Battery for a Ford 4000?

   / Battery for a Ford 4000? #1  

Matt in TN

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Joined
Apr 21, 2008
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25
I spent all yesterday running around town looking for a battery for my '73 Ford 4000 SU. TSC, Advance Auto, O'Reilly, and Auto Zone all didn't have it, and didn't list a "replacement model" in their reference books. They did list a replacement for the 5000, which I tried, but it was too big to fit.

I called the dealer this morning and they have the battery but it's $211.45:eek:

What does everyone else do? There's a car battery that looks like it will work, but I've always heard a tractor will kill a car battery on short order. Is this true?
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000? #2  
Probably a gas powered 4000? I converted my cables to GM side terminal type and bought a high-CCA automotive battery for my 4000 gasser. You could also check to see if a battery for a Ford Powerstroke would be short enough to allow the hood to close without shorting the posts. All you need to do is match the physical size (height especially) and the CCA rating of the battery you are replacing.
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
LOL- you get around, Rick! Thanks for the quick answers. So is there nothing to the "can't use an automotive battery in a tractor" argument? I've heard the vibrations will kill a normal battery, and you should always use a commercial or farm battery.
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000? #4  
So if a $70 battery lasts half as long as a $211 battery, what's the downside? Vibration isn't good for any battery, but price doesn't dictate quality as much as the number of units produced in a given size/design. Buy a battery that fits with sufficient CCA's, strap it down well, and be happy.
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000? #5  
I have 4000 and I've always just used one that fits. Measure the battery box and take those dimensions with you. I've never found the original battery but have used high CCA batteries. Right now my generator is broke, so the battery isn't getting charge after each start. I'm getting pretty low so I guess I'll have to hook it to the charger sometime soon.

Wedge
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
RickB said:
So if a $70 battery lasts half as long as a $211 battery, what's the downside?

That's exactly what I was thinking today. I ended up with an $85 car battery with a 3 year warranty. I would be very surprised if the OEM battery lasted 2.5 times as long as the car battery......

Thanks for the help!
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000? #7  
wedge40 said:
I have 4000 and I've always just used one that fits. Measure the battery box and take those dimensions with you. I've never found the original battery but have used high CCA batteries. Right now my generator is broke, so the battery isn't getting charge after each start. I'm getting pretty low so I guess I'll have to hook it to the charger sometime soon.

Wedge

Have you done any diagnostics on the genny?

is this an early 4 cyl 4000 with a ford genny.. or a later 3 cyl 4000 with a lucas genny.

Both are B- circuit and polarize by jumpering bat to field when not running... and can also be full-fielded, when running, by again, jumpering bat to field.

Motor test by slipping belt off and jumpering bat to arm and field.

If the lucas vreg is bad.. it is about 25$.. the repalcements are hit or miss.

Soundguy
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000? #8  
Matt, looks like you already got your battery but I will pass along what I found anyway for next time or the next guy. From a 2007 Exide catalog in pdf format:
Ford 4000 gas is group 17TF, diesel is 4DLT.

Size & specs:
17TF is 510 CCA, 17" L x 6-3/4" W x 8" H, regular posts, neg is at left front, pos is at right front.

4DLT is 750 CCA, 19-7/8" L x 8-1/8" W x 8" H, regular posts, both posts are on same end of battery e.g. neg is at right rear, pos is at right front (or neg left front/pos left rear if you flop it).

RavensRoost
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks RavensRoost. The 4DLT is what I tried (knowing it wasn't spec'd but hoping it would work), but it was physically too long and tall. I saw the spec on the 17TF, but 510 CCA sure doesn't seem very powerful at all (not to mention that's the battery the dealer wanted $211 for, and no one else carried a direct replacement). I ended up getting 860 CCA I think......
 
   / Battery for a Ford 4000? #10  
Sounds like you solved your problem, but when I was looking for a new battery for my Ford 3000, I found one at Napa. Told them what tractor I needed it for and they looked it up. They had to order it but only took a day or two and was the same size and configuration as the old New Holland battery that was in the tractor when I bought it. Cost was around $115 to $125, I think.
 
 
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