Restore that battery tie down

[8baal]

Hey all, I was searching for parts on subaruproparts.com and noticed that a battery tie down is around $45 bucks, I almost considered getting one but I wasn't to found of the color. So I decided to restore my own and save a lot more money. :grin:

Tools you'll need:

Pliers
WD40
Steel Wool (very coarse)
Sand Paper (220 grit)
Spray Paint (Krylon Fusion Metallic)

I started off by spraying the tie-down with WD40 to remove some corrosion, then I took it off of the battery.

This is what it looked like:

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2009/06/dsc0095nwx-1.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/i/dsc0095nwx.jpg/)

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/5148/dsc0094tyq.jpg (http://img199.imageshack.us/i/dsc0094tyq.jpg/)
Then you scrub the hell out of the tie-down with steel wool. It took me 20 minutes or so. If there is any corrosion that is really staying on, douse it with more WD40 and scrub. From there take it to the sink and wash it down with some dishwashing thick type soap. Now you essentially repeat what you've done with the sandpaper, though not as frantic, sand in one direction and try to take as much rust and crap off. The more rust you can remove the better. Once its smoothed out completely, wash it down again. (I know repetive and seems like overkill but its worth it) Now its time to paint. Spray the bottom first so that if any paint drips down it will smooth back out when you spray the top (the side everyone will see) Spray at least five coats of paint, I did about ten. The paint I used was Krylon Fusion True Blue Metallic Spray Paint, the stuff is great. :smt023

Final Result:

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/3927/dsc0097ehm.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/dsc0097ehm.jpg/)

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/5681/dsc0102n.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/i/dsc0102n.jpg/)


This is my first DIY forum, hope it was close to par.. :smt024

~Rob

looks good... mine definitely needs this.. it looks like it was made of rust

[impreza_GC8]

I did this a while back with my Impreza except I painted mine flat black. I also did the same treatment to several of the brackets under the hood, the one on the passenger strut tower, the fuse box cover, belt cover, etc. All flat black.

[8baal]

nicee im going to take a look at my engine today and see what more i can restore and spray paint :grin:

[hallowpoint]

did mine this weekend looks alittle better now, great ez diy

[Airgne]

i love being able to go to work and use a media blaster or glass blaster.
good write up

[8baal]

did mine this weekend looks alittle better now, great ez diy

i love being able to go to work and use a media blaster or glass blaster.
good write up

thanks guys ill write up another one i have a few ideas stirring around :lol:

[ScaryFatKidGT]

did this to my tie down and belt cover. I wanna paint the plastic cover but idk how it will look

I used dupli-color metals RED along with the primer base coat for good measure but, it got pretty dark after the 8 or so coats I put on, not really the color on the can but still looks good.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

^^^^^Thats what I used and I sanded mine better than in the first pics and mines chipping off :( I think its maybe because its so cold up here and I didn't let it cure for a week only a day. Or maybe I need a better primer?

[Huffer]

More likely the paint wasn't cured properly. It's crazy hard to do good body/paint work in sub-50F temps. I've had a body shop turn me away because I wanted a full paint job during winter... the paint just doesn't cure well and they can't keep the car in an oven all day.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

So now I have to sand it all off again? :(

I'm just guna get another tie down from a junk yard...

[d1giPhux]

Don't use paint... if you wanna go with something that is SUPER strong and looks like OEM.. use POR15. I think they may even sell colored POR15 now. That stuff wont rust.. and it wont come off. Everytime ive done my battery tie down / belt cover on the engine.. the rust eventually shows its ugly head. Even if ive sanded the ENTIRE thing down (which ive done more then once). Coated it with POR15 cause i was sick of it.. STILL looks new!

[Huffer]

The stock tiedown is crap anyway. Go to a machine shop, have them fab up a flat steel plate with the two mounting holes and use that. Much easier.

[rougeben83]

I just replaced mine with a used SPT one for $20 :razz: But yeah, funny that this thread popped up after I just repainted my stock one.