Dual Battery - Group 34 fitment?

[Mick1]

I finally got around to buying a battery for my ABR dual battery tray.

I picked up a Diehard Marine Group 34 battery late last night for a pretty good price. $167 something before tax. The Sears website was extremely frustrating and kept saying that the battery was not available for pick up during the final checkout step, but eventually I was able to get it purchased.

So today I fitted the battery into the truck and found that it is an extremely tight fit. A wedge fit! I just went back through the photos I saved where guys had fit a 34 into the passenger position and realize that none of the photos show the final wired in battery. Ut-oh...

Can anyone provide a medium term report of how the 34 size is working out?

I put soft side velcro on the tight spots and eventually ended up elongating the ABR mounting holes to provide a little more clearance for the battery. Its in there solid now, but in retrospect I think the Odyssey group 25, PC1400 may be a better choice.

Photos of the fitment are available in my shutterfly link. http://rhino4runnersuspension.shutterfly.com/pictures/1085

 

[joneseyyy]

It is a tight fit for sure, but I've had no problems in the several months I've been running the setup.

 

[phillyd2]

Works just dandy.

 

[Mick1]

It looks like your terminal connector is a little smaller than the military connectors that came with my IBS kit. I am going to order terminal covers since they did not come in the kit. I also may end up using the screw on post instead of the SAE post if it is really tight with the terminal touching the fender.

QUESTION: Did you guys just run the negative from the second battery to the negative of the main battery, or did you run it all the way to the starter ground? The reason I ask is because I have three different sets of instructions. They mostly jive with each other, but some variation.

This statement in the instructions got me confused, "install a by-pass wire (25mm2) between the Main Battery Minus (starter) and Aux Battery Minus to increase winching performance. The terminalkit is included."

I've seen one dual battery install using a different system and on a different truck that ran a short body ground off the second battery and then a longer run to the main battery negative.

 

[Titanpat57]

works good ..no problem