replacing battery

A

arrested@125

New Member

Apr 15, 2002

138

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Columbus, Oh

Dec 26, 2006

#1

• Dec 26, 2006

• #1

Well its time to replace my battery. I usually have my mechanic do this kind of stuff, but I'd like to do this myself. Anybody have an estimate as to how long this takes or any pointers. Thanks.

 

03ghoststang

Well-Known Member

Jul 16, 2005

1,930

1

57

Los Angeles, California

Dec 26, 2006

#2

• Dec 26, 2006

• #2

ten minute tops, just disconnect the negative cable first then the positive these are either a 10mm or 8mm cant remember, then there is a hold down at the bottom of teh battery next to where the radiator hose passes through i dont remember the size on that then you reinstall everything in revere order + pos first then - neg.

 

Superhereaux

chicks make me feel inadequate

Founding Member

Jul 30, 2002

538

3

59

South Texas

Dec 26, 2006

#3

• Dec 26, 2006

• #3

just look at it, this it not rocket surgery we're talking here



it's three bolts and 2 you don't even remove all the way

 

03ghoststang

Well-Known Member

Jul 16, 2005

1,930

1

57

Los Angeles, California

Dec 26, 2006

#4

• Dec 26, 2006

• #4

Superhereaux said:

just look at it, this it not rocket surgery we're talking here



it's three bolts and 2 you don't even remove all the way

Click to expand...

funny you mention that cause i know a guy thinks its complicated to change a battery

 

B

bdcardinal

tree hugger

Jun 10, 2003

3,612

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santa barbara, CA

Dec 26, 2006

#5

• Dec 26, 2006

• #5

on fords i use a 8mm socket, a 1/4 drive ratchet and about a 6" long extension. disconnect the negative and positive, then use the extension and take out the hold down. pick it up and reut in the new one and reverse removal.

 

Superhereaux

chicks make me feel inadequate

Founding Member

Jul 30, 2002

538

3

59

South Texas

Dec 27, 2006

#6

• Dec 27, 2006

• #6

bdcardinal said:

on fords i use a 8mm socket, a 1/4 drive ratchet and about a 6" long extension. disconnect the negative and positive, then use the extension and take out the hold down. pick it up and reut in the new one and reverse removal.

Click to expand...

Whoa now!


we're not all Mechanical Engineers in here my friend

can you explain it for us normal folk?

 

B

bdcardinal

tree hugger

Jun 10, 2003

3,612

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santa barbara, CA

Dec 27, 2006

#7

• Dec 27, 2006

• #7

tools required, 8mm socket, about a 6" long 1/4 drive extension, and a 1/4" drive ratchet.

loosen the negative, then positive ends. then take out the bolt holding in the holddown on the bottom of the battery. pick up the old battery. then clean the tray a little. then drop the new one in and do the reverse of disassembly.

im a tech at Sears, so i can have this all done in about 3 minutes(timed myself on a mustang once. i mostly do suspension and brake work, but sometimes i get stuck doing batteries. most fords are super easy. what takes longer is if one of the cable ends is bad and i have to put in a new one, that takes like 5 mintues.

 

joshheat25

Member

Nov 8, 2004

871

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Delaware

Dec 27, 2006

#8

• Dec 27, 2006

• #8

I need to replace my battery as well! It takes 2 minutes!

 

S

san~man

O-G

Founding Member

Nov 29, 1999

8,546

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78

A little grass shack on a big lava rock

Dec 27, 2006

#9

• Dec 27, 2006

• #9

Well, if you put in a battery that's larger than the oem one, say an Optima Yellow Top, you'll need to modify the plastic part that holds down the battery.

Just an FYI.

 

B

bdcardinal

tree hugger

Jun 10, 2003

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santa barbara, CA

Dec 27, 2006

#10

• Dec 27, 2006

• #10

thats true about the diff than normal size. i was just referring to using the same group 59 that came as factory, might be a 58R not at work to check.

 

A

arrested@125

New Member

Apr 15, 2002

138

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Columbus, Oh

Dec 27, 2006

#11

• Dec 27, 2006

• #11

Great. Thanks for the replies. LIke I said, I've never done this and just wanted to make sure there was nothing special that I had to do.

 

DTNODYA

Member

Dec 15, 2005

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Dec 27, 2006

#12

• Dec 27, 2006

• #12

This thread trips me out.

Only thing I'll throw in is .. be sure that after you loosen the terminals or the bolt for the "hold down" that you do not set the ratchet on the battery top. One time, for some stupid reason, I layed the rachet down and the extension hit both terminals on the battery ... some scary ****!

 

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

20+ Year Stangneter

Aug 10, 2002

9,457

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Ontario, Canada

Dec 27, 2006

#13

• Dec 27, 2006

• #13

san~man said:

Well, if you put in a battery that's larger than the oem one, say an Optima Yellow Top, you'll need to modify the plastic part that holds down the battery.

Just an FYI.

Click to expand...

Good call, I was also going to suggest an Optima battery swap.....although I'd consider the deep cycle Yellow top overkill. I'm sure the Red Top optima will be more than enough.