lmorris Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Why is it that the left battery on 6L equiped F450's and F550's have a strap and the other does not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saunoras Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy57 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I bet a visit to the assembly plant would tell you. It's all about decreased assembly time/labor. If that means easy to work that is accidental. Not being snarky here either, it's the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Doesn't the left battery have the plastic shield over it and the PCM, or is that only the 250/350? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 What model year are we talking here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 The pictures I have show no strap on either battery, I remember a 8mm hold down clamp at the bottom into a plastic wedge retaining each battery. The left battery has a large plastic heat shield over it that doubles as a rainwater shield over the PCM connector. What are we missing here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 The left battery has a black, fabric strap holding the battery down. The right side just uses the wedge with a bolt. I would suspect it is because the right side battery tray is the same with gas or diesel engines, and has been the same since the 7.3 days. The left battery tray was redesigned from the 7.3 to the 6.0, hence the strap. Just guessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I think this mystery strap is something that had a very short run in production. Over the years I recall seeing this strap on less than a handful of trucks to the best of my recollection. It might also be related to where the truck was built as well - the first digit of the VIN: 1, 2 or 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I don't think it's just on 450's or 550's... I think I've seen it on 250's and 350's too. Must be some reason for it....Can't see a manufacturer spending money on something unnecessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 First digit in VIN is a 1. I have only ever seen it on chasis cab trucks, specific dates elude me but 05/06 for sure. They also have the plastic wedge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Maybe it is a tether... Maybe it is like, "how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?" The World may never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 My guess is that the strap is a temporary restraining device used for a term during production, like during the shipment of a subassembly the strap is used to retain the battery to the tray. Like Jimmy said, if you toured the assembly plant you'd probably see what purpose the strap has in life. Being that there is a clamp wedge installed later, it looks like it's not for production....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 My guess is that the strap is a temporary restraining device used for a term during production, like during the shipment of a subassembly the strap is used to retain the battery to the tray. Like Jimmy said, if you toured the assembly plant you'd probably see what purpose the strap has in life. Being that there is a clamp wedge installed later, it looks like it's not for production....... The strap and wedge are 1 unit. The end of the strap has a metal flange that is help to the wedge by the wedge bolt. They have to be installed at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Why are we even having a debate/discussion on such a trivial matter anyways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmantech Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Mike that's a great question! Is this what being diesel certifited does to our brains? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Why are we even having a debate/discussion on such a trivial matter anyways? Coming from a guy that has to pronounce his liking for boobies in his signature that's kind of a trivial question in itself Mike. Haven't you ever looked at something Ford has done and said WTF? I for one would like to know the purpose of the redundancy as it relates to a battery clamp and strap.. on just one of two batteries and on certain trucks and only certain years. Men liking boobies is a given. This battery strap thing? It is kind of an enigma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Here's a thought. The passenger side tray is metal and the driver side is plastic. If one was to over tighten the wedge bolt, it could possibly break the plastic tray and render the wedge useless, the strap is there for back-up. After much testing and NO battery tray sales, Ford decided it was redundant. One hole in that theory though is why only F450/550. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Here's a thought. The passenger side tray is metal and the driver side is plastic. If one was to over tighten the wedge bolt, it could possibly break the plastic tray and render the wedge useless, the strap is there for back-up. After much testing and NO battery tray sales, Ford decided it was redundant. One hole in that theory though is why only F450/550. Second hole in your theory...and it is a big one. If the strap is connected to the wedge... and the wedge is not secured... how will the strap secure the battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saunoras Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Please no one ever put all you guys in the same room together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Please no one ever put all you guys in the same room together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy57 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 What about all that black masking tape stuff on wiring harnesses? I think all this stuff was done by that same guy that dropped all those white plastic tops with the o ring in all those old Fomoco auto transes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I think all this stuff was done by that same guy that dropped all those white plastic tops with the o ring in all those old Fomoco auto transes. You do realize, or maybe you don't, that those plastic "tops" are actually dipstick tube opening plugs used in production because the transmissions were pre-filled. When the vehicle was assembled the dipstick tube was inserted into the trans pushing the plug into the pan with no spillage, nice and quick. Caused no harm being in the pan and you were supposed to discard them when you find them. If I had a nickle for every customer that came in asking what that thing was that he found in his transmission after servicing it in his driveway on the weekend. Dome people were quite worried! Oh the fun you could have with those people if you reacted as if it was a big problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Oh the fun you could have with those people if you reacted as if it was a big problem! I had lots of fun with that scenario. "My mechanic says there's something broken in my transmission", I'd say, "He didn't put that back in? Does your transmission still shift okay?"... Shit like that. Good times. A previous dealership I worked at, had one of those "wallet flush" transmission service machines. I hated using that machine. I prefer to do a drop the pan, change the filter and fluid type of service. You'd be amazed at how many pans I had removed with 200K + on the odometer, that have had several "transmission flushes", but never had the pan removed once, and running on the original filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I liked asking people "Where's the other one?" When they told me there was only one, react like you can't even believe the car still moves under its own power. Good times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Here's a thought. The passenger side tray is metal and the driver side is plastic. If one was to over tighten the wedge bolt, it could possibly break the plastic tray and render the wedge useless, the strap is there for back-up. After much testing and NO battery tray sales, Ford decided it was redundant. One hole in that theory though is why only F450/550.Second hole in your theory...and it is a big one. If the strap is connected to the wedge... and the wedge is not secured... how will the strap secure the battery? I was thinking along the lines that the side of the tray was broken but the bolt was still in place. Should have been more specific.Maybe it's there to provide some extra comfort for the PCM, nows it's not so worried that the battery will jump onto it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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