Battery hold down - another POS part

[sigtauenus]

My car hasn't even been driven yet and I already have "new" parts that have failed and need replaced again. WTF?

The battery hold down is about 2 years old or so, and the rubber coating on it is pealing back from the top of the handle with rust/corrosion on the metal underneath. I use those red and green washers on the battery and there is no corrosion at all on the battery itself. Actually I recently changed the battery to an optima, but regardless, there was no corrosion on the other one either.

What gives? Is this something I just have to accept or does anybody have any tips on how to keep this from happening. I know its about a $5 part, but it still drives me nuts to see that.

 

[daveSanborn]

Yes, the repro battery hold-down is prone to exactly what you described. It may be easier if you removed all of the coating and then cleaned and painted the metal.

 

[cmayna]

Thank goodness I'm not the only 68 owner who is encountering with POS repro parts.
:craz

 

[janschutz]

After reading this post, I pulled mine out of a box where it had been for 2 years. The coating is cracked and peeling off. What a piece of $%!)!

 

[apollard]

Lots of that going around, seems like 20% of what I pick up is a POS.

 

[sigtauenus]

After reading this post, I pulled mine out of a box where it had been for 2 years. The coating is cracked and peeling off. What a piece of $%!)!

So yours is brand new and never even got installed and its coming apart? Sheesh. What a load of crap.

My first car was a 67 coupe that I got when I was 16. I sandblasted the battery holddown and then used that liquid rubber stuff you get at the hardware store to coat plyer handles and what-not (comes in like black, red, yellow, etc) and it lasted a good 6 or 8 years doing that. I should have just done that again.