Need source for 50-75 AMP batteries

seasoned_geek · Jun 21, 2023

All,

Admittedly this is my forklift, but anyone with the ancient 12v (possibly converted) put-put tractors has to have the same issue.

After only getting one year out of a starter rebuild, it is time to heed the warning from my starter repair shop and find a 12 volt batter of no more than 75 CCA. Yeah, good luck with that. I found a motorcycle battery with itty bitty screw connectors but that would be some serious necking down.

The Prestolite starter is old school, inertia throws the bendix out. Modern starters have a fork that pushes the gear into the flywheel so you can use any CCA you want. Never been able to find a modern replacement that would clock correctly. I bought one of the brand new junk units on eBay a couple years ago. They claim to be a drop in replacement but only about 2 sets of holes are drilled through the head so you cannot correctly change the clock on them.

So, where are you all with ancient forklifts (or farm tractors) finding batteries that are 50-75 CCA?

Thanks!

wore out · Jun 21, 2023

Try a length (maybe start with 6 or 8 feet) of #4 or maybe even #6 cable ahead of the starter to slow the ''windup'' of the starter motor a bit.

You'll have to experiment to determine a size and length that will cushion the engagement sufficiently, yet allow for decent cranking speed.

Janicholson · Jun 21, 2023

50 to 70 CCA is way small. The acronym stands for Cold Crank Amps, and is more like 500 to 1000 CCA. lawn mower batteries have 250 to 350 range. Batteries were once labeled with Amp Hour Capacity, but the standard has been dropped for most starting batteries. Battery size is determined by physical size LWH and terminal type and position. Chart are on line to select the type (compared to what is in it). I believe 650 CCA is a reasonable option. Jim

NDIHC · Jun 21, 2023

50 to 75 CCA would be an odd duck for sure.
The smallest lawn mower batteries are
usually 160 CCA. The old rule of thumb
always used to be that a starter will draw
around 200-250 amps for a v8, 150-200 for a
6 and 100-150 for a 4. The battery doesn't
determine how many amps a starter will
draw. It's likely that 50 CCA won't even
turn the engine on most applications. I've
heard of people using 12 volts on 6 volt
starters having trouble breaking inertia
type starter drive springs but never from
too many cranking amps. Doesn't make sense
to me. I've been using 12 volts on my 6
volt Farmall M starters since the late 70s
and have only broken 1 starter spring.

J.Wondergem · Jun 21, 2023

I had trouble bending starter shafts, took the starter to the rebuild shop and they put a different drive on it which fixed it. Now I have to make sure to open the throttle a little when I start it to make it kick the drive back out.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 21, 2023

My farmall C is converted to 12v yet the starter
is only 6v. After rebuilding my starter 2x, I
decided to use my oldest lawn mower battery and
replace the battery cables with 10g wire.
It works fine because I have a magneto.
I have many lawn mower batteries. If the battery
is too wimpy to start a mower, I can usually use
it on the old Farmall.

M-MAN · Jun 21, 2023

I think there is a misunderstanding
and he meant 750cca max. You can
find them around 500cca which is
plenty. Use small 6g cables to keep
the hit down. Also keep it in good
tune so you won't have to keep
spinning the starter to crank it.

Russ from MN · Jun 21, 2023

Like Geo says, use a lawn tractor battery.

caterpillar guy · Jun 21, 2023

Our Hwas having a problem similar to that. I put a 4 gage cable on it and it has been fine for a few years now. I put it on from the starter switch to the starter same length as the old heavy cable. Dad told me it would be to light. I listened to George about his with a C or Cub so I figured it might want to be just a bit bigger with a slightly bigger engine.

caterpillar guy · Jun 21, 2023

For got but this is with a 1000 cca 31 stud top battery. bigger than what you have in there now.

seasoned_geek · Jun 22, 2023

No. I meant 75AMP. This has an ancient Prestolite starter which relies on inertia to throw the bendix into the flywheel. Anything over that throws so hard it shreds the bendix. I'm into my second $170 rebuild in two years because I stuck a higher amp battery in there.

seasoned_geek · Jun 22, 2023

The problem with that is most lawn tractor batteries are now at least 250CCA. Many are over 300CCA. With a modern starter, one that uses forks to push the bendix out, you can run any CCA you want because the force at which the bendix hits the flywheel is controlled. 1940s and 1950s era starters work on inertia. The starter begins rotating using the full juice of the battery and that spin is what sends the bendix into the flywheel. Batteries were weak then.

seasoned_geek · Jun 22, 2023

It would be cool if I had one of those.

buickanddeere · Jun 22, 2023

. Install a modern $99 starter that can handle 12V and 500 amp.

seasoned_geek · Jun 22, 2023

650 shredded the bendix

You are going by modern starter standards. The Towmotor part number for the battery direct from the Towmotor manuals is 49885. Some parts sites have recycled that part number for a gasket of some kind. The Towmotor part number for the original Prestolite starter is 50340 per the vintage parts manuals I have for this thing.

seasoned_geek · Jun 22, 2023

Thanks!

I may have to do this. I think someone else suggested 10Guage as well.

As a last resort I have reached out to HGM Liftparts. I never get a good deal there, but they are the only place that has parts for this era. Given that fact, I guess it is a good deal. Going to see if there is a modern starter. That will solve all of the problems. The 100% replacements sold on eBay don't have all of the holes drilled through for the end so you cannot clock the starter properly.

Thanks to everyone for your feedback.

ss55 · Jun 22, 2023

Maybe a smaller deep-cycle battery would have lower peak current. Look at trolling motor batteries.

seasoned_geek · Jun 23, 2023

Yeah, that is a problem.

seasoned_geek · Jun 23, 2023

That would be wonderful. I wish there were such a beast. This is a Continental F-140 with the 96-tooth ring gear and it requires a 9-tooth bendix. It's also a 2-bolt mount.

Koolaid · Jun 23, 2023

I found a motorcycle battery with itty bitty screw connectors but that would be some serious necking down.

I think you are on the right track. A quick browse on Menards page shows a 130CCA motorcycle style battery for $26. Just make up some adapters and you are right in the ballpark.

The other thing you could look at is the 12V batteries that they put in power wheels and other kids 12V ride on toys. You may have to do some research to find what CA is going to be, but I'm guessing it's very low.

Bottom line - I'd make adapters and use the smaller batteries - we've done that before on riding mowers recycling batteries out of mobility scooters - L shape of aluminum flat stock with two different hole sizes in it - worked fine for the application.

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