I need advice on how members have lifted their car battery out of the engine compartment. I removed all the trim pieces and have the battery loose, but no matter how I try I can't lift the battery up out of its nesting area.
The battery will easily move around and I can get one or the other side up enough to wedge my hand under it, but that's as far as I get.
The problem is the angle I am at. If I could get directly over it I'm sure I could pick it up.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Tom

 

I just changed my battery this past weekend so I know your frustration. The location where they put the battery make it kinda hard to lift it out. Being a small guy didn't help either lol. But I followed the video below on how to remove it from the engine. It helped alot. Noticed how he grabbed the longer edges of the battery instead of the shorter edges. For me doing that made it easier.

BTW I weighted the both the stock battery and the Optima red top:

Stock: ~40lbs
Optimia Red top:31-32lbs

 

These are usually pretty cheap.

 

If your hands are strong enough you can grab the positive terminal with a pair of channel locks and pick it up out of there. The ones with curved jaws work better. I know it sounds crazy, but I do it that way at work all the time. The battery strap that Flakman posted is the smart, and correct way to do it however. Good Luck!

 

Thanks for the suggestions and the video.
I called the auto store where I was going to buy the new battery from and asked them if they had some thing that would help to yank the battery. They lent me a two piece deal, with a handle, that you adjust for the width of the battery. It slid over the battery and gripped it as you pulled it up.
That made it very easy.
I was amazed at how easily you pulled the battery in the video. It's a good thing you weren't in my garage because I would have bet you that you couldn't pull my battery out by hand.
I've changed several batteries over the years, without a problem. I assumed it was since I couldn't get directly over this battery and it didn't have any lip to get a hold of. Maybe I need to eat more spinach.
Thanks again.
Tom

 

Yeah the guy in the video made it look so easy. The main problem with the stock one is it's hard to get a good grip.

I tried lifting the optima out and it was a breeze, so glad I don't have deal with the stock one in the future.

 

I just took the trim pieces off and removed the cowl and it was smooth sailing.