Anybody know actual stores, particularly in the Seattle/Tacom area, that carries them? I've looked at GI Joes, Sears, Pep Boys with no luck. I have found them online, but paying $5 shipping on a $12 item doesn't sit well with me.

 

I thought you can contact optima directly and they're supposed to get you one for free. I'm sure others will chime in to help you out.

 

Others have just called Optima and it's been shipped free. I've been trying to get a 34R, which seems to be sold out everywhere but where I've seen other red tops (Costco, Sears, etc.), they come free with the battery.

 

Check with the place you bought the battery from or any place that sells Optimas. They probably have a whole pile of spacers out back, they pull them off the batteries and chuck them a lot of time. I got one for a different battery that way.

Or, get a piece of wood the right thickness and cut it to fit the base of the battery. That is what I did with my Red Top. I used some 2x pressure treated wood, then coated it with some spray-on undercoating and it worked fine.

 

This is the response I got when I emailed them about it:

"The adapter is sold separately. You'll need to contact the dealer to order.

Thank you for your interest and support of Optima Batteries.

Optima Batteries
Customer Service
1800 292-4359"

I had heard about them being sent out for free also, so I don't know what the story is.

 

i just stuck a piece of rubber between the hold-down bracket and the battery

it sits snug.

 

I've seen them at Batteries Plus. I also called Optima and they told me that the adapters are being redesigned and won't be available until the new year. What I did with my yellow optima is asked a local welder (San Diego) to fabricate me one of the boxes. I incorporated into the design a bracket for my Warn Controller. I have a TJM bumper and I couldn't figure out how to mount it outside, so i decided to put it in the engine bay. At least it is protected.

Here are pictures of it. If anyone is interested, the welder's name is Tom Huber and he is based out of Imperial Beach. Email me at francr@cox.net and I will pass it on to him. The bracket is made out of black steel and pretty light.

 

Just speaking with 1st-optima-batteries.com, the sales rep stated the following:

Unfortunately, Optima Manufacturing does not use the snap on adapter as a spacer anymore. Optima uses it as a battery cover for the top of the battery. Optima recommends to not use them as spacers. We did not get a reason why Optima discontinued their use for spacers only to guess that they were getting complaints of them breaking. We do have these covers in stock if you still wish to purchase one.

Interesting. Guess I'll use rubber spacing blocks.

 

Incidentally, how high must I raise the battery? I was thinking of stealing Lee's idea above but would like to know the size I need to get the rubber block. Thanks.

 

Interstate Batteries (Optima) dealers will have the spacers and give you one for nothing. I've gotten several at the local Optima dealer (Advance Auto) and I didn't get my batteries there.

 

like others have said i got mine from the guy i bought my battery from. he installed the battery there when i got it and used wahtever he needed to make it fit right which included the spacer. just go to a battery shop and ask.