A car battery that is not secured in a place is not durable and will not last long. However, most cars come with built-in batteries with a hold-down already installed. Car battery holders are still widely sold separately.
If you’ve ever noticed that your battery hold-downs are kind of loose and wobbly, install new holders as soon as possible. You can find the holder at any local automotive store or find the perfect size holder online.
This guide lists 3 of the best car battery holders. Universal hold-downs that fit standard 12V car batteries. Check the list carefully and see if you’re looking for the right product. I also recommend reading the buying guide, especially if you’re only hearing about hold-downs.
Best Car Battery Holder Comparison Table
| Product | Features | Check Out The Price |
|---|---|---|
 | – Adjustable Hold-Downs – Premium Iron & Stainless Steel – Durable Finish – Easy Installation | ARONOVA Adjustable Battery Hold Down |
 | – Hold-Down Tray – Durable Construction – 24/24M Batteries – Stainless Steel | Camco Standard Battery Hold-Down Tray |
 | – Universal Bracket – Anti-Rust – Durable & Sturdy – Easy Installation | Elegananccy Universal Battery Hold Down Bracket |
Best Overall
ARONOVA Adjustable Battery Hold Down
Highlighted Features
- Adjustable hold downs
- Premium iron and stainless steel
- Durable finish
- Easy installation
- 8/10 inch bolt
Car battery holders made by ARONOVA is our first and best-recommended product. It is universal and fits most vehicles. It doesn’t take a high place and status. It is the high-quality construction that makes it better and special than the rest.
A simple hold down with two crossbars. Original Hold-down Premium Iron is made with extra strength and durability. The crossbar has a J-hook design. It is strong and rust-resistant and made with stainless steel It will not bend or rust.
The crossbar is a universal length of 10 inches and is designed for 8-18(304) bolts. The threat is quite long, 5.12 inches which allows for adjustment of the hold down. A flat washer is best used in combination with a spring lock washer and a hex nut on the end. The thread size is 1/4-20 inches.
The holder is also easily adjustable in width, allowing for easy application to most battery sizes. The minimum width range is 5.35 inches and the maximum width is 7.85 inches. A versatile battery holder that you can easily use in most vehicles, boats, RVs and sports cars.
Impressively easy to install, replacing your old broken battery holder doesn’t require much effort and time. Featuring a thermoset back-on premium powder coat finish, this makes it a rust-resistant, eco-friendly material.
If you want a great product then this is the car battery holder I would recommend it is very durable, high quality, universal and very easy to install. You won’t find anything better than this and the price isn’t expensive either, but there are plenty of cheap hold-downs.
Pros:
- Universal length.
- Rust-resistant stainless steel crossbar with powder coat finish.
- Adjustable width range.
Cons:
- Expensive.
- Tray not included.
Best Budget
Camco standard battery hold-down tray
High Lighted Features
- Hold-down Crossbar
- Hold-Down Tray
- Durable Construction
- 24/24m batteries
- Stainless steel
Recommended products for budgets. A standard battery hold-down with tray from Costco Store. This will fit most standard car and boat batteries but be sure to check the dimensions.
Consists of a hold-down crossbar holder and a tray. The tray is removable for applications where it is not required. It fits batteries up to 11-1/8 inch(length)x6-3/4 inches(width)x8 inches(height). The dimensions of the hold-down are 11-9/6 inches in length, 8-1/2 inches in width, and 9-5/8 inches in height.
Overall long-lasting durable construction. The tray is made with heavy-duty thermoplastic which is acid-resistant and prevents damage in case of battery leakage. Crossbars are made of stainless steel.
It’s a patented design that meets US Coast Guard specifications, meaning the hold-down won’t be toxic to water if you use it on a boat. It protects 24 and 24m batteries in place.
The Costco Standard Battery Hold Down Tray is recommended to anyone looking for something on a budget so it’s good for RVs and boats but can also be used on cars. Durable construction that will last More importantly, it protects the battery. Costco also offers larger models for users with larger batteries.
Pros:
- Acid-resistant trays.
- Durable stainless steel hardware.
- Comes with a tray.
Cons:
- No finish to protect against rust.
Best Runner Up
Elegananccy Universal Battery Hold Down Bracket
High Lighted Features
- Adjustable crossbar
- Universal Bracket
- Anti-rust
- Durable and strong
- Easy installation
Another highly recommended brand Elegananccy is another universal car battery holder with a wide range of applications. It is adjustable and can be used on most car battery sizes RVs and boats. A truly simple universal and durable design, check it.
Features a very impressive construction Both the crossbar and bracket are made of high-quality materials. The crossbar and hardware are made of stainless steel sprayed with a special technology that improves rust resistance. The bracket is made of cast iron.
Extra Durable Battery Hold-down Designed to keep the battery safe and stable Excellent anti-corrosion capabilities Strong and effective for heavy load-bearing applications Built to last.
Both the bracket and the crossbar are adjustable. The bracket can be adjusted in width from 5.3 inches to 8.7 inches. Crossbar Total 9.1 Inch Long. Threaded section length is 4.3 inches. Thread size is 0.3 inches. The hook angle is 75 degrees.
Very easy to install User-friendly instructions and hardware Can be installed with flat washers and nuts don’t tools required. Crossbar is adjustable and a universal Bracket is included. There will be no problem installing this hold-down.
One of the best car battery holders you can find online even though it doesn’t include a tray it’s as good overall as the best the same model can be found with different board lengths.
Pros:
- Adjustable crossbar and bracket width.
- Most standard car and boat batteries will fit.
- Rust protection, Improves life span.
Cons:
- No tray included.
- A bit expensive.
Best Car Battery Holder Buying Guide
I think some of you are not familiar with car battery hold-downs so if you are buying and replacing the holders yourself, you may be getting confused. Here is a buying guide that will help you a lot in deciding what to get.
What is a car battery hold down?
Car batteries need to be fixed in place. The car still vibrates while driving on a normal road. This vibration can disturb the electrolyte solution inside the battery or damage the battery from moving around.
It gets worse when driving off-road or on hills, although it doesn’t seem like the car battery can spin, often the battery hold-down prevents it, it protects the battery and whatever the road throws at it.
Always remember to never drive your vehicle with loose or damaged hold-downs as this can damage the battery. If you notice that the holders are loose, replace them as soon as possible.
Hold Down-size
When you buy battery hold-downs, you only need to get one thing right, the size. Hold-downs keep the battery in place by pressing down the battery into a tray. This is enabled with a crossbar that is attached to the tray & the bracket on top.
So the size of the bracket and crossbar should be right. If too small, the hold-down tray will not reach at all. If too large, the hold-down will not adequately protect the battery.
You need to measure the width of your car battery and the length starting from the tray. Look for hold-downs that have adjustable brackets with the minimum width of your car battery. Look for crossbars that fit the length of your battery. You don’t have to be exact. Universal battery hold-downs will fit most car batteries.
Durable Construction
Judging from your last hold down you can conclude that when they finally die all the vibration and stress is bound to damage and loosen the holders. Rusting of crossbars and hardware is also a common problem.
That’s why I recommend getting something extra durable will ensure you don’t have to replace the hold-down as often. You can never go wrong with stainless steel crossbars and hardware. There is no risk of rust.
And as far as brackets are concerned I recommend iron. Brackets should be strong and sturdy. Brackets made with iron are the best. Iron has good load-carrying capacity. Apart from that, it’s good to get hold down. It has a powder coat finish that protects against rust.
Size of Bolts & Hooks
Although some may come with hold-down bolts this is not always the case so you will need to use the bolts you already have on the crossbar. And bolts come in different sizes so here’s where you can go wrong.
Just make a hold-down that requires the same bolts you have. Check the diameter of the bolts you have and compare them to the hold-downs you want to buy. They are the same for hooks. The ends of the crossbar may be too large for the holes in the tray. Make sure the hooks can be attached to the tray without any problems.
Easy Installation
Finally, look for something that isn’t too complicated to install. You don’t want to go to a mechanic to install the hold-downs. The whole point of ordering hold-downs yourself is so you can install them yourself.
All of the items on the list are fairly easy to install, and brands rarely do complicated hold-downs, but they have been known to happen.
Related Questions and Other Frequently Asked Questions
What is the thing that holds the car battery in place?
The part that holds the car battery in place is commonly known as the battery hold down, it can also be found as a base clamp or bracket brace.
How do you protect your car battery?
Car batteries are secured with a tray and hold-down. The battery rests on a tray which is the base. A bracket is placed over the battery which is attached to the tray with a cross-bar. Install hold-down to secure the car battery.