best kind of batteries to use?

[rickta24]

i think my second battery is going out. what are the best batteries to use? do i need two of the same kind of battery?

also, any danger of wearing out my brand new starter in the meantime until i can get a new battery?

 

[rickta24]

the reason i think it's going out is my gen 2 light is staying on. both alternators have been tested and are good.

Thanks

 

[emmado22]

You want the BEST???? Here you go. http://www.milbatteries.com/hawker/brochure.html

 

[JohnFire]

it is always best to use the same type and even normally recommended to be replaced together. Group 31 Truck batteries are what you want to get nothing below 900 CCA would be my recommendation. My one truck I have optima yellow tops which were $245 each, the other truck has a set of blemish truck batteries that cost me $35 each and you know what, they seem to work just as good as the optima's.

 

[CARNAC]

emmando has it---Hawkers. Just hand over your an arm, a leg, and your left testicle. LOL

I'm having good luck with 6TMF's.

 

[Michael]

I would go with group 31 batteries. the trays were made to fit the group 31 or the 6TL size. I would find out what is making the lite come on first.

 

[jumpmasterjim]

I agree with Michael. I'd check the alternator belts, connections too. Try rotating the batteries. We ussed to do this on our Annual services. Swap the front to the rear. It seemed that the rear batteries would burn out before the front ones if we didn't rotate. Good luck

 

[Recovry4x4]

Just how much do the Hawkers cost? My deuce cargo never fails to start on $40 NAPA batteries but it never gets too cold either.

 

[Michael]

Forgot to mention that low voltage is bad for the starter. Not the worst thing you can do to them, but bad none the less. Low voltage will make them overheat quicker if I remember correctly.

 

[m35a2kevin]

hey,,
i bought two cheap 45.00 batteries from walmart 3 years ago,,, still running strong

 

[cranetruck]

The principle purpose of the batteries is to crank the engine....

The starter motor is not made for long cranking periods and must be allowed to cool every 30 seconds or so, when the engine won't start.

When batteries are used in series, they should be of the same kind and capacity and don't crank the engine if the voltage drops below about 20 volts, cranking rpm will suffer and the starter will overheat.

Make it easy for the starter motor, make sure batteries are fully charged.
The kind of batteries to look for beyond CCA is reserve capacity.

Plenty of info on this has been posted in the past, just summarizing, sort of.

 

[devilman96]

Just how much do the Hawkers cost? My deuce cargo never fails to start on $40 NAPA batteries but it never gets too cold either.

About 400$ each... lol E is right… they are the best but he also knows what they cost.

By far gel cells are the better bet in any battery choice and is now what the military is putting in trucks (CUCV’s are retrofitted with Optima’s).... I personally use Napa's 9934/78 gel which pretty much out performs most of the above mentioned batteries and are of the same design as the mentioned Optima’s. They are not cheap (120-150) depending the area you live in but are well worth the cost as they will generally outlast the duration of your ownership of the vehicle. It also gets you away from acid leaks, rotting terminals, rusted out inner fender wells etc..

If you choose to use these I have the Mil battery adapters which are made by Optima but will also fit the Napa version... They were designed to replace the 6TL platform and give an easy approach to mounting gel cells in about any application.


http://www.odiron.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=28_119&products_id=646

 

[Offroadfabworks]

I just installed 2 new optimas with the ODiron brackets.... Works great. Should be good for a while now

 

[Recovry4x4]

( I wish Devilman96 would buy some trucks with the Hawkers so I could get them out of his trash pile)

 

[cranetruck]

...the Optimas and Orbitals have about 1/2 the reserve capacity of the 6TL types....

 

[Michael]

The last truck I got from GL had one hawker and one standard 6tl in it. It also had no alternator belt. When I put one on it was putting out 40 volts. Put two batteries we brought with us in and it was still putting out 40 volts. I was able to recharge the hawker but the other battery was ruined. I wonder if the mismatch is what ruined the regular battery and the alternator?

 

[tmbrwolf]

If the GEN2 light is on there is a problem that needs fixed. Were the alternators replaced receintly? These trucks use an isolated ground alternator and if they aren't replaced with the same type they wont work, also check the field plug, make sure you have voltage there and it's not damaged or the alt won't work, those plugs are known for going bad, and losing contact causing problems.

 

[cranetruck]

Did you see this?

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index....8_19_CUCV&name=gallery&include=view_photo.php

 

[emmado22]

You can not mix the Hawkers with other "normal" batteries... It's a bad thing that frys generators and batteries... There are many PS mag articles on this.

 

[rickta24]

which color optima batteries do yall use?

thanks for the link. i will try to troubleshoot it tonight.
if the second battery is dead, could that cause the gen 2 light to barely light up when turning the key on?

it barely lights up then when it's running, it lights up bright and won't go out.