Hey folks: Getting ready to get an Optima battery for my 96 5.0 Explorer and right off, notice the battery tray for size 65 batteries on the 5.0L is quite a bit larger than the footprint of the smaller Optima.

Optima furnishes an adapter for their batteries that is supposed to help fit size 65 trays, but thought I would check with some of you who have made this change see if there is a better, nicer looking way. Or just use the OE tray? Sure looks like a nice, HD and well engineered, OE battery tray. Looking forward to your comments. Thanks! Mike

here

trimmed oem tray and a strap- maybe you want a little cleaner- but it is good enough for the girls i go out with (and the shows i go to)

Or you can buy a billet, or chrome tray for only $75 on eBay!

i just think some of those look gaudy

I like mine. Fits nice and accents my clean engine bay.

http://stlouismtb.tripod.com/batterybox/DSC02653.jpg

http://stlouismtb.tripod.com/batterybox/DSC02656.jpg

I think that too much Lumne (color wire covers) or just too much Chrome/Billet looks gaudy. Anything that is clean looks good. Too much of anything is a bad thing!

actually bm i think you could use some more in there. i didn't mean you when i said gaudy i just think some of the ebay stuff is awful. I don't know what else you could maybe chrome (well yes i do- the charger) but that would really make it look great.

I know you didn't mean me. I was just showing that there are tasteful ones too.

Yea, the S/C High Pollished will be great!

it sure does look dark in your engine bay though- like its just waiting for something

Matt: Yours sure does look nice. Is yours a 5.0 and what are your reasons for choosing the yellow top? If a 5.0, how do you like the yellow top application?

Expo-yours looks great too, although I see you have turned it and why did you choose the red top over the yellow top? Do you run a lot of accessories? Optima stresses the red top should not be used in a deep cycle application....Thanks for the pics, guys! Mike

MikeTEC, Mine is a 4.0 SOHC. I have the Yellow top for Audio/Video use while the truck is off.

Thanks for the compliments, guys.

What is the advantage of an Optima Battery? They don't have hardly any cold cranking amps at all. I think the red one is 650. I think the Duralast we sell has 700 or 750 and it is the huge 65 size.

Originally posted by Nicaraguense
What is the advantage of an Optima Battery? They don't have hardly any cold cranking amps at all. I think the red one is 650. I think the Duralast we sell has 700 or 750 and it is the huge 65 size.


Cause they're really really good. They're deep cycle er somethin like that... All I know is I can sit and watch a movie in my truck w/o the engine running and the battery lasts just fine. Cranks up and I can do this anytime I wish, cause they're incredible batteries.

Edit-- That was a horrible answer, but i just woke up from my lovely nap and don't care too much to elaborate on end about it. I'm sure someone else will though.

The Red top 34/78 has 980 cranking and 800 cold cranking.

the optimas are extremely underrated as compared to most other batteries. they are also much more resistant to the elements, rattles, and last longer than most other batteries.

i have a red top as a starter battery and for now i run all my accessories off of it (of which i have at least as many as anyone i've ever seen) but that is very temporary as i'm going to be adding an svr deep cycle car audio battery in the rear very soon with 2400 max amps. (way better than a yellow top!) also, my red top isn't that stressed because i already run two batcap 300s which will be staying in the truck with the new battery a well.

of course thats probably not real necessary unless you plan on running the 20 non-stock accessories or so that i have among which are audio amps totalling over 3,000 watts rms


as for turning the battery- it just made sense to me to do it that way- and it made room for my circuit breaker. i don't know what i'll be doing when i get the new battery in there in a few weeks.

The only red top I have on my shelf is a 35/75 so I need to look for the 34/78

Thanks, Expo 5.0, I had wondered about the batt position. Makes good sense to me. Good luck with your new power! Mike

I talked to an optima dealer and they reccomended the Blue top Dual terminal (deep cycle version) for me.

Said somthing about crank amps being good, long lasting and can withstand all my accessories (fogs, amps, neons, rear lights, etc...), and one thing i liked he said the blue top (cause its for marine purposes also) is specially designed for getting knocked around (like waverunning - or OFFROADING), some conical design prevents cracking of the cells inside which kill batteries.

Dont quote me on all of this though- call a rep. I did this research a year ago but never bought a battery yet.

Does the size 65 adapter Optima furnishes with its Red Top and Yellow Top batteries work satisfactorily and really hold the battery securely...anyone? Thanks Mike

Yeah, somebody answer this, its been almost a year and I need to know too :)

Their adapter to fit the 34 and 35 in my car didn't work well. Got some hi-temp foam and braced it against the corners of the VW battery box with the VW hold-down and it works better than any factory setup I've seen ;)

Hope that helps.

Hmm...I just bought the 75/35 Red Top Optima that is specified for my XLT. It came with these two pieces of red plastic attached to the top. I know one purpose of it is as a height adaptor but according to Optima's site, its also to solve my problem of having a much larger tray then battery. Anybody used this adaptor that can help me out? Here's the Optima site link: http://www.optimabatteries.com/usingOptima/height.asp?learn=1

Red: automotive
Yellow: Deep cycle (RV)
Blue: Marine

I've had a single red top running everything in my Exploder for Five years now and it still works like the day I bought it. Don't worry about the CCAs, it starts like mad even on the coldest Idaho winter days. I've also been using the plastic adapters from day one. I always planned on getting a good mount, just haven't gotten there yet.

Red: automotive
Yellow: Deep cycle (RV)
Blue: Marine

I've had a single red top running everything in my Exploder for Five years now and it still works like the day I bought it. Don't worry about the CCAs, it starts like mad even on the coldest Idaho winter days. I've also been using the plastic adapters from day one. I always planned on getting a good mount, just haven't gotten there yet.


Can you explain to me how you got the adaptors? Did you cut them out of the 2 red squares that come attached to the battery??

They were just plastic wedges that were attached to the top of the battery.

Ok, I think I figured it out. Thanks guys

Yeah, somebody answer this, its been almost a year and I need to know too :)


I bought a yellow top at Sams and used the adapter Optima furnished and it worked great. Neat installation!

Hey if you lay the OPtima on its side it fits the OEM tray like a glove :)

I may be the only one on the planet with the OPtima laying on its side, its the only way I could fit it when I re-located the battery :)

I got a cool Optima battery hold down from Kartek...Its dimple died sheet metal. I'll take a pic so you can check it out, I relocated to my utility box in the bed of my truck...mounted my Quick Air 2 in there while I was at also.
I'll post some pics soon,
David

Here's a couple pics of the batt. hold down and compressor:

WOW! That has to be the cleanest and least dented part of your whole truck!



Just kidding it looks great Dave.......my truck is getting California'ized I am calling it with all the scratches and dents.....I think Colorado rocks and bushes were more forgiving :)




You going to Moab?

Heh Heh Jaime,
give it time and there will be dents soon...lol. Wish I was going to Moab :fire: I'll have to wait for the next go around.

Will try this again, B magic has a killer Billit tray, I like mine also

Nice batt. hold down Spindlecone...a lil too showy for my junk though, someone might steal my truck just for the batt hold down...lol.

Where can I get a set of those fancy battery terminals like you have?

sorry for multiple posts, am new here and navigation of the site has been a pita fot me the puter illiterate, terminals are from Boss audio, so called platinum plated, ebay, 14 bucks

Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:

Nice terminals, I'll have to look for some of those on eBay.

Well I just finished a better holddown for my red top Optima. Its certainly not as elaborate as the billet stuff from Black Magic and spindlecone, but I think it'll work. I took out the OEM battery tray, cut two slots into it and ran nylon holddown straps across it both ways and strapped it down tight. Wish I had my digi cam to take pictures, but its missing at this point. Anybody else do a similar setup with good or bad feedback??

I think B.M. used nylon straps at first, not sure tho, hell whatever holds it down will work just fine

That's a real nice battery tray Spindlecone. I'm eventually getting an Optima but don't see spending as much as the battery costs just to hold it down. I do know a guy who fabricates for the city of Seattle, and they have a CNC. Maybe I can get something made by him :cool:

LOL, mine cost just as much as my battery.