How to Build a Lawn Tractor Battery Tray

Measure the length and width of your lawnmower battery with a tape measure. Add 6 inches to each measurement. Transfer the measurements to a piece of sheet metal and cut the metal with a pair of tin snips.

Bend edges of the sheet metal over 2 inches with a pair of needle-nose pliers. This gives you a smooth edge for the battery tray.

Go to the battery area on your lawn tractor and measure for the two mounting holes at the bottom of the compartment. Drill 1/2-inch holes into the sheet metal tray to correspond with the measurements with a drill and metal cutting bit.

Place the battery on the sheet metal tray, centering it on the tray. Mark the middle of each side onto the tray with a pencil. Take the battery off the tray.

Measure 1/2 inch from each mark toward the sides of the tray. Drill a 1/2-inch hole at the new mark. Place a flat washer over the threads of each 18-inch-long full-threaded bolt. Insert each bolt through the bottom of the tray into the two side holes. Place flat washers over each bolt and thread a nut onto each. Tighten the nut with a wrench.

Position the tray into the lawn tractor, aligning your tray mounting holes with the mounting holes in the mower battery compartment. Insert a 2-inch-long 1/2-inch diameter bolt into the mounting holes with the threads pointing down. Reach under the battery compartment and thread a nut onto each bolt and tighten with a wrench.

Place the battery onto the battery tray in between the threaded bolts. Measure the distance between the two threaded bolts and add 4 inches to the total measurement. Cut a piece of thick plastic to the measurement and 2 inches wide. An old plastic tub lid or similar plastic is ideal as this serves as the battery tray strap.

Drill a hole 2 inches from each end of the plastic with a 1/2-inch bit. Place the plastic strip over the battery, inserting the ends of the threaded bolts through the holes. Place a flat washer over each bolt and thread a nut over each bolt. Tighten the nuts just enough that the plastic strap makes contact with the battery.