I have a '78 f-250 camper special w/ a 400 that has dual batteries.
I'm pretty sure the one on the passenger side is for the truck and the one on the drivers side is for the camper/trailer. They both have been changed with batteries that look like they came out of some ones lawn mower.

Does anyone know what size/ group they are suppose to be? I'm finding a lot of conflicting info.

Thanks

 

The standard battery size I believe was group 24F. There was an optional high capacity battery but off hand I can't remember the group size on it.
And you are correct, the passenger side battery powers the starter and truck. The drivers side was for a camper.
There is a solenoid on the drivers side that disconects the aux. battery from the electrical system when the key is turned off to keep from running the main battery down when the aux. is powering a camper.
When the engine is started the solenoid reconnects the aux. battery to the elctrical system and the alternator recharges the battery.

 

Thank you Mike

 

Mine has group 27's in both sides.

 

Now that neondr mentioned it, I think he's correct. The 24F's were smaller and for passenger cars. I think the trucks used 27F's.
If you're wondering, the differences between a regular 24/27 and the F's is the pos and neg terminals are switched. When installed, the F versions positive terminal is toward the starter solenoid. With the standard battery the positive terminal would be toward the radiator.

EDIT: Just went to the Batteries Plus website, it says 24F is the standard battery. No info on the optional though.

 

1965/79 Camper Specials & 1973/79 Trailer Specials: Auto-Lite/Motorcraft R-27-F 70 amp battery was standard equipment / Auto-Lite/Motorcraft R-27-FA 80 amp battery was optional. Both have the same dimensions.

1965/79 F100/350: Auto-Lite/Motorcraft R-24-F 55 amp battery standard equipment except Camper Specials, 1973/79 Trailer Specials, 1973/79 F100/350 460.

R-24-F also used in 1963/79 Passenger Cars / R-27-F also used in 1963/79 full sized Ford/Mercury/Lincoln / Thunderbird/Continental Marks.

There was also Auto-Lite/Motorcraft R-22-F = 45 amp battery. Usually seen only in compact/midsized Passenger Cars.

Note: Auto-Lite thru 1972, Motorcraft from then on. The parts and part numbers are the same for both.

In 1972 FoMoCo was forced by the US Gov't to sell Auto-Lite, because the Gov't claimed Ford had a monopoly on autoparts.

Ford then started in-house brand Motorcraft.

ALL group: R-22-F / R-24-F / R-27-F / R-27-FA have the positive/negative terminals in the exact same location.

AMC/GM/ChryCo also used these same group batteries, except the suffix is a G

G suffix batteries: The terminals are REVERSED!!

Mike: Battery Chart = Text, Section 103, Page 29. R-27-FA isn't listed, but was available at the parts counter.

I installed one in my (purchased new) 1965 F100 in 1981...it was still there when I sold it 11/2009.

Dual Batteries were an extra cost option for ALL 1973/79 F100/350's. Not standard equipment on anything, or with any package...including Super Camper Specials, Camper & Trailer Specials.

 

While that is true, the anti-trust litigation started in 1961, court commenced in 1967 and was settled in 1972. The actual anti-trust or "monopoly" was in regards to Spark Plug production at the Fostoria Plant. Knowing they couldn't just sell the sparkplug side of manufacturing (Autolite did not have a sales and marketing division per se), Ford sold the entire electrical production, including batteries etc.

Ford started Motorcraft to sell and inventory the 50% of merchandise they were required to purchase from the new Autolite company as per court order.

The court order was to last only 5 years, however Ford signed a deal with new owners Bendix to purchase for 10 years.

I have never read too much into WHY the government had such a beef with Autolite sparkplugs. Especially given GM's AC Delco and Delco-Remy and Chrysler's Mopar.

Josh

 

FoMoCo lawyer arguments inre to GM's DELCO Division and their monopoly on autoparts...fell on the Gov'ts deaf ears.

DELCO (original name: Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co.) founded by Charles Kettering in Dayton OH in 1909.

Circa 1911, GM bought DELCO and hired Charles Kettering as their Chief Engineer.

1912: Cadillac introduced the first starter motor, invented by Henry Martyn Leland (Cadillac Prez/Chief Engineer) & Charles Kettering.

In 1902, Henry Ford left the company he founded before a single car was assembled. Ford's financial backers than hired Leland, who renamed the company after the founder of Detroit: French explorer Walter DeLa Motte Cadillac.

In 1916, Leland left Cadillac, started his own company to manufacture Liberty V12 aircraft engines (invented by Packard's Chief Engineer Col. Jesse Vincent) for the war effort.

He named the company after his favorite president: Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln Motor Car Co. was born.

In 1921, Leland introduced the first Lincoln. It was a engineering masterpiece, but a styling disaster. Lincoln soon went bankrupt.

In 1922, Henry Ford bought Lincoln in US Bankruptcy Court for 7 million dollars, he was the only bidder.

 

Probably has something to do with General Motors CEO Charles Wilson being the Secretary of Defense. Most domestic military contracts went to GM, foreign contracts split to the other "4" (Ford, Mopar and International, AMC) and GM.

Monopoly? Guess not.

Josh

 

Reo & Studebaker also manufactured trucks for the US Gov't. Studebaker erected a new assembly plant in South Bend IN for this purpose.

This was the only 'modern' assembly plant Studebaker had in South Bend, the rest dated back to their wagon making days...some were erected before the Civil War.

Packard supplied the US Gov't with marine & aircraft engines. Packard purchased Studebaker in 1954 (stock swap).

The original plan set forth by Nash prez George Mason was to fold Studebaker/Packard in with Nash & Hudson, the new company name: AMC, but...

Mason died suddenly of a heart attack, AMC's new prez George Romney hated Packard's prez James J. Nance, so Studebaker/Packard was excluded.

When Studebaker/Packard went belly up in March 1956, Curtiss-Wright stepped in, saved Studebaker, took over Packard's military contracts.

 

Must have been paid pennies on the dollar compared to GM contracts.

Josh

 

WOW!!!! You guys are awsum. I was just surfing through this thread and BAM I got a History lesson.That info that was put up..makes me wonder how many people actually know that kind of history?? Thanks guys, just gos to show ya....... if you be quiet, watch and listen you WILL learn something. John

 

It might not be the most popular answer, but IMHO Walmart Energizer batteries are fantastic batteries with a great warranty.

2nd choice would be NAPA.

