Triumphrat

kavudan · 04-26-2008, 02:06 AM

Keep charging mine and it won't stay charged at all...time for a new one? Trouble is, I'm not sure how to get at it...did a brief search and didn't find a thread.

Also, anyone know how to get a manual for the bike (bought mine used and it didn't come with one).

thanks,
dan

kavudan · 04-26-2008, 02:07 AM

It's a 2002 t-bird

funhunter63 · 04-26-2008, 04:39 AM

If you are asking how to access it, it is under the seat.

Some of the small battery chargers like the battery tender have a small adapter that you can put on permanently and then plug the other end of the adapter to the charger when you want to charge it. The nice thing about that is you don't have to take the seat off. I use the black and decker one from Walmart.

Is your alternator working?
Are the terminals tight and clean?
It should stay charged if you ride it regularly.

BadMouth · 04-26-2008, 08:54 AM

Remove the seat.
Remove the right side cover.
Slide the right side of the battery box up and it will unlatch.
Undo the cables.
Slide the battery out the right.
Installation is the reverse of removal.

I use a Haynes repair manual. You can get one from Amazon or Fleabay. (around $30 IIRC)
If you want to fork over the money for an owners manual, you can order one from www.bikebandit.com or your local dealer.

What part of PA are you in?

jimmyj900 · 04-26-2008, 12:01 PM

If you don't know how to remove the battery then you've never checked the fluid level. Most likely you've boiled the battery dry and ruined it.

That's not a put-down, so don't take it to heart. We've all made that particular mistake at some time and learned from it. Odd how learning the hard way seems to be most effective for long-term retention.

When you buy your new battery be sure to read the pamphlet that comes with it. I just replaced the battery on my bike and was quite pleased to note that the instruction sheet was clear, to the point and accurate.

With a lead-acid 'wet' battery you'll need to charge it after adding the acid so you'll need a charger with a maximum 2-Amp charging mode. If you charge one of these batteries at greater than 2 amps, you'll damage it. (The instruction sheet with the battery says 1.5 amps, but I've never seen a charger with less than a 2 amp charge rate.)

Notes -- These bikes are very sensitive to battery condition. Don't try to 'salvage' your battery if it's boiled dry because the capacity of the battery will be severely reduced. That will cause hard starting and eventually burn up your starter motor -- a much more expensive proposition than a battery replacement.

The typical 'wet' motorcycle battery only lasts about 3 years. There are better claims for the AGM and 'maintenance free' batteries but they typically cost 2-3 times as much. What I haven't yet seen is proof that they last any longer than the less expensive 'wet' batteries.

I purchased my new battery from Walmart 2 weeks ago for about $30. They had it on the shelf so it didn't require any 'special order' BS like my local auto parts store and it was less than 1/2 the price.

When you install the new battery be sure to clean grease the cables and battery terminals to reduce/prevent corrosion of the terminals. I use high-temp 'disk brake' or 'wheel bearing' grease but some folks argue for a very light grease like Vaseline. Hi-temp grease stays where you put it. Vaseline flows all over the place as soon as it gets warm. Your choice...

Check the fluid levels in your battery regularly and get a feel for miles between checks. Then make that a part of a regular maintenance schedule.

Top off a low battery with distilled water only. Tap water usually contains minerals that will damage the battery over time.

Any questions? Just ask.

Jim

tnsen · 04-26-2008, 02:49 PM

yes i have a question there jimmy......dont you think it would be better to have a maint free battery?? ... seems like it would take some of the worry out of topping off the water (mine was almost 1/2 down last fall when i removed it for the winter,) plus i always worry that acid is going to spill out the side, getting all over, removing paint and ruining chrome, yep thats from personal experience from my bonniville ,it did a lot of bad things to my pain and chrome...wich im still touching up.........tom

Slinky · 04-26-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadMouth

Remove the seat.
Remove the right side cover.
Slide the right side of the battery box up and it will unlatch.
Undo the cables.
Slide the battery out the right.
Installation is the reverse of removal.

Isn't there a bolt on that little trapdoor that needs to be removed before it will slide up and unlatch? IIRC there is a bolt on the left side of it.

BadMouth · 04-26-2008, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slinky

Isn't there a bolt on that little trapdoor that needs to be removed before it will slide up and unlatch? IIRC there is a bolt on the left side of it.

LOL, the bolt on mine had been replaced with a loose zip tie before I bought the bike. The zip tie gives enough that it doesn't require removal.
So a zip tie wasn't the factory fastener?

jimmyj900 · 04-26-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnsen

yes i have a question there jimmy......dont you think it would be better to have a maint free battery?? ... seems like it would take some of the worry out of topping off the water (mine was almost 1/2 down last fall when i removed it for the winter,) plus i always worry that acid is going to spill out the side, getting all over, removing paint and ruining chrome, yep thats from personal experience from my bonniville ,it did a lot of bad things to my pain and chrome...wich im still touching up.........tom

Well, how long does a maintenance free battery last? It seems to me to be about the same length of time as a wet battery and the only difference is that you don't check the condition of a MF battery until it fails -- hopefully in your garage.

My experience with MF batteries in cars is that they last a few months longer than the warranty. Also, if you remove those 'do not remove' plugs in the top of the battery you'll find out that the fluid level drops in a MF battery just like in a cheap battery. The only real difference is that the MF batteries seem to hold more fluid.

If it was truly 'maintenance free' it would literally last forever. That it doesn't, means that 'MF' is just advertising hype.

Jim

upNorth · 04-26-2008, 05:43 PM

Kavudan, I don't know where you are in PA but if you're anywhere near "the burgh" I can show you how. I'm not big on mechanics but I can change out batteries. You need only two tools - an allen wrench and a screwdriver. On my 2000 'bird, the same allen wrench works for the seat and the side cover. As I recall, it's a 5 mm. A medium sized phillips head screwdriver will get the terminals loose.

I just did batteries in both my bikes and paid $55 for my T-bird's battery. I'm sure someone on the site will tell you where to get one cheaper. That's with the old battery returned so don't just chuck it in the trash and then go battery shopping. Bad for the environment and all.