Which OPTIMA battery to use?

[JeffW]

I just installed a 34/78 Optima Yellow Top. Although the specs say it is 10" long, it is only 9.5" at the base. And the rounded nature of the cylinders gives even a little more leeway. Each side of the bottom of the battery box has 3 tabs. I only had to trim the rear two on each side to half their width to get the battery in. To secure the battery in the back I replaced the stock trapezoidal piece with the one that comes with the Optima battery.

To make the strap snug, I added a piece of wood to the top of the battery. Two pieces of lattic (the strips used to make/repair lattice fences) were the perfect width and thickness... narrow enough to fit in between the terminal mounds, and not too thick to prevent the top from closing. I glued them together, rounded the ends, and attached to the top of the battery with double-sided tape.

Then to preserve the heat shielding capability, I cut the terminal openings in the battery box lid inward to about an 1/8" into the label. Easy job with a Dremel tool. Fits good, looks good, works good.

[fourfourto]

I was thinking yellow top also .
Do you have the part # of the battery you used ?
Also some pics of install,I want to reuse the top of factory box as I mounted a light to it.

[JeffW]

It should be this one:

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publish/optima/americas0/en/config/product_info/automotive/deep_cycle/spec_sheets.RowPar.0001.ContentPar.0001.ColumnPar. 0005.File.tmp/D34_78_082104.pdf

D34/78, part #: 8014-045

I got it at Costco and I think it is the only Yellow Top they carry.

I will be back under the hood this weekend and double check. I will also try to snap some pics.

From your picture, though, it looks like it might be pretty close. I had to trim to the other side of that plastic stop for the positive terminal, which looks like it would intrude on your light mount.

[fourfourto]

Thanks I wrote info down,so when I eventually get one I have the #.
I think I have almost a inch between the stop and the light.
I could always move light over some if needed.

I havent had any battery problems since 03/06 ,im not running dvd as long without it running also moved 12v fridge relay to a ignition wire.

I would like not to worry about the battery and in the neer future I would like to hook up a winch so the yellow top would work great.

[JeffW]

Sorry for the delay, I was sick all last week. Here are some pics.

[fourfourto]

Thanks for pics, looks tight to fit my light.
Maybe they have one with the posts more apart.
When Im ready I will have to look into it.

[mountainbiker]

Originally Posted by JeffW

Here are some pics.

Hi JeffW,

I see you had to mod the battery box lid. How about the bottom tray--did you have to trim away the little tab/reinforcements (on the terminal / length ends or all around)? Did you mod the "puck" (where the bolt affixes the strap)?

My smaller Red Top with a BCI of 25 didn't require the tabs to be cut, but would have required the lid to be cut (if I reinstalled it). I also had to make a slight mod to the "puck", so the strap would tighten against the smaller battery. Now, I am thinking of upgrading to the Yellow Top. Weird thing is your model has 750CCA, but the same model here in Europe is 690CCA.

mountainbiker

[JeffW]

Originally Posted by mountainbiker

Hi JeffW,

I see you had to mod the battery box lid. How about the bottom tray--did you have to trim away the little tab/reinforcements (on the terminal / length ends or all around)? Did you mod the "puck" (where the bolt affixes the strap)?

My smaller Red Top with a BCI of 25 didn't require the tabs to be cut, but would have required the lid to be cut (if I reinstalled it). I also had to make a slight mod to the "puck", so the strap would tighten against the smaller battery. Now, I am thinking of upgrading to the Yellow Top. Weird thing is your model has 750CCA, but the same model here in Europe is 690CCA.

mountainbiker

Yes, I had to trim the back two tabs to about half their original width. I did make a modification so the strap would be snug. I didn't modify the puck, though. I suppose that might be a good way to go. Instead I just put some strips of lattice fence wood on top of the battery underneath the strap.