Lightweight battery vs battery in trunk?
i just used a LW battery up front, you dont have to worry about relocating it and running wires to the back and that hassle, and it saves a good amount of weight and room up front.
Thread Starter
12 Second Club
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
Thanks for the posts everyone.
Let me run this idea by you guys and see what you think... A lot of people go with the light battery to save weight, but leave it in the front.. No one runs it in the rear.. And a lot of people think running a battery in the rear is a lot of hassle.
My idea.. I dont have HVAC or really anything behind the dash, no radio, no ac controls, it basically just covers up empty space. I have enough room for a full size battery behind there I would guess. Would putting the lightweight battery in the passenger side area where HVAC used to go be of any benefit? It would be lighter than having a full size battery in the trunk, get the few more lbs off the nose of the car and more towards the middle (even though its not the rear, its not the very front either and I think it might help weight transfer some), and still have short wires running to the ground and the starter so Id think it would still be able to crank the car (Ive heard that the reason lightweights dont work in the trunk is because they dont have enough juice to travel thru the long wires and still crank the car.. That may be incorrect, but thats what Ive always been told when I mentioned putting the LW battery in the back)... Whats the opinion on that? Waste of time? Only reason I consider it is because I need as much underhood space as possible, Im working on a turbo setup.
Let me run this idea by you guys and see what you think... A lot of people go with the light battery to save weight, but leave it in the front.. No one runs it in the rear.. And a lot of people think running a battery in the rear is a lot of hassle.
My idea.. I dont have HVAC or really anything behind the dash, no radio, no ac controls, it basically just covers up empty space. I have enough room for a full size battery behind there I would guess. Would putting the lightweight battery in the passenger side area where HVAC used to go be of any benefit? It would be lighter than having a full size battery in the trunk, get the few more lbs off the nose of the car and more towards the middle (even though its not the rear, its not the very front either and I think it might help weight transfer some), and still have short wires running to the ground and the starter so Id think it would still be able to crank the car (Ive heard that the reason lightweights dont work in the trunk is because they dont have enough juice to travel thru the long wires and still crank the car.. That may be incorrect, but thats what Ive always been told when I mentioned putting the LW battery in the back)... Whats the opinion on that? Waste of time? Only reason I consider it is because I need as much underhood space as possible, Im working on a turbo setup.
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 253
Likes: 0
From: Tampa, FL
If I'm not mistaken, once you move the battery from stock location, you need to have a kill switch in the rear. So while it would help, you'd still have to run the wiring to the rear in order to remain legal. Or at least from my interpretation of the rules.
Originally Posted by JS
It should be on the RS.....
I just did th LW battery in the rear just for racing 24lb savings
I just did th LW battery in the rear just for racing 24lb savings
Originally Posted by 383ss
you did a lightweight in the rear?? how is it working and for how long has it worked?? what type of battery??
IMO, the lightweight in the front is the way to go - it is cheap, easy, and saves 25 pounds off the front of the car. I think when you add the weight of all the cable to put a battery in the rear, you loose the benefit of any weight transfer.
Wrong,my cable and ends weighed 10lbs so I had a 40lbs Optima up front with the battery holddown and overflow bottle which was just about 10lbs which equals it out.
Mightymouse told me to keep a battery tender on the LW bat when I'm not driving the car to keep it fully charged.
I dont have a EWP since its worth nothing and I dont turn my fans on in the pits,My car runs fine waiting in line.
I will try this LW Oddessy 680 for a while and see if I have issues,If I do then I'll just use it for racing and put the Optiama back in the car when I'm driving the car.
It was worth 24lbs to me.
Mightymouse told me to keep a battery tender on the LW bat when I'm not driving the car to keep it fully charged.
I dont have a EWP since its worth nothing and I dont turn my fans on in the pits,My car runs fine waiting in line.
I will try this LW Oddessy 680 for a while and see if I have issues,If I do then I'll just use it for racing and put the Optiama back in the car when I'm driving the car.
It was worth 24lbs to me.
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,648
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From: F.H,Waterford,Port Huron, MI
Then why do all the "top Dogs" have there battery's in the back? Weight? I mean I did it B/C I have to have a Optima and would like that battery weight in the back! I cleans up space at least I can't say if it is better in weight transfer, I mean I am sure it is but as the motor/front end out weights the rear by so much I can;t see how anyone could see a differance by only moving 25lb when a motor weights 400lb! 
