Cold Cranking Amps. difference b/t 80's and Lx450's (1 Viewer)

[jjdeneen918]

I went to the new Costco in Lakewood CA today, a very nice store.

I wandered into the tire shop to look at the batteries. My rig has some tiny Energizer battery from the previous owner.

I first just looked in the Toyota section of the battery catalog and found the correct part number for a battery, fj80.

For crap and giggles I looked up the Lexus section, correct battery for the LX450.

To my surprise they were 2 different batteries!

The Toyota listed 450 cold crank amps where the LX450 listed a different sized battery at 650!
I wasn't able to compare the size difference because Costco dosen't carry the battery for the LX450.

WHY?

Here is my dilemma.....
I have no battery hold-down bracket right now, with the exception of a few bungee cords. rigged as all hell. Should I find the biggest, baddest, cold cranking amp battery that will fit in my rig and weld me a bracket to secure it in place?

Is there too-big-a-battery problems possible? I can't imagine there is?

Lemme know! Thanks fellas!

 

[HomersCanyonero]

If you want the biggest baddest battery, check out the Group 31 Sears Die Hard Marine Platinum for $249.99. You'll get 1150 cold cranking amps and 205 minutes of reserve capacity. It also weighs 75 lbs. You might need slight mods to the battery tray.

Search on die hard or odyssey and you'll find out that the best battery manufacturer, odyssey, signed up to make the PLATINUM batteries for sears. Someone on this site posted this information.

My PO also put an energizer on mine and I'm getting ready to replace it. I'm considering the smaller Sears Die Hard Platinum Automotive P-1 for $189.99. It has 880 cc amps and 135 minutes of reserve capacity. It was the highest group 34 battery rated in consumer reports. It weighs 53 lbs and has a 4 year replacement warranty plus a 100-month pro-rata warranty.

Someone here also recommended the slightly larger Sears Die Hard Platinum Automotive P-1 Group 65. They said it fits without any modifications to the tray and it costs the same $189.99 as the Group 34. However, it has 930 cc amps and weights 60 lbs.

Or go back to costco and get a kirkland signature 12866 group 65 for about $80 and call it a day. It has 900 cc amps and it's 3rd on the list. Warranty is 3-years replacement and 100-month pro-rated warranty.

 

[inkpot]

Howdy! Bigger is Better, as long as you can fit it in. But, whatever you do, get it anchored down 100%. I have seen an FZJ80 where the battery was welded onto the radiator support bracket. The battery had moved enough that both terminals hit the steel cross member. Kinda stopped him right quick. Both terminals on his Optima had got so hot they vaporized. Fortunately, it started right back up with a spare battery from another rig. John

 

[SeanAndHis80]

My PO also put an energizer on mine and I'm getting ready to replace it. I'm considering the smaller Sears Die Hard Platinum Automotive P-1 for $189.99. It has 880 cc amps and 135 minutes of reserve capacity. It was the highest group 34 battery rated in consumer reports. It weighs 53 lbs and has a 4 year replacement warranty plus a 100-month pro-rata warranty.

Someone here also recommended the slightly larger Sears Die Hard Platinum Automotive P-1 Group 65. They said it fits without any modifications to the tray and it costs the same $189.99 as the Group 34. However, it has 930 cc amps and weights 60 lbs.

The Diehard Platinum P-2 is a better battery for the same cost. It will fit the stock tray physically without issue, it is a group 65 battery. Like any of the Diehard Platinum batteries - the terminals are oriented opposite of what the truck wants (stock uses a reversed terminal strategy.) This can be overcome by installing the battery backwards and pulling the fusible links into the battery tray area.

All of the Diehard batteries are re badged Odysseys.

The Marine PM-1 is the 31M-PC2150
The Automotive P-1 is the 34-PC1500
The Automotive P-2 is the 65-PC1750

 

[jjdeneen918]

I went with the Costco brand 12866 group 65.

Fits just right in the battery box. I had to pull a few plastic grommets holding the wiring to the inner-fender, just to get the wires to extend into the battery box a lil more.

I am happy with the install. I made a custom bracket with some 1/4" plate and angle iron. Cut the "j" bolts as they were too long for this battery.

I cut them short and welded 3/8" all thread to the ends, a few wing nuts later and it was secure!

While I was at it I installed a few of those $99 Kragen HID off-road lights to my ARB. Overall a pretty productive afternoon.

I'll post pics tomorrow!
thanks everyone for the replies

 

[HomersCanyonero]

If you can, please post pictures of the battery cables extended and areas cut to make the 65 fit.

I went to Sears today (03/04/2009) and they couldn't install the DieHard Platinum P1 Automotive Battery in either Groups 34 or 65. They told me they couldn't extend the cables far enough.

So, I have to extend the a cables myself and pictures are appreciated.

 

[jjdeneen918]

I'm loading pics now.

The only real cutting was the j-bolts, they were too tall (but I'm not even sure if the one I had were OEM.)

The j-bolts were cut and I welded on 3/8" all-thread to attach wing nuts. It was way bigger than I needed to use but it was available to me.

It's very hard to take a pic of, but right behind the battery box there is the wiring loom. It is attached to the inner fender with plastic tabs. I looked into the wheel well and found the plastic tit, cut it, and it allowed me to pull the wiring loom up and gave me enough slack to pull the wires into the battery box.

 

[jjdeneen918]

here are the pics

 

[jjdeneen918]

one final pic

 

[jjdeneen918]

before the modification all those fusable links and crap attached to the positive terminal was just outside the battery box, cutting the loom tabs gave me enough slack to pull them into the battery box.

You really cant see, but the pic showing t he red and blue wires behind the battery box. Under those wires is the OEM wiring loom attached to the inner-fender, that is where the plastic tab was cut to allow the loom to be pulled away from the fender.

 

[jjdeneen918]

It was getting late and needed to get this thing put back together.

Eventually I will take the bracket and paint it black and get some of that flexible wiring loom plastic covering for all my wires.

Oh and here are those lights I put in...

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Thanks for the pictures.

My battery posts were corroded pretty good, so I can see why the wires and plastic boxes (fusable links?) were designed to sit outside the battery tray.

I'm going to have to figure out a way to cover them up, so they don't sit in the open on top of the battery.

Thanks again for the pictures. It looks like a heavy duty battery holder compared to what I have.

 

[jjdeneen918]

It is way beyond overbuilt, but whatever.

I sprayed everything (terminals and wire ends) with a can of battery terminal protectant stuff, don't remember the name of it.

It is probably just dielectric grease, but that should inhibit any kind of corrosion. That and just keeping an eye on it I should be just fine.

 

[SeanAndHis80]

Thanks for the pictures.

My battery posts were corroded pretty good, so I can see why the wires and plastic boxes (fusable links?) were designed to sit outside the battery tray.

I'm going to have to figure out a way to cover them up, so they don't sit in the open on top of the battery.

Thanks again for the pictures. It looks like a heavy duty battery holder compared to what I have.

If you buy a sealed battery like the Diehard Platinum, Odyssey or even the Optima this is a non-issue.