On Friday I was able to get a new tank of gas for the welder, so the rack work continued today.
I started out the day welding up the rectangular rack for the two rear batteries.
I forgot to mention this in my last post, but I notched out the angle iron in the very front so it is easier to get a wrench in to install and remove the main support members.
After centering and clamping the rack on the back, I made some brackets to bolt the rack to the main supports.
They were welded one on each side of the main supports.
And, then I popped a few holes to bolt them up together.
At this point, I wanted to see how it was all going to hold. It snugged up all the bolts and it actually seemed okay just with this. However, I didn't feel right hanging that much weight that far back off of the larger angle iron. I also didn't like the batteries hanging that far to each side of the main support. Mowing around the yard creates a lot of vibration and shock loading, so this thing has to be solid.
So, I made this bracket to brace the sides and help hold up the back.
Since there was no room to have a bolt head inside the battery rack, I ended up shaving down the head of a bolt and welding it into the rack to create a stud.
And, here is how it looks once it is all bolted up. The added brace really solidifies things. I will be adding another one to the other side.