Originally Posted by 2FAST4U
Then why do all the "top Dogs" have there battery's in the back? Weight? I mean I did it B/C I have to have a Optima and would like that battery weight in the back! I cleans up space at least I can't say if it is better in weight transfer, I mean I am sure it is but as the motor/front end out weights the rear by so much I can;t see how anyone could see a differance by only moving 25lb when a motor weights 400lb!
11 & 7 Second Clubs
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,299
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From: Motorhome, Freeways, Truckstops, Pits
I'm just relaying our experiences and trying to save you some money, particularly those with daily drivers. This is yet another example of chopping-up a street car, that will cost you money making the mod and again when you try to sell the car. I turned a 2001 SS into a 8-second car and I know firsthand the negative consequences of such mods. JMHO.
Go ahead and try it: leave the stock cables and mount in-place, install the battery in the rear compartment, make some runs with it in the front and then in the rear, and compare your times. We're talking at most a few 100ths of a second, maybe.
Go ahead and try it: leave the stock cables and mount in-place, install the battery in the rear compartment, make some runs with it in the front and then in the rear, and compare your times. We're talking at most a few 100ths of a second, maybe.
Last edited by bickelfirebird; Jan 12, 2005 at 09:43 AM.
Well, for me it's all about the air time. I want those front tires off the ground and hanging in the air for a second. With a 40lb battery up front/right it sure makes it harder to get that right front tire off the ground. 
I can't see how moving the battery to the rear will do anything but help with weight transfer and hooking up. If your car is a drag car and you don't care about resale value, why not do it?
I can't see how moving the battery to the rear will do anything but help with weight transfer and hooking up. If your car is a drag car and you don't care about resale value, why not do it?
11 & 7 Second Clubs
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,299
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From: Motorhome, Freeways, Truckstops, Pits
Originally Posted by PewterZ28
If your car is a drag car and you don't care about resale value, why not do it?
Originally Posted by Joe99SS
If I'm not mistaken, once you move the battery from stock location, you need to have a kill switch in the rear. So while it would help, you'd still have to run the wiring to the rear in order to remain legal. Or at least from my interpretation of the rules.
not always
Lightweight Hawker up front here (just ran it for the first time last week, worked well), I'm just happy to save the 20-22 pounds off the nose without the hassle of running 'weight adding' cables/boxes/cut off switches etc and the ease of just putting the stock one back in the stock location if/when needed. 
The bat box/cables and switch add about 12lbs if done correctly..Your overflow and battery tray up`front are 7 to 10lbs so u gain a whopping 4lbs when going to the rear of the car with a trunk mount BUT I mounted a small catch can for the rad. that holds only a qt. of coolant.This saves 8lbs which then gives u a LOSS of 1 to 4 lbs compared to running the battery up front
See some guys really check into this stuff,with my Hawker in the trunk I'm down easily 25lbs and get the benefit of better weight tranfer but if your a weekend drag racer then just mount it up front...
See some guys really check into this stuff,with my Hawker in the trunk I'm down easily 25lbs and get the benefit of better weight tranfer but if your a weekend drag racer then just mount it up front...
Last edited by JS; Jan 13, 2005 at 11:32 AM.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 596
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From: Downers Grove,IL
I was running with a rear mounted batt,box, cutoff switch. I ended up just throwing it all away and put a nice simple small 13lb batt up front.
I can't see any reason to have a 7-10lb tray and overflow bottle up front though
. My 1qt overflow and simple hold down might weigh 1lb.
If you need the larger battery for reserve capacity then it's probably best to put it in the rear.
Steve
I can't see any reason to have a 7-10lb tray and overflow bottle up front though
. My 1qt overflow and simple hold down might weigh 1lb.If you need the larger battery for reserve capacity then it's probably best to put it in the rear.
Steve
Correct,if u drive the car everyday the battery up front is ****.
I guess u make a good point,If I put the Hawker back up front w/the small catch can and use a piece of alum to mount the small Bat I'd actually be even lighter than now.
Hmmm,something to think about SJM
Thanx....
I guess u make a good point,If I put the Hawker back up front w/the small catch can and use a piece of alum to mount the small Bat I'd actually be even lighter than now.
Hmmm,something to think about SJM
Thanx....
Last edited by JS; Jan 13, 2005 at 12:25 PM.