tray mounts. While there are convenient threaded studs in place, it's still simply the inside of the wheel well. It's thin sheet metal. With everyrhing in place and bolted down there is far too much movement of the battery, due to deformation of the sheetmetal. You can actually see the inside of the wheel well dimple in and out as the battery moves. Enough miles over rough road and I fear the metal will begin to stress and crack. For a smaller battery or on-road only it MAY be ok, but I wouldn't. Save yourself some time and come up with a different mounting solution. Sorry OP.

I ended up making L brackets to tie into the fender side sheet metal and that firmed it up well. I wrapped my hood struts with rubber to ensure they didn't rub. I've put in 3000 miles so far and just did 250 pretty damn rough desert running and it's solid. I have a group 34 agm interstate battery and full blue sea system working great. Good luck.

 

[Mindflex]

How is it holding up?

I ended up making L brackets to tie into the fender side sheet metal and that firmed it up well. I wrapped my hood struts with rubber to ensure they didn't rub. I've put in 3000 miles so far and just did 250 pretty damn rough desert running and it's solid. I have a group 34 agm interstate battery and full blue sea system working great. Good luck.

Curious how things are holding up after more miles. Considering doing this mod myself.

 

[JMG73072]

Curious how things are holding up after more miles. Considering doing this mod myself.

20k miles and a year later I haven't touched it.

 

[Photovogel]

OK. Maybe others have had luck with this but I can't reccomend it. I've spent a lot of time to make this work and I've come to the conclusion that this location is simply not structurally supportive enough to hold a (group 34) battery.

I did pretty much the same thing as the OP, using coupler nuts, but added an additional 4th post further in towards the engine. Used a quality steel battery tray designed specifically for an an odyssey 34 battery.

Aside from having to shoehorn the battery in, regardless of orientation the strut for the hood lift are dangerously close to the terminals. Terminal boots are mandatory , but even still I'd want to brace the battery cage to prevent it from moving too far towards the passenger-side wall. Also, the "major grounding lug" mentioned is not satisfactory to me, it's a body ground. I plan on running a ground cable to the frame.

Biggest problem is the overall structure where the battery tray mounts. While there are convenient threaded studs in place, it's still simply the inside of the wheel well. It's thin sheet metal. With everyrhing in place and bolted down there is far too much movement of the battery, due to deformation of the sheetmetal. You can actually see the inside of the wheel well dimple in and out as the battery moves. Enough miles over rough road and I fear the metal will begin to stress and crack. For a smaller battery or on-road only it MAY be ok, but I wouldn't. Save yourself some time and come up with a different mounting solution. Sorry OP.

I'm the OP. Four years later and 35,000 miles with a fair amount of off road time and it's like when I first installed it.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

I'm the OP. Four years later and 35,000 miles with a fair amount of off road time and it's like when I first installed it.

4 years later you come back to follow up on your 1 post! This is awesome man. :surfer: Also, if you are reading this post in 2020, please give it a "like".

 

[The Waco Kid]

4 years later you come back to follow up on your 1 post! This is awesome man. :surfer: Also, if you are reading this post in 2020, please give it a "like".

I called him the one post wonder in my build thread yesterday... I'm going to have to change that now.

 

[uniqe4runner]

Guess this is my next mod

 

[bancorat]

Starting this mod tomorrow, Thanks for the write up!

 

[funshot]

Starting this mod tomorrow, Thanks for the write up!

did you complete it? How did it go? hoto:

 

[ViperNL]

If you want a battery in that spot and an ARB, look at Slee offroad's arb bracket. It'll put by the fuse box. That's what I have in my 2012.

 

[eddie333]

Just wanted to thank the original author of this thread for getting me started to do this mod, which I finished last weekend. Used the mounting info and customized a tray to fit in the same spot. Used a different isolated battery setup so I could also link both batteries together if needed for jump-starting the starter battery from the auxiliary battery.

While I was running wires, I also installed a fuse block, air compressor, and some extra outlets in the rear for charging things. Thanks for getting this project rolling!