replacing battery

[arrested@125]

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]

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]

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]

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

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

 

[bdcardinal]

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]

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.

Whoa now!


we're not all Mechanical Engineers in here my friend

can you explain it for us normal folk?

 

[bdcardinal]

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]

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

 

[san~man]

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.

 

[bdcardinal]

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.

 

[arrested@125]

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]

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]

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.

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.