Battery Tray Corrosion -- Replace or not?

[mrgolf]

Originally Posted by golf cart man

I bet a carriage bolt would sit flat enough to not cause any issues with the batteries sitting properly.

I bet you have used them many a time.

[golf cart man]

Originally Posted by mrgolf

I bet you have used them many a time.

Got that right!

[kfortier5]

Thanks for all the input. I have some stuff on order to get this done. I did go with the slightly thicker 3/16 angle so I can countersink some flat head machine screws and bolt it together. I tried pretty hard to find aluminum hardware, but it's tough to come by. Home Depot carries some in-store, if you're lucky to have a store in your area that has any in stock. But their warehouses don't stock or ship them.

Being concerned about accelerated corrosion from the two different metals, I did some research on an alternative to Aluminum. I found a helpful compatibility chart from Fastenal (attached). Zinc & galvanized steel looks to be the best option to minimize corrosion due to the different metal types.

Thanks again!

[NCPW]

Getting a rivet gun with aluminum rivets can be a cheap investment and using 1/8" angle worked fine for me. Plus you'll find all kinds of stuff to start riveting.


Edit: Here you go; less than 20 bucks. https://www.amazon.com/ARES-70017-Pr...ords=rivet+gun

[kfortier5]

Hmmmm, now that's tempting! I didn't even think to look in to buying a rivet gun. I just thought "tool purchase = must be expensive". But $20 won't break the bank! Thanks!

[Fairtax4me]

I wouldn't even try using a small rivet gun for these trays. You really need 1/4" rivets at minimum for these trays. Smaller rivets wont hold up to the stress and flex that these frames go through. A 1/4" rivet wont fit into those handheld riveters.

[BBBHC]

I personally have never been a fan of rivets. Especially in applications such as this. They are useful, but if I can use anything else in a situation, I do.

[ag4ever]

I would be worried about a rivet elongating and loosing grip for a battery tray. Body panels, and beauty panels it would be fine, but a structural component, no.

I would also worry about aluminum bolts. Aluminum is great, but not the best in tension. I would worry about bolt fatigue over time.

Personally, I would use aluminum structure and either weld or use stainless bolts. The amount of galvanic corrosion in that situation should be extremely small and take longer than we will be alive.

Quote from external site:

"Corrosion risks with aluminium and stainless steel in contact
Aluminium and stainless steel together also appears to be a bi-metallic corrosion risk, from the 'nobility' table.
With this combination the affect of relative surface area on corrosion is important.

A large area of 'cathode' relative to 'anode' will accelerate the anodic corrosion. Although aluminium is anodic to stainless steel, large relative surface areas of aluminium to stainless steel can be acceptable, dependant on local conditions.
Stainless steel fasteners in aluminium plates or sheets are normally considered safe, whereas aluminium rivets or bolts holding stainless steel parts together is an unwise combination, as there is a practical risk of corrosion.

An example of the safe use of stainless steel and aluminium together is where stainless steel fasteners and hold down bolts are used to secure aluminium roadway or bridge parapet guards.
Even with no insulation between the metals, there should be little risk of corrosion.

In contrast, in a marine environment, severe localised pitting corrosion to the aluminium treads has been observed where un-insulated stainless steel bolts were used to secure the treads in place.
On the same ladder however, bolts with sound insulating washers did not show any pitting on the surrounding aluminium.

This illustrates the beneficial effect of breaking the corrosion cell by isolating the two 'dissimilar' metals in marginal cases."

https://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=89

[NCPW]

The rivets hold the angle from moving side to side and there's nothing to rub against your batteries, like a bolt head, to cause a hole in one of you batteries. The batteries themselves do a lot to keep the tray in place with their weight. You just need something so the angle doesn't shift over time.

3/16" rivets and 1x1-1/8" angle worked just fine for me for 3+ years driving my cart in the woods over rough terrain, mud and whatever else is found in the woods.

[peteywhit]

I had some corrosion, but not as bad as yours. The driver side bracket was missing, and the previous owner just stuck a piece of steel angle in its place.

I left the main frame in place and made drop-in’s. Then welded the drop-ins to the frame.

You could try to rivet 4 pieces of angle together, and drop it in. Then you could put a carriage bolt from the inside out. In the front and back. Just be sure you have enough room, because I made mine to fit the batteries just right and had to grind down the welds to make sure they aren’t going to stick up and rub the batteries.




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