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2015 battery replacement, weird size and PITA


nuke
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I have a 2015 TC Passenger XLT long wheel base, 2.5L, starting to get the "signs" of a weakening battery as the weather started getting cold. 

 

Changed the battery today, which turned into 10x more trouble than it should have been. Went by the Interstate distributor, they looked it up and I bought a carry out battery, an MTP48. Guess what?  Doesn't fit! Literally, a full half inch too tall to go under the hold down bracket.  I went looking through several x-refs on line and got different fitments from all of them. 

 

The original Motorcraft battery label said, "BXT96R" so went to get a group 96R battery, which are hard to find. Compared mine with it on the counter and the guy says, "that isn't a 96R", which is much smaller, and tried a couple and voila, it's a European T6. 

 

There was another label under the Motorcraft label, so I peeled it up, and there was a "Made in Germany T6 Ford" label underneath. The Duralast Gold was the identical battery, right down to the handles and the same exact case molding and made in Germany. Go figure. 

 

Getting the freaking battery rear cover in turned into an enormous hassle. I got the battery out easy enough, finding a video online. Have to remove the air cleaner, take the cable retainers out and remove the front wall of the battery box. The rear cover of the box snaps off, with a lot of trouble. Got the right size battery in, and the rear upper box cover turned into a huge hassle. Not enough room to clear the brake master cylinder and get the snaps engage. Wound up taking the bracket off and the battery out, snapping the cover into place and easing the battery in, connected the negative cable as I went. (yeah, I know, it goes on last for safety - but ain't possible). Put it all back together, smooth starting and didn't lose any settings or anything else, despite having the battery out for a couple of hours. 

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12 hours ago, nuke said:

I have a 2015 TC Passenger XLT long wheel base, 2.5L, starting to get the "signs" of a weakening battery as the weather started getting cold. 

 

Changed the battery today, which turned into 10x more trouble than it should have been. Went by the Interstate distributor, they looked it up and I bought a carry out battery, an MTP48. Guess what?  Doesn't fit! Literally, a full half inch too tall to go under the hold down bracket.  I went looking through several x-refs on line and got different fitments from all of them. 

 

The original Motorcraft battery label said, "BXT96R" so went to get a group 96R battery, which are hard to find. Compared mine with it on the counter and the guy says, "that isn't a 96R", which is much smaller, and tried a couple and voila, it's a European T6. 

 

You should read here first and then post later  -  Several good threads here on Gen2 battery replacement and better batteries to use than the stock, overpriced and under performing battery

 

A Sam's Club Duracell AGM size 48 (H6) is a perfect fit with no modifications necessary and the stock hold downs fit correctly.  You then have a bigger, more powerful, AGM battery which will outlast the stock battery 3 to 1

 

Don

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11 hours ago, Beta Don said:

 

You should read here first and then post later  -  Several good threads here on Gen2 battery replacement and better batteries to use than the stock, overpriced and under performing battery

 

A Sam's Club Duracell AGM size 48 (H6) is a perfect fit with no modifications necessary and the stock hold downs fit correctly.  You then have a bigger, more powerful, AGM battery which will outlast the stock battery 3 to 1

 

Don

 

 

Thanks for the tip but two problems here. First there are no Sam's Clubs in my area!

 

The other is that I tried a Group 48/H6 size battery, and they're too tall to fit mine. 

Unless that Duracell is not in compliance with the dimensions of a group 48/H6 battery,  it wouldn't fit any better than the Interstate MTP48/H6 that I did try.  The top of the battery was as tall as the screws on the hold down clamps.  

 

Here's a link with all the standard battery dimensions:

 

https://www.batteryequivalents.com/bci-battery-group-size-chart.html

 

The tallest battery that correctly fits in my vehicle is 175mm, the group 48 is 192 tall, so no go. 

 

It had a T6 (european DIN) in it and that's the biggest that fits in all dimensions. That's the same as a US 91. 

 

Ford says it takes a 40R battery. 

 

 

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My point was . . . . forums are all about sharing solutions to problems and if the vehicle has been around for awhile, most problems have been addressed several times so you won't be making the same mistakes others have already made in the past

 

The Sam's Club battery is taller, but there is a lower space in the center of the battery which allows you to use the stock hold down clamp with no problem.   The Interstate battery must be designed differently . . . . good to know

 

No Sam's Club?  Can't be THAT far away  -  When I needed AGM 6 volt Golf Cart batteries for my boat, they were not stocked in any Sam's Club in Mississippi, but I found them at a store in Alabama.  Road trip!  -  I drove past 2 or 3 other Sam's Clubs to get to the one with the batteries I needed ?

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2 hours ago, Beta Don said:

 

No Sam's Club?  Can't be THAT far away

 

 

For me, it's far enough.  I am lazy. I have an Interstate distributor nearby. Or I will order online.  I'm not taking a Sam's Club road trip.  Millennial Entitlement. Bring it to me, with Prime shipping.

 

 

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Nuke, did you bother removing the spacer that is in the battery box, before trying to put the group 48 in? Like Beta Don said, read the forum and you would know to remove that spacer to fit a slightly taller battery like the group 48. There's at least a few people in here that have already done it, so are they all wrong??

 

As far as Sams Club is concerned, they aren't the only place selling Duralast batteries, although prices will likely vary. I bet that you have an Autozone around, yea? Duracell Group 48/H6 

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  • 3 years later...
On 1/14/2020 at 11:32 PM, nuke said:

The original Motorcraft battery label said, "BXT96R" so went to get a group 96R battery

 

 

 

The dealership sold me a BXT-40R.  It dropped right into my van.  No hassle.

 

In today's world, there are many options for group 40 and group 96.  There are AGM options.  Optima doesn't have a battery.  Odyssey does.  

 

 

Screenshot_20240104-131934.thumb.png.5af4396831a2520d8252d84f709e70a6.png

 

 

 

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