Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series

   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #1  

lgjhn

New member
Joined
Jan 12, 2003
Messages
12
Location
Louisiana
Tractor
JD 4300
This problem has been posted on here before, but I think it is important to reiterate this again for the sake of those that might procrastinate or thought they had it solved.
When I initially saw this issue posted, I immediately went out and cleaned a small mess on the battery of my 4300 and held off replacing it as I was leaving to work construction out of town for a couple of months. I figured that the tractor was not in use, battery unhooked and would be ok until I got back. When I finally got back home and went to the shop to use it, I could not believe my eyes!! The battery tray was completely eaten away...gone! The lower parts of the upper tray supports were gone, the remains of the battery were laying on the floor in a pool of acid and coolant. The lower section of my radiator was eaten away dumping the coolant out. The frame metal was still solid, but rusted terrible. All of this on a new tractor that went out of warranty just 6 months before.
I stripped out the wasted pieces, sand-blasted, primed and re-painted the frame sections, ordered new parts (I don't even want to discuss the cost of all of this and mentioning it to the dealer for warranty was out of the question), bought a new yellow-top 51D series Optima battery and put it all back together with a custom battery mount, with an acid pad to boot.
It would be easy for me to say "bad things" about the manufacturer: ie design, poor battery selection, location etc. but it is what it is, and unless you want the to go through what I just went through, I would suggest replacing the original battery asap at the very first sign of trouble and get something that won't leak....words for the wise. How I wish I just left that thing completely out of that tractor before I left town.
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #2  
It would seem that these battery issues were not isolated problems only related to New Holland tractors. My TC-40D developed the same condition as yours but at about 50 hours. I replaced it with an Optima battery and cleaned up the mess. I have yet to see them but I understand that the batteries used in the 2004 NH models have an overflow tube on the new batteries that is routed below the tractor itself. I'm curious if any of the other manufacturers are using this fix as well to eliminate the acid damage. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #3  
The John Deere batteries with the 6 individual filler caps on top work well and I have no sign of leakage after I had my dealer order me this battery over the factory one. The factory one on my 990 came with 2 filler caps.
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #4  
I don't have any details of the recall, but my 2000 4300 was recalled two weeks ago and they replace the battery the rack and cables, and cleaned up the complete area around the battery. All better than new. The new battery has the post on the outside away from the radiator. Dealer told me he was contacted by John Deere by Serial Number. They replaced the rear differential at the same time. I never had a problem. I kept the battery area clean. It was in good shape.
They picked up and returned my tractor. all done at no charge.

DPR
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #5  
So why don't they use sealed batteries on tractors? Is it because
there is too much vibration?

Cliff
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #6  
My 790 came with the battery with 6 caps and I had to replace it. It leaked battery acid like a sieve. I just went to Wally World and found an appropriate sized no-maintenance battery. Have had no problems since.
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #7  
I also had the problem with my 790. luckily, it happened when I had only about 60hrs on the tractor and my dealer took care of it. Even replaced the battery tray and sanded/primed/painted several other effected spots. No charge for pick-up or delivery of the repaired tractor either. Have I mentioned that I have a great dealer /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #8  
<font color="blue"> So why don't they use sealed batteries on tractors? Is it because
there is too much vibration?

</font>

Cliff I really think that its a case of some bean counter telling them that a standard battery saves them 25 cents over a sealed unit. All those quarters add up real fast.
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #9  
I am not going to tell you what to do but i will suggest that you contact your dealer and the factory rep and provide them with copies of your invoices for the battery and parts you replaced and make a claim for reimbursement. You are legally entitled to it based on the fact that the 4000 series and now the 4010 series are having these continuous issues. JD will probably stand up if you at least attempt to make them do so. Similar issues also arising about fogging glass in instrument clusters. Just one man's thoughts after reading your post.
 
   / Keep an Eye on Battery Again - 4300 series #10  
I was having real bad dreams about this with my JD 4100
and I went out and found an Optima 51R (same as Honda car battery size) and no more nightmares...

What prompted me was constant wettness around the vent caps, so I knew it was a timebomb...
It may cost a little more upfront but its worth not worrying about it any longer..

Duc
 
 
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