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battery size

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
My '09 Ranger has a "Group 59" battery.

My '97 Ranger had a "Group 65" battery, though parts sites suggest either the 59 or 65 fits that truck.

Near as I can tell, the 65 is about the same height and width, and ~2" longer...and generally 875 CCA instead of the 590 from the smaller battery.

Anyone familiar with modifying the battery tray in a newer Ranger to accommodate the larger battery? It appears the only space limitation is that it will be harder to get to the left headlight bulb...for almost 300 CCA, I'm okay with that.
 

fatherdoug

Tonto Papadapolous
Ian, my experience has been that the battery tray is always sized for the larger battery, leaving about 2" of extra room with the smaller battery, although I can't speak directly to the Ranger tray.
 

Big Jim F150

73-79 Ford Trucks Rock
I agree with Doug on that although some of the newer batteries are smaller, but I have a larger battery tray in my 78 F150 Ranger Lariat, and I had to put a new battery in it last fall, and the one I had got was from Autozone, and it's about two inches smaller than my battery tray, but it has enough balls to turn over a 400 ci engine.smiliegitrdonesmilieFordlogo
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
The '97 Ranger tray was bigger. This one, the tray is the size of the smaller battery- it appears I'll have to bend down the front lip of the tray in order to fit the larger battery.

Might have to fabricate a hold-down strap of some kind, too...I think what's on it fits over the whole battery so it wouldn't work with a different size?


Neither seems insurmountable.
 

CowboyBilly9Mile

Charter Member
7,118
442
USA
People have in fact, tweaked the forward edge sheet metal of the tray and the core support to fit the larger battery as you are describing. I've seen pics where both have been bent; I'm sure with not much more effort and thought a cleaner look can be achieved. As for the headlight, those are replaced by removing the headlight fixture. Takes about 15 seconds to do so, just lift up on those two slides and pull the fixture forward and out.
 

O'Rattlecan

Redneck Prognosticator
26,687
797
Belton, MO
People have in fact, tweaked the forward edge sheet metal of the tray and the core support to fit the larger battery as you are describing. I've seen pics where both have been bent; I'm sure with not much more effort and thought a cleaner look can be achieved. As for the headlight, those are replaced by removing the headlight fixture. Takes about 15 seconds to do so, just lift up on those two slides and pull the fixture forward and out.

My folks had a 2003 Ford Explorer and needed help changing a bulb. We were stumped for about an hour before we finally hopped on the net to figure out the 2 "slides" where the whole headlight unit gently pulls out.

Ryan
 

polarbear

just growing older not up
12,878
607
Boring, Oregon
My folks had a 2003 Ford Explorer and needed help changing a bulb. We were stumped for about an hour before we finally hopped on the net to figure out the 2 "slides" where the whole headlight unit gently pulls out.

Ryan

Adjusting those is a treat too. Adjustment screws are on the headlights. So remove, adjust, install, check, rinse/repeat.
 

CowboyBilly9Mile

Charter Member
7,118
442
USA
Adjusting those is a treat too. Adjustment screws are on the headlights. So remove, adjust, install, check, rinse/repeat.

Actually on the 2001+ Ranger it's pretty simple. For up/down there is a hex head adjuster by the headlight that is visible when the hood is open, it's right there "looking at you". As for left/right, the owners manual says it's not adjustable, which isn't really true for a determined person, but probably isn't needed either.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
It's supposed to be -8 tonight, so I went ahead and picked up a Group 65 battery...I suspect my OE battery will still start in that, but I'm not entirely sure. (It started down to 20 below last winter and still passes the "quick" tests OK, but it's over six years old and definitely turns a little slower on frosty mornings.)

Fortunately, I had a completely toasted auto battery laying around that I was able to turn in for the "core" charge...so now I can deal with any necessary fabrication at my convenience, and until then, I've got a good battery to jump off of if I need it. I'll keep it on a tender until it gets installed.
 

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