Largest (power wise) battery that will fit in stock gasser?

[jvazquez53]

Just because they have MILSPECS doesn't mean they are the best. Most time Uncle Sam goes with the lowest bidder, and those Optimas only lasted me 18 months at the most, and where I live the temperature never goes below 70 degrees F. last battery I bought was a type F from Costco, paid $60.00 and with a 3 year free replacement. If you need extra juice, go dual and still will be saving $$.

Group 31 yellowtops are used in industrial and military application and are usually sold thru their commerical/military channels. For the regular consumer, the D31M deep cycle/starting marine battery can be purchased from most regular Optima dealers. My local Autozone ordered my D31M and was in their store in less than 3 days.

The D31M bluetop has terminals in a different location than the regular D31 yellowtop. The D31M have offset terminals that makes it easier to fit the short positive wire in the driver's side battery tray.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publ....0001.ColumnPar.0006.File.tmp/D31M_082104.pdf

 

[Grench]

Just because they have MILSPECS doesn't mean they are the best. Most time Uncle Sam goes with the lowest bidder, and those Optimas only lasted me 18 months at the most, and where I live the temperature never goes below 70 degrees F. last battery I bought was a type F from Costco, paid $60.00 and with a 3 year free replacement. If you need extra juice, go dual and still will be saving $$.

When you say, "those Optimas," which model exactly are you referring to? Red top and yellow top are very different. Regular yellow top and D31 series are very different as well.

I'd thought that I was among the first to have ever put a D31 type in an 80. I know I'd never seen anyone else do it and was nervous as hell when I bought the first one. Thats been 4.5+ years and that one is still going strong in my wife's truck now. (Knocks on simulated wood laminate surface.) My matched 2 in my truck are 3+ years old too.

With my luck I'm on the verge of one or more of them dying though, so I've started to find sources for them. They can be a bit hard to get.

 

[jvazquez53]

Used them (red top) since 96 in Alaska, over there they lasted one winter, switched to the Walmart brand, no problems. After that when I moved to the tropics gave it a chance to the yellow top, here I went thru two in three years, about three weeks ago, went to the PX gas station turned the yellow top in, got me a full refund and went to Costco. Over there, got me a Kirkland for $60.00 and with a three year full replacement warranty.

 

[Boston Mangler]

I rock dual group 27 Lifelines, fit perfect in the stock trays!

Install and pics: http://www.bajaoverland.com/dualbats.php

 

[Grench]

I rock dual group 27 Lifelines, fit perfect in the stock trays!

Install and pics: http://www.bajaoverland.com/dualbats.php

Cool. I see you and I have pretty much the same manual switching system. I just have a 2nd switch that is dedicated to the winch.

 

[landtank]

read through this thread as now that my truck is back together it seems I might need a battery. I really didn't get a sense to what a good single battery choice might be. I want a fridge down the road but suince aI have a hydraulic winch I don't see a need for dual batteries.

Any new choices out there and for those who posted last time how is your choice doing now.

 

[cpg]

read through this thread as now that my truck is back together it seems I might need a battery. I really didn't get a sense to what a good single battery choice might be. I want a fridge down the road but suince aI have a hydraulic winch I don't see a need for dual batteries.

Any new choices out there and for those who posted last time how is your choice doing now.

Lifeline is a excellent battery and the make a group 27.

 

[gray]

That Odyssey set-up does look like you could weld with it;
guess that is the point; what will the draw be?

I agree with one of the above posters; the people who seem to know batteries are at the Interstate shops; I think they can get just about any brand.

I also (many years ago) went through the quest for the perfect (single) battery.

I've pretty much stuck with the stock 27F battery sizes with no complaints; usually get the full 7 years
out of them. They are a big battery to start with, with plenty of CCA and RC.

g

 

[super90]

The real question is why does Jamisobe have an Optima 6 volt battery next to his monster Odessey??? What do you use that for?

I used one in my 1962 356 S-90 since that old car still had a 6 volt system.

Oh, I have a D31M in my FZJ. Three years, no problems. It replaced a red top that was eight years old that was from the PO, I finally looked at the date code, got scared and just replaced it proactively.

 

[landtank]

looks like I'm all set after all. I got ahold of a charger and a few hours later the battery was charged. The truck started right up.