Shown above: Optima Group 34 Blue Top 34M with Mishimoto Battery Tie
The original OEM Scion tC battery hold down was prone to rust and came with an OFFSET design. The offset design was originally for working around raised vent caps, which are no longer a feature in today’s modern battery designs (they’re all flat now). The upgrade options for offset battery tie hold downs are extremely limited.
I’ll show you how to modify your battery tray to accept ANY Group 35 battery tie (straight across design) to open the door for battery tie upgrade options.
AEM Battery Tie
AEM 20-302P, Toyota P/N PTS26-52051-11
Discontinued and extremely rare. Came in Polished Silver, Gray and Red (RS 1.0)
OBX Battery Tie (AEM clone)
I’ve seen this in blue, red, and silver
Using a Group 35 Battery Tie
A Group 35 battery is almost the same size as a Group 34 battery, they are slightly wider. Generally, there ARE MORE GROUP 35 aftermarket battery tie options than Group 34. Long story short – If a car uses a Group 35 battery, you can make it fit!
| Battery Group | Length (in / mm) | Width (in / mm) | Height (in / mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group 34 | 10.25 in (260 mm) | 6.81 in (173 mm) | 7.88 in (200 mm) |
| Group 35 | 9.06 in (230 mm) | 6.88 in (175 mm) | 8.88 in (225 mm) |
How to make a Group 35 Battery Tie fit the 1st Gen Scion tC
STEP 1 – Drill a new hole in the battery tray
STEP 2 – Modify/bend J-hook as needed
STEP 3 – Test fit the J-hook to the new hole
That’s it! Any straight across design Group 35 Battery Tie should fit
See how its done in this video here:
Now almost any Battery Tie work with your tC
Here’s the key – measure first! Now you can search for any car that uses straight across battery tie design work. The important thing to do is look at the specifications and make sure it has the minimum inside width equal to that of your battery.
1. Measure the width of your battery
2. Compare to manufacturer spec inside measurement, example below
3. Search for compatible battery ties
-
- “Subaru Battery Tie”
- “FRS Battery Tie”
- “Toyota 86 Battery Tie”
- “BRZ Battery Tie”
Examples for inspiration
