Battery lock and generator rack.
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13146
Printed Date: 21 Jun 2025 at 11:46am
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Topic: Battery lock and generator rack.
Posted By: Toyanvil
Subject: Battery lock and generator rack.
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2019 at 9:31pm
Just got done building a battery lock and generator rack for our 178, still need to powder coat it.      |
Replies:
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2019 at 9:41pm
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Nice work! It should definitely send any would-be thief elsewhere to look for an easier target.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 7:19am
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Nice set up! Did you end up using the plastic battery boxes too? How hard is it to get at the batts to water them? ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: geewizard
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 8:12am
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That's great work. I'd buy one.
------------- 2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB 2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD 2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper 2014 Toyota Tundra DC |
Posted By: Toyanvil
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 8:17am
| Yes, still using the plastic battery boxes and the back legs have hinges to open it up. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 8:18am
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I like that better than the Stomberg-Carlsen Trailer Tray I use. I would also replace my version of battery lock-down and the trailer tray with one of these if it were available at a reasonable price. I like that it is lower and does not require one to lift the generator as high, yet one can still easily access the batteries for service (I noticed the hinges on the generator carrier part).
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 9:20am
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Sounds like you have it fully sorted. I'd buy one too if I wasn't already at my tongue weight limit.... ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 11:19am
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Very nice! ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: crw8sr
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 12:31pm
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Geez, I wish I had talent like that! ------------- Chuck & Lyn Izzy, Morkie. RIP Zoe Joy & Gracie, Yorkie 2018 R Pod 190 2019 Traverse In moments of adversity;when life's a total wreck, I think of those worse off than me and really feel like heck. |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 1:29pm
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I really like the looks of that! How do you get the batteries out? ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 1:33pm
You don't....it's called a 'battery lock' for a reason! ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 2:20pm
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 2:30pm
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Yeah. I see that. SO, you crawl under the camper, unbolt the frame from the camper body, slide the camper body back, and then carefully remove the batteries. Easy.  ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: Toyanvil
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 8:23pm
| The back legs have hinges and the front legs get a bolt and a padlock. To open you remove two bolts and two lock on the front legs and hinge it up to the R pod. The generator lock has tabs at go through the expanded metal with padlocks above the batteries. The rack weighs 13 lbs and the generator lock weighs 5 lbs. I don't plan on towing or storing the generator on the rack, I don't like it out in the whether. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 31 Aug 2019 at 7:46am
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Do you intend to run the generator on the tongue? Looks like you could, but wonder about NVH transfer to the living space.. Extra rubber feet maybe? I do know the little 2000's are almost un-noticable when running. I had occasion to run one on the back deck last winter for a week when we had an ice storm, powered the freezers downstairs and the fridge upstairs. I will admit I only slept at home one night that week, but the genny didn't bother me, but our house is a bit more substantial then the pod. I was mostly sleeping at the hospital due to my wife having her gall bladder start to dissolve and get infected in the middle of the storm.. If I didn't have an emergency room and trauma nurse for a neighbor, it would have gone very bad. ------------- |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 03 Sep 2019 at 11:33pm
I like what you did, but what about vibration. I mounted mine the back in a box, to avoid vibration I put a bottle jack under the geny and lift it about a 1/4". Vibration is almost gone completely.
------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Toyanvil
Date Posted: 07 Sep 2019 at 4:07pm
I think the vibration will be okay with my Honda generator. Back from powder coat and installed.  |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2019 at 9:46am
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Really sharp looking! The only down side I see is that there does not seem to be a way to have a tank cover over your propane tank. BTW, I had one of those tank gauges go bad on me. It won't let enough propane through to operate anything more than a lantern. Anything that requires more flow and I can see the needle going down to the red zone. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Toyanvil
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2019 at 6:42pm
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 09 Sep 2019 at 9:01pm
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My soft cover wore out and I now have a https://smile.amazon.com/Camco-40578-Black-Single-Propane/dp/B010Y82OQU/ - Camco 40578 cover instead. That is what I had in mind with my comment about covers.It definitely would not work with your rack. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |