ok this may seem like a dum question, but on my 89 RS, i cant seem to figure how to keep my battery strapped down so the people at the track stop harassing me about it

it seems ive got a lil metal clip part of the battery fits under, then on the other side i have this triangulare plastic peice with a single bolt going through it

im confused

 

You mean the stock setup doesn't pass the track rules? Or are you trying to figure out how to install the stock setup?
Or, are you looking for an alternative method?

 

i just think i cant figure out how the stock setup works because the battery is still loose as hell and the track requires it strapped down tight.

im thinking its missing a part?

the side of the battery facing the rear of the car has this plastic peice that seems that it would fit over the bottom ridge of the battery and be held in place with a bolt, but under the car, the bolt has a metal block thing on it that wont tighten or loosen, so i cant tighten that plastic thing down

 

I think that metal block thing you are refering to is the threaded block that the bolt threads into. That piece should be secured to the bottom of the battery tray. I don't understand if what you mean is that the bolt won't tighten all the way down. If that's so then the threads in that block or the bolt are stripped. If that's the case you gotta retap the threaded block & use another bolt. Or the other problem could be that you are spinning out, meaning the threaded block broke off of the battery tray, thus you can't unbolt or tighten that bolt. Just some info for thought.

 

ya i think that last sentence sums it up, because it wont loosen or tighten, and the block is not attached to the bottom of the tray.

i think i remember faintly when i replaced batteries a while back, i thought i broke something, maybe it was that bolt that broke off from its tack weld

so what cna i do to fix it? cut the bolt, put a new one in with a nut holding it down?

 

I'll look at my setup later if I have time. If you have some access to the bottom of the tray I would use a vise grip to hold the metal block & then undo the bolt with a ratchet on the other end. If you can't get access to that metal block then yea, you're gonna have to hack it off. I personally would then take out the battery tray & retack the metal block back to the tray. You can just use a nut & bolt to make it easier but how would you do it if you can't get access underneath anyway. See my point here. Just try & retack it on. Last option would be to just get a new tray from a junkyard car. Hope this all helps