bought a new battery and wont quite fit

[tryme]

Put in in a new optima blue top.  but it doesn't quite fit.  do you really need to grind away at the battery compartment to fit it?

think it was a 34m optima. 

[toyotafreak]

Ddrive or vdrive?

[Capt Rick]

battery is a series 58 and 60 month warranty

[tryme]

it is a 99 e21  DD

[ATXChris]

I have the Optima blue top in my 99 E21.  I think I had to remove the rubber pads on the sides of the battery box and rotate the cover to make it fit ( the pull ring was causing clearance issues ).

I'll check to see if mine is a series 58 like yours.

[tryme]

Is it easy to remove the rubber pads?  cut them out?

[toyotafreak]

Know you guys are sick of hearing it, but...we're still using the blue top I bought 12 years ago!

[cyclone]

The one I used was the standard Optima blue top, think it was a 34m. It fit, just barely, in my E22 so it should fit.

Derek, do you sprinkle it with fairy dust or what?? Never had a battery last more than three seasons. I'm back to conventional, group 58 in the starting batt hole and a group 24 deep cel with same old Hellroaring isolator in between. Just running amplifiers:) My new neighbors hate me already;)

[tryme]

yeah mine goes in about 3/4 of the way.  than catches.  ill see what I can do. 

[ATXChris]

Mine is the Optima 34M as well.  Here's a pic, it's a tight fit on the sides ...

[tryme]

so you took out the rubber on the sides.  or does yours not have the rubber?  just wondering how much of a pain it is going to be to get that out.  and looks like turn it around

[skibeau]

As an option, a friend had a bracket fabricated to fit a taller battery. He wouldn't let me pay him but said a couple years later it might have been worth ~$60.

[ATXChris]

@tryme The rubber wasn't difficult to remove, it's just glued in there.  Hope you're able to fit the Optima in there, it's a great battery !

[tryme]

thanks everyone.  sure enough just grab the rubber and it peels off.  I mean it JUST fits. 

water was cool this weekend but that kept all the tubers off the lake.  problem is that I am out of shape for skiing and may body is SORE!!!

 just bought a boom so 3 kids are starting out this year. 

Bring on SUMMER!!!