52 volt SHARK Battery, HOW TO MOUNT IT?

[thead73]

I just ordered a 52v GA shark battery to go with my bbshd, but my cannondale frame only has very low water bottle bolts so i wont be able to use them, and i really dont want to drill holes in the frame for new ones, the aluminum down tube is very thin.... I was looking at pictures of this shark pack with its mounting frame and it doesn't look like you can strap or ziptie anywhere on the mounting bracket?
the battery slides into groves which prevent any zipties or straps... has anyone mounted one of these with straps or clamps of some kind?

[Rodney64]

Best bet would be to get a 3mm aluminium plate and then mount the battery onto this. You can then drill holes to line up with the water bolt holes. This will be the cleanest method to complete your build.

[thead73]

Thanks, thats a good idea. I can bend the alum plate a little to match the round downtube then I can clamp it to the frame with ss hose clamps... drill and tap some threads into it and mount the plastic battery plate... when the battery comes in I will see if this method will work.. thanks

[PoweredRide]

I would reconsider rivnuts. Makes a very clean install. Be sure to use steel zinc plated rivnuts as the threads can take the extra force the weight of the battery exerts. Search rivnuts on this forum and ES for more info and to calm your fears.

[Louis]

I would reconsider rivnuts. Makes a very clean install. Be sure to use steel zinc plated rivnuts as the threads can take the extra force the weight of the battery exerts. Search rivnuts on this forum and ES for more info and to calm your fears.

If only the tools were more accessible or a bit less expensive. The least expensive I can find is $60. It's shown in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_uu_ba6qAM

What would be cool is a tool loan program. Local rental place has none. Maybe other locals are better equipped.

[Louis]

Aircraft Spruce has one for $25 shipped.They say the hand version will also do stainless rivnuts. Thanks for the boost. I'm finally gonna have a M6 ring tool!
4, 5 and M6 mandrels

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ut12-03708.php

Between Aircraft Spruce and eBay for 20 M6 15MM rivets I'm in $35.

Thanks for the inspiration to go hunting for a solution! The old Schwinn will have a Dolphin mount now as well as my newest Smoothie step through.

[PoweredRide]

Cool tool. Fits in tighter spaces than traditional rivnut tools and looks like it gives great control over compression. I think I will get one. :)

[Lance Tesla]

Just run a nut onto a bolt and thread that bolt into the Rivnut. Hold the bolt with a wrench and turn the nut. As it presses against the Rivnut it will draw it up against the frame and compress it. I have a $300 hydraulic Rivnut tool and this is the method I use when there is reduced clearance or access issues with the big tool. All it costs is a bolt, a nut and a couple of washers with grease or oil on them if you are worried about friction.

[PoweredRide]

In my experience when you do that the rivnut can spin in the hole and not compress. To prevent that drill a hole in a piece of bar stock or plate and place it on the bolt against the rivnut. This guy shows it pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfQIYLSKGwI

[Louis]

Nah, I like tools. I did see instructions, maybe I'm just old and daft, but the right tool has more often than not been the better solution, for me. I hate making do and buggering something up.

[Lance Tesla]

What do you do when the tool won't fit: avoid the job or find another way to "git 'er done"? Can you suggest another way to pull an insert at the top of the triangle......?

BTW, I would avoid Rivnuts in favor of threaded inserts. In my experience, unless one has the correct tool to cut the locating notch into the hole, Rivnuts tend to catch the screw and rotate after a few uses, you can delay this by putting a dab of metal set epoxy in the bore when installing. Even so I find this sort of threaded insert to be superior: http://www.hansonrivet.com/flush-sty...ed-inserts.htm just be sure you get the knurled type......

[Louis]

Thanks for the input.

[PoweredRide]

What do you do when the tool won't fit: avoid the job or find another way to "git 'er done"? Can you suggest another way to pull an insert at the top of the triangle......?

BTW, I would avoid Rivnuts in favor of threaded inserts. In my experience, unless one has the correct tool to cut the locating notch into the hole, Rivnuts tend to catch the screw and rotate after a few uses, you can delay this by putting a dab of metal set epoxy in the bore when installing. Even so I find this sort of threaded insert to be superior: http://www.hansonrivet.com/flush-sty...ed-inserts.htm just be sure you get the knurled type......

Agree that the bolt and nut method fits the tightest spaces over any tool. The threaded inserts you found look interesting. I have never used them. However, I have never had a rivnut I placed spin on me. They need to be compressed well and have the right grip range specification. Knurled mating surfaces help also. For bike frames the grip range spec should be 0.5-3.0mm. If the grip range is further out from the flange they will spin for sure. These are inexpensive, the right spec and work well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W8TW5W2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have used better ones that have superior plating but they are around $5 each.

[OptimusPrime]

I had the exact same problem as you and decided to take apart the mount and drill a couple holes in the metal part so that it would line up with my too low braze-on's. In addition I drilled a hole in the down tube for a third mounting point and used a well nut that I got at Home Depot, these are easy to install and hold very tight. So man up and drill that frame!!

http://electricbike.com/forum/forum/main-forum/diy-discussion/8131-moved-my-battery

[PoweredRide]

Just a couple warnings. I always put one bolt in the metal part of the shark battery and then 2 out on the plastic. The battery is only held to the metal plate by 4 tiny screws so one bolt is enough. 2 out on the plastic as that is where the mount is designed to take the most load. Also would not recommend well nuts due to the weight of the battery. They can only be torqued to about a half a newton meter whereas m5-0.8 steel plated rivnuts are torqued to about 5 newton meters or 10 times the torque. The material drilled out for a well nut is almost double the rivnut size and a steel rivnut can actually strengthen a frame not weaken it. Check out the the cool rivnut tool Louis found earlier in this thread. Mine just came in and it is perfect for setting rivnuts in tight places like the corners of bicycle triangles.

[thead73]

Thanks for the Rivnut info, my cannondale comes with 2 rivnuts from the factory but they are way to low to secure the battery. Im just weary the alum down tube is so paper thin the rivnut is much stronger than the thin alum downtube. and with the heavy battery swinging left and right during offroad use i hope it doesnt loosen up the hole i drill in the tube. If i put a few in it might hold tight but i was thinking of a clamp or ss hose clamp around the whole downtube as its so paper thin. Great ideas and great tools guys, thanks

[Louis]

braze-on's[/url]

I wish I could find a steel frame in the Townie, Pure geometry. I'd love to have some braze on bits added by the local frame builder.

[OptimusPrime]

I wish I could find a steel frame in the Townie, Pure geometry. I'd love to have some braze on bits added by the local frame builder.

Braze-on's, those were the days! But seriously I don't think a rivnut or two would weaken the Townie aluminum frame.

[Louis]

Braze-on's, those were the days! But seriously I don't think a rivnut or two would weaken the Townie aluminum frame.

I don't either, but I did place a call to a local frame builder for his input. I wouldn't hesitate if there were replacement frames out there.

[Peter Halt]

I have mounted several Shark packs by drilling into the metal plate of the battery holder and installing a rivnut in an aluminum frame for the top plastic hole. Rock solid.

[Rodney64]

Peter is it possible to post up some photos on how you did this we could make this a topic somewhere.