790 Battery Corrosion Help

[Flywheel]

Hi Fellas - I searched the forums and found all kinds of stuff on the battery corrosion problem - but I still have a couple of questions.....

I went out tonight to clean things up a bit - since i've got a little tractor downtime - and sure enough - the bottom of the battery tray is wet and the paint is peeling up and a while buch of corrision - looks like the JD battery is leaking out the top - not the screw vents but the top.

Anyway - going to contact the dealer tomorrow tractor is 1.5 months out of warranty - but with all these problems, I really expect to get something done.

Does anybody have a TSB specifically for this problem on the 790?

If the dealer does not do anything, what step can I take to clean everything up?

Finally, the D51R battery that everyone recommends (Optima) is no longer available, I believe.... So what is the recommended upgrade for this problem.

I am ticked at this issue and the fact I did not check it when I brought it to the dealer in the rain a couple months ago...

Anyway - any help is surely appreciated.

Regards

 

[Willl]

Just went through this myself.

Thought about getting the dealer to take care of it, and I'm sure he would. It's just over a year.
But, the job probably wouldn't have been done as well as I would do it myself.
That and you end up with another NEW leaky battery. No thanks.

Love my JD and my blood pumps green but good grief guys, get with the program.

So I did it myself.

Battery tray comes out pretty easy. Neutralized/cleaned/sanded/primered & painted. Looks brand new.
Neutralized and cleaned everything within a 3' radius of the old battery.
The standard yellow top Optima will fit with no mods. But just barely.

 

[Flywheel]

Yeah - I know what you say - be nice to get it all done right - well - i doubt my place would do the sheetmetal - and it would take them 2 weeks.

Can you tell me more about the optima - did you get it locally - any part number, etc? I was looking at the red top for about $100 - I think it was a 34series....

Anyway, it's kind of a shame -170 hours and no problems - I figures at leat the first thing to go would be hydralic or a part wear out before all this corrsion.

The other reason I wanted the dealer involve is some guys had radiator corrosion - but I guess I can just wash that out.

Did you just neutralize with baking soda?

Thanks again.

 

[stuart]

Forget about warranty. THIS is a manufacturing DEFECT that has plagued their tractors for years. Complain loudly. Make them change out the battery and repair any damages.

 

[Tact]

I also just went through this with my 4520. Luckily the corrosion didn't get too much into the oil cooler. My dealer picked my tractor up , neutralized and repainted the affected area, and replaced the battery. The only problem that I had was I had to pay $40 for pick up and redelivery. Dealers????????

 

[papafoxtrot]

Folks,

I've got another question. My 3520 sits for long periods (1-2 months) at times between visits to the "farm." I keep the battery connected to the tractor and attach a Battery Tender. Are there any cons to doing this? Might it accelerate this problem (tractor is LT 1 yr old). I know it's good for the battery - keeps it from sulphating, but I sure don't want to screw up the tractor $$$$$ either. Haven't noticed any corrosion issues yet however.

 

[Flywheel]

Well,

I spoke to the dealer today and told him that it is obvious that this problem has been going on for a couple of months, and had I checked it everyday, I would have found it in the warranty period. I told him that I understand this is an ongoing problem with thes and the 4000 series. He said that I would need all new parts and it would be as good as new. i told - well, I may be 30 days out of warranty, he said they would take a look at it and let me know - if it got rejected by JD, then I would have to pay. I said - if I have to pay, I'll do it myself!!!

Anyway, he says to bring it by. I bring it by, sure enough, warranty expired July 1st. I show him the corrosion and how it has likely been like that for a while - but I just got around to checking it. He says, well - JD will not cover it anyway because a battery is an item that wears out (or something like that) and that they could prolly do it in about 3 hours just by repainting, but no new battery.

I was so disgusted I left.

I called another dealer and told him the story, he said if I had bought it from them, they would prolly take care of me and call JD for extended ceverage, etc. he said to talk to JD customer Service - but the other JD dealer should handle it since they made the money off me.

Ok.

I call JD support - she says - yeah, out of warranty, no recalls, TSBs - but let me put you on hold.

She says, take the tractor back and it'll get escalated for extended warranty coverage - but now i don't wanna take it back to JD dealer #1 - so I say I'll take it to JD #2. I call #2, he says -no way, JD will stick him with half the bill - take it to JD#1 (where I bought it).

This is rediculous!

I have already trucked the **** thing around town, lost a bunch of time while the guy was out on break, and now I don't even want thier guy to strip and pint my parts and throw even another unsealed battery in there.

I'll spend $150 bucks on the optima and fix the thing myself.

My day messing with this has been as painful as you reading it.

Oh yeah, the original dealer that changed his story all up and sent me packing says "Give me a call if you need anything else."

Sometimes I wonder, I'm a pretty smart guy - what is wrong with everybody else??? At least JD corporate was making a good effort.

 

[Willl]

Oops, my bad. It's the RED top I stuck in there.

Part# 75-25
Mod# 7586DT
CA 910
CCA 720
RC 90

Optima redtop specs

Yup, baking soda.
Yup, locally.
Yup, yup, 100 bucks.

 

[Flywheel]

Thanks, Will.

 

[Flywheel]

Well, as Will recommended, I pulled the front end apart - real easy - almost silly.

Removed the battery and then 6 bolts, removed the intake tube from the air filter housing and the whole nose comes off with the tray.

Flushed everything and used some baking soda to flush further and then gave a good rinse, then let it all dry during the day yesterday.

Last night, wire wheeled everything and painted with a rust converter. Going to prime and paint tonight, one more day to assemble and new battery - should be good to go.

The optima 35 or the 75-25 will fit and same price. The 75-25 has the GM posts as well as the top posts. They got it for $128 at Autozone right now. Seems like a lot - but I lifted up the $50 "sealed" battery from Batteries plus, and I could squeeze it and hear the venting - I'm done with that....

BTW - the supports on the tray are 10 inches apart - so it could maybe take a 10" long battery without modification.

Anyway - thank will and just thought I'd pass along the update - don't know why JD does not have any info on this - I guess everybody just fixes themselves...

 

[Muxster]

I just got a new 790 this summer and it has a JD StrongBox ST battery with cell caps on the top. Is this battery the same model that you were having problems with?

I just took out the battery for inspection and so far there is no signs of leakage or corrosion under the battery. I looking for something to provide some preemptive protection for the metal the battery sits on... maybe some plywood, plastic bag, or plastic battery box you find in boats. Any suggestions?

 

[dbdartman]

Mux, I have this yellow "mat" under the battery in my car that came from JC Whitney. It's supposed to protect the battery tray from acid

 

[mapmgr]

Hi,

I've got a JD 4310, with same problem. It is just over 4 years old, but has low hours on it. Over the last year I've had to put the Strongbox battery on charger a few hours before I run the tractor, once over night with a charger that is supposed to knock off the sulphates. Yesterday I went to follow the now SOP and found that the battery was leaking and had corrosion on the front screen and on the radiator.

I flushed the area with water mixed with baking soda and then straight water. Removed the battery and headed for Sears to try a diehard. Found the LG-3, but noted that it had the wrong terminals and did not have the side lips for the tie down brackets. So, the Strongbox is still in the trunk of my car. Was planning to go to a local JD dealer for a replacement, but is that my best move?

Which [Optima] battery do I want? The Optima web site does not list John Deere as a vehicle .

The Optimas don't have the lip either (or at least those pictured on the web site). How do you keep them from moving around?

-- Glenn

 

[boatermark]

Oops, my bad. It's the RED top I stuck in there.

Part# 75-25
Mod# 7586DT
CA 910
CCA 720
RC 90

Optima redtop specs

Willl,

Sorry, I can't get your link to work. As far as I know, the 75/25 Red Top Optima is 9-5/16"L x 6-13/16"W. The 4x20 tractor battery tray is more like 10"L x 6-3/8"W. That's a no-fit in the width dimension unless you modify something...somehow.... Are the dimensions I have accurate? Thanks for any input.

 

[RalphVa]

I haven't had this problem with my JD 4010. However, upon buying a slightly longer battery replacement for my Tacoma, I had this problem. Ended up cleaning up with baking soda solution and painted with rust converter, a longer battery tray and a couple of those felt washers that go underneath the battery terminals. Even my 240D Benz had battery corrosion problems until I bought a couple of those felt washers. Neither the Tacoma nor the Benz have had any problems once I installed those washers. You can buy them at auto supply stores and probably TSC.

It's interesting that the battery (only one place in town had one to fit) I bought for my Gravely came with those washers at the base of the posts.

Ralph

 

[Willl]

New link for Optima Red top specs.

Optima Edge - Technical Specifications

 

[Willl]

Mark, I'm seeing 2 different battery numbers for the 4320, TY25880 and a TY21737.
Can you confirm either ?


Ralph, could you convert your hold down to a different style ?
Do a 'Google image' search on "battery hold down", many different styles out there.

 

[boatermark]

Mark, I'm seeing 2 different battery numbers for the 4320, TY25880 and a TY21737.
Can you confirm either ?

My manual has TY25880 and TY25272 for battery numbers. One for tractors with cab, other for open station.

At this time I can not find any Optimas that will fit without significant modification.

As of now I am waiting on the delivery of a new John Deere Spiral Energy battery. I will update when I get it in.