Changing out batteries

cfb · May 1, 2019

Hello All,
I pulled out my Duralast battery for replacement. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the date of 10/08. This was in my Ingersoll 448. I've not been so fortunate with my 16HP Ford diesel garden tractor. Seems like the batteries are only going a few years. It started today fine with the temp at 80 degrees, but even with the block heater and sometimes charger on, it was hard to start during the winter months. Ford says there is no leaks anywhere. I have to special order this battery and costs twice the Duralast. It has the rounded terminals whereas the Duralast has the flat terminals where you attached the wire leads with a screw.

My question is would it be okay to change out the lead wires on the Ford so I can use the cheaper Duralast battery and hopefully perform better. I would get the same gauge and length wires. The Duralast also has a higher CA at 32 degrees. It fits by battery box fine too in the ford, just a bit shorter than the "ford" battery.

thanks for your help.

oosik · May 2, 2019

Yes, it's would be OK to do as you indicate.

nyone · May 2, 2019

Should be fine to change. You wont need to change the wire gauge or even the wires if there eye terminals.

Im going on 5yrs out of a walmart lawn and garden battery.

cfb · May 2, 2019

thanks guys for the replies. I will have to change out the wires as I have the clamps now with round terminals.

Billy Bee · May 3, 2019

Maybe you could just put different ends on the existing cables. Is that an LGT16D? I have an LGT14D, a great little workhorse/
Bill

jaydee325 · May 3, 2019

What model is your Ford? Deka batteries lists several batteries with varying terminal styles for Ford L&G.

Who are you ordering a special battery from? Never heard of having to do that.

Industrial Toys · May 3, 2019

I would always prefer bolt on lugs to round lead clamps any day, but to each their own.

Tx Jim · May 4, 2019

Industrial Toys said:
I would always prefer bolt on lugs to round lead clamps any day, but to each their own.

Ditto once one has utilized batteries with threaded studs for post make me wonder why round post batteries were ever in existence. Then to make matters worse GM engineers came up with the SORRY side post batteries that the cable connections were ""frequent flyers for corrosion & bad connections""!!

WranglerX · May 4, 2019

Tx Jim said:
Ditto once one has utilized batteries with threaded studs for post make me wonder why round post batteries were ever in existence. Then to make matters worse GM engineers came up with the SORRY side post batteries that the cable connections were ""frequent flyers for corrosion & bad connections""!!

Round post have been in existence forever... They are not an issue if kept tight and not allowed to corrode.... Flat tabs and bolts work too... So do ones with thread studs( but have not see any yet) none are a problem with proper maintenance... But the GM side post is the most miserable thing a engineer could design, he ought to be assigned to change out 10,000 side post batteries before the can retire....

Dale

cfb · Oct 12, 2019

soo very sorry for the delay in responding to you all. Mid stream here this spring took an unusual turn for my family, but sort of back on a schedule now. This Ford I have is the LGT 16 diesel. It is 30 years old now. I have been much impressed with this tractor as I plow, mow and rototill, besides pulling a small trailer around, where I probably have abused it somewhat. Next one needs to be a little bigger like these new sub-compacts, which I started dreaming about last year as now parts are becoming scarce on this model.

Anyway, Billy, I thought about changing out ends, but thought that may affect the draw somehow. Replacement wires did not seem too expensive. Jaydee, I'll have to look some more at the Deka brand. What I saw was for motorcyles or large tractors. And just as expensive as the battery I got from the Ford dealer. Due to the round terminals, the battery I got was always from the ford dealer. The battery box was a limitation too for me with round terminal batteries.
Interesting talk about ones preference to round or bolt on terminals. I never knew the difference until I got the Ingersoll. So now I use the Ingersoll to rototill as I figured out my lift arm issue with that this summer, no replacement tines for the ford anymore. and use the ford for mowing and snow plowing.

Now that I'm pretty sure of changing out to the bolt on leads, what gauge wire should I be getting? Is it possibly 4 awg that I should be replacing with?

Thanks for your help. CFB