Battery Upgrade

[snicklas]

I have a question about a battery "upgrade" if possible.

I would like to do an upgrade to my 99+ SuperDuty Chassis that alot on hear have done to the older trucks (80-97 pre-SuperDuty) is to replace the stock Group 65 "Automotive" Batteries, with Group 31 "Truck" Batteries. They are similar in size and shape, but slightly larger.

I know reading about the older trucks:
83-86, (Slantnose) Will drop in without clearance issue
87-91, (Bricknose) Will Drop in but may have clearance issues with hood
92-97, (OBS) Most likely will have clearance issues with hood.

If any of the above listed trucks have clearance issues, a minor modification to the battery trays, or the underside of the hood, and all is good.

Has anyone tried to put the Group 31 Batteries under the hood of a 99+ SuperDuty. Looking at the area both batteries sit in, there appears to be clearance around the battery, and enough room to clear a closed hood.

The 6.0 is murder on batteries, and would like to use a more appropriate battery for the engine. For those not familiar, a Group 31 battery is normally used as the start batteries in some Medium Duty Trucks, and Farm Tractors. They have a longer reserve, which means you can spin the engine longer before the battery starts to loose the ability to supply power to the starter.

Hoping for a "been there, done that, works great" instead of being the guinea pig.

 

[tractorman86]

Optimas are a great battery and aren't much more than 31s. I'm not much more help here sorry

 

[snicklas]

Thanks,

I actually went with the standard Group 65's. We have a local Interstate Distributor/Retail Store not far from home. I bought 2 "blems" and put in the truck. The blems are siginifantly less than a retail battery.... they are cosmetic blems, not functional blems.... may not be pretty, but they work well. With the cost of them, I can buy 8 blems for the same price as 2 retail batteries. The truck starts faster, and seems to run a bit better.

 

[tractorman86]

Well hell that works, easy instal too

 

[snicklas]

Yep.... took about 10 minutes in their parking lot. Good as new.....

 

[Sledgehammer]

For what it's worth I put 31's in my 91 and had no clearence issues. I removed both trays and used a cutting wheel to remove the lip on the inside of each tray (toward center of the truck). The lip was about 1/4 inch and allowed the batteries to sit level on the trays. The hood closed fine before and after the mod.