Removal of Battery Slide from slide box

[Mike Groves]

On my '99 Marquis, as is the case with 2000 and 2001, I'd like to know if there is a way to remove the battery compartment SLIDE ONLY.  In other words after removing all 8 batteries, slide it out, then detach it from the slide box so that I can bring it home from the storage lot, remove the rust and repaint it in comfort. 

Has anyone done this?  I looked over it quickly last time I was over at the lot, but mainly I was removing my batteries.  I am looking for some specific directions.

Thanks and Happy New Year to all,
Mike

[Jeremy Parrett]

Mike,
 I removed all my batteries 3 years ago.  I wire brushed the worst of the corrosion and then used baking soda in a solution to remove the rest of the corrosion. It cleaned the white build up down to bare metal.   I did not need to remove the tray.   Just mask off the whole area after you have cleaned the metal and spray paint with multiple coats of Rustoleum.    Mine is still good after three years.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Mike,
I have a bad case of CRS but seem to remember a post on the Forum about being able to "bend" a tab to remove the tray. A few years prior I had to re-weld a section of the tray on the Contessa and removed the whole assy. As I remember it wasn't too bad a job.
Steve

[Mike Groves]

Steve,

Are you saying there may be a tab beneath the box on each side that would be pried downward and then the tray would roll out entirely and out of the casing?  Or are you saying its not a bad job simply to do both.

The reason I don't want to fix/paint in "in situ" is because of the weather.  While I am under cover, that particular portion fronts an opening so rain can blow in.  Also its cold outside.

Mike

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Mike,
Can't find the post on the tray removal.
Removing the complete assy wasn't a tough job as the 4 (?)  mounting bolts were accessible from inside the bay and by lying under the coach one could access the nuts. Of course I did it in the AZ summer so no rain and cold to put up with.
Steve

[John Padmore]

I removed the tray from my 97 Patriot by bending  the tabs on the front of the tray.... Was not easy.  However if you can bend them out of the way the tray will slide out. I had to pound mine out because the corrosion was so bad but it finally came out. My tray had 2 roller bearings on each side. I was able to capture the bearings, clean, and replace. I had a new tray made and i reinstalled. Take many pictures of the wiring prior to removing. Good luck.

[Mike Groves]

I just wanted to conclude this thread with what I found, but what I didn't wind up doing.

After searching online, I found a forum question just like mine.  The answer was that there were two holes in the slide out tray, one on each rail, and that you could pull the tray out until those 2 holes lined up with a hex key fitted head screw.  Those fittings hold a roller in place on the cabinet portion of the battery holder.  It's that roller that is FIXED IN PLACE on the chassis (maybe chassis is a better word) such that when you pull the slide tray out, eventually the rear most rollers on each side of the slide tray are stopped by these fixed rollers so the tray is kept from sliding all the way out. 

So, getting back to those 2 holes in the tray which you can line up to remove the two rollers on the chassis - if you can unscrew them using a hex wrench and box in wrench on the nut on the other side, then those two rollers are removable and thus you can then pull the slide tray out of the surrounding chassis.

All of that being said, this is not what I did.  Instead I looked at removing the entire chassis/tray but that looked like too much work and I had forgotten to look for these 2 holes and hex headed screws, so I repainted it by simply pulling it out and masking enough so that I could brush on the paint.  Afterwards, I remembered the forum question/answer and noticed that in my '99 Marquis at least that's the way this tray worked.  I did put a hex wrench on it and if it had turned easily I probably would have taken it out, but it didn't so I said, heck with it.  I got the top portions of the tray covered with paint but was not able to apply the paint to the entire bottom areas but mine tray/chassis is still pretty solid still so I feel like I've protected it for a few years to come.

I used the rustoleum "hammered" brush on paint which says "black" but is a dark pewter sort of color which looked great even when contrasted with the black areas not needing paint and this "hammered" paint is hidden anyway once you put the batteries in.

So, just for those who would like to remove their trays, once you have the batteries out, if those holes are in your rails and you can line them up with a hex screw holding in the two rollers, then I am pretty sure you will then be able to remove the tray.  In my case the trick will be to free up those screws first.

Mike