Real time help - Installing a group 31 battery (1 Viewer)

[CreasyBear]

Hey guys, so when I went to buy my interstate group 31 battery, they only had the truck option. They had screw on studs that fit the top, so I went out the door.

It doesn't appear that my hood will close, or that the studs will make contact with the insulation on the underside.

Is this happening because of the slightly taller studs, or am I doing something wrong.


I'm using the slee kit, I installed the spacers under the tray and bolted it down.



TLDR - Will the 31T work instead of the 31p.

Thanks!

P.S. The Slee kit is beautifully made. For something that won't get seen much they made sure it looks great. The packaging is top notch as well!

 

[CreasyBear]

Posts

 

[CreasyBear]

Probably a 1/2 inch of clearance on the neg terminal, and a inch on the positive.

 

[El Cid]

I have the slee kit as well with dual battery and IBS system. If you are around this weekend and don't mind a ride just a bit south you can see how I installed my interestate battery bought yellow top.

I think it will be difficult to do this by looking at photos...message me if I can help..

 

[El Cid]

Also, where did you buy it? Just from the photo yours seems taller. The put 2nd battery in the passenger side and I don't think my main is as tall as yours..

 

[CreasyBear]

Also, where did you buy it? Just from the photo yours seems taller. The put 2nd battery in the passenger side and I don't think my main is as tall as yours..

I bought the battery from an Interstate Battery center, think it was in Corinth.

That would be awesome, I'm not sure whats up here.

 

[El Cid]

So you have a dual battery system or no?

 

[AimCOtaco]

I have an optima 31T in that location but it's sitting in the OEM plastic tray so no spacers at all under it. It fits fine, maybe you could compare the battery dimensions from specs online. Perhaps without spacers under it it would fit?

EDIT: Looked at the instructions for the Slee tray and it looks like the spacers are leveling and distributing load, not lifting the tray, so removing them is probably a bad idea. The pictures in the instructions look like the cell sits pretty high up as yours does. If the Negative pushes into the insulation a bit I wouldn't be concerned. The positive could just touch the insulation and still be plenty safe. Will it not close at all?

 

[CreasyBear]

It closes. The positive doesn't touch but the negative touches the insulation. I think I am going to try and find some rubber boots to fit over the studs and wiring to ensure no grounding can happen.

Thanks all!

 

[OklahomaOvrland]

I have a Duracell AGM group 31. It is a dual terminal model. To use the Slee terminals I had to use the threaded posts too. I also had the height problem. My solution was to cut off the lower portion of the lead adapters then drill through them, and tap them to match the stud. This has resulted in normal height terminals.

 

[Patineto]

I have an optima 31T in that location but it's sitting in the OEM plastic tray so no spacers at all under it. It fits fine, maybe you could compare the battery dimensions from specs online. Perhaps without spacers under it it would fit?

EDIT: Looked at the instructions for the Slee tray and it looks like the spacers are leveling and distributing load, not lifting the tray, so removing them is probably a bad idea. The pictures in the instructions look like the cell sits pretty high up as yours does. If the Negative pushes into the insulation a bit I wouldn't be concerned. The positive could just touch the insulation and still be plenty safe. Will it not close at all?

Battery's for Dummies..

So from your comment, can I install a group 31 optima yellow top on the stock battery tray with out any trouble or modification, or what do I need to do to make it fit..??

 

[AimCOtaco]

I did it by just dropping one on the stock plastic plate and making a custom hold down bracket but the optima also requires the terminal be extended or replaced. Mine would be better with more lateral movment support, I did get the battery to move about 1/2" inward on a big hit that broke a motor mount.

If I was doing it today I would probably use the Slee kit but it wasn't available at the time.

...let me see if I can find a picture of my set up....

 

[Patineto]

I found a great deal on a brand new Optima Battery (8052-161) D31M but is a BlueTop..!?!

Is that a big deal, I will never have a winch or a fridge, only lights and stereo and things like iPad chargers, but we do live in minneapolis and battery's do drop in performance when it gets to cold..

Silly, or pay almost double for a yellow top..?

 

[geanes]

@AimCOtaco ... where did you get that terminal extension? LOVE that custom battery hold down bracket!

 

[AimCOtaco]

@Patineto Optima Blue top is the same chemistry and battery as the yellow with a better warranty and sometimes a different terminal layout, or at least that used to be the case.

@geanes the terminal is another DIY, solid copper to match the Optima to the positive fuse block. It's kinda cool but there are way faster solutions that are just as functional. I had the copper bar on hand from another project but cutting the taper by hand with a terminal cleaning tool was kinda dumb on my part and took forever. Thanks!

 

[gatormark91]

@Patineto Optima Blue top is the same chemistry and battery as the yellow with a better warranty and sometimes a different terminal layout, or at least that used to be the case.

@geanes the terminal is another DIY, solid copper to match the Optima to the positive fuse block. It's kinda cool but there are way faster solutions that are just as functional. I had the copper bar on hand from another project but cutting the taper by hand with a terminal cleaning tool was kinda dumb on my part and took forever. Thanks!

Slee will sell you the just the terminal extensions out of their battery management kit. That is where I got the ones I am using (no pic since I am at work)

 

[bamabrock]

I have a Duracell AGM group 31. It is a dual terminal model. To use the Slee terminals I had to use the threaded posts too. I also had the height problem. My solution was to cut off the lower portion of the lead adapters then drill through them, and tap them to match the stud. This has resulted in normal height terminals.

Do you have a pic of the mod?

 

[Patineto]

@Patineto Optima Blue top is the same chemistry and battery as the yellow with a better warranty and sometimes a different terminal layout, or at least that used to be the case.

This is the battery I'm thinking in getting, my positive wire has some slack but the negative is a little tight..

 

[Patineto]

My BlueTop is in there with Zero issues, well the cables are a tiny short and I need a 30mm long bolt with about a 12mm spacer to install the ''locking bar'', but that is about it..

Hey $170 for a brand new battery, I can take the gamble..

Sadly I think my alternator is FUBAR so I'm changing the battery just in case, by the way the little optima charger is a freaking monster, It revive a pair of oddissey batterys from my GS motorcycles that I have not use in years..

Thanks for all the help and sorry for taking over the conversation for a minute..