Spidertrax has earned a solid reputation in the off-road community for their extremely well engineered products for the Suzuki Samurai. That they take pride in the products they build is clearly evident in the amount of time each product spends in the design stage. Their product line currently ranges from such extreme equipment as their Full Floater rear axle to the more mild shifter knobs. Adding to the more mainstream side of their product lineup is the new BT-01 Battery Tie-Down Kit, and Off-Road.com had the first opportunity to test it.

Normally, a battery tie-down kit would not be something to get excited about. In fact, many people do not even use them in their trucks, but this was precisely the reason Spidertrax chose to design this kit. Although it is dangerous to let a battery sit unattached in its battery tray, most conventional battery tie-down hardware is so awkward and inadequate - especially in an off-road vehicle - people oftentimes go without, or settle for a poorly designed solution that does not properly secure the battery.

Spidertrax approached this problem in a big way. Instead of settling for a design that merely gets the job done, they went the extra mile to make it a product Suzuki owners would really want. In addition to being solidly built, who would have thought a battery tie-down could be made to be a work of art?

Spidertrax machines the bracket from a solid piece of 6061 T6 aluminum to fit a battery up to 7 1/16 inches wide in the stock battery tray. The bracket is as lightweight as it is strong. The kit includes instructions and all the hardware needed to secure the battery. In the center of the bracket, Spidertrax carves their handsome spider logo. They designed it so that the bracket is one of the first things seen when the hood is opened.

Installation

Installation is extremely simple, beginning with removing the old mounting hardware. This may require removing the battery. If your truck does not already have a strong angled tab for the long mounting arm, an included angled tab and screw will need to be installed. Then the long and short mounting arms can be hooked to the appropriate places, and the bracket can be placed over the top of the battery. A screw and wing nut screw onto each mounting arm snugging the bracket down atop the battery, and installation is complete.

Impressions

Taking a step back, I was immediately pleased with how the Spidertrax kit looks. The real benefit, though, is how strongly my Optima is now secured to the battery tray. My attempt to grab the battery and wiggle it proved to be futile; I can almost lift my truck into the air by the battery! There's no way the battery can go anywhere now. My old battery tie-down hardware was the best I could find at the local auto parts store, but the Spidertrax kit puts it to shame.

The bracket is quite wide and the mounting arms are very long and have lots of thread in them, allowing the mounting kit to accommodate the widest range of batteries. My Optima fit beautifully, with lots of room left for a larger battery in the future. In checking the clearance between the mounting arms and the underside of the hood, I noticed some burn marks in the paint from my battery's terminals contacting the hood on numerous occasions, no doubt due to having never found an adequately secure mounting kit until now.

It is unfortunate that the Optima battery's handle lies directly over the Spidertrax logo, concealing it from view. However, the rest of the polished aluminum draws enough attention to satisfy even the owners of show-quality trucks.

Recommendation

So why would somebody want to buy a Spidertrax Battery Tie-Down Kit when their old, frayed bungee cord seems to work fine? Some people even think gravity works well at securing their battery! Once their vehicle tips over on the trail, catches some air over a jump, or gets involved in a wreck, they will be wishing they had this kit.

A loose battery presents a significant safety risk. Not only can it spill acid, but also it can arc against the hood or other metal if it is not properly secured. In the presence of gasoline fumes and the hydrogen gas generated by a charging battery, sparks are everyone's worst enemy. And in the event of a wreck, a loose battery becomes a 45-pound projectile made of lead and acid.

In making their battery tie-down kit such an attractive piece, Spidertrax has ensured that this product is not just something Suzuki owners will need, but also something that they will want. And for only $35 from any of several Suzuki aftermarket retailers, it is easy to find and easy to afford. Once again, Spidertrax upholds their solid reputation and provides Suzuki owners with another product they shoudn't live without.

--Geoff Beasley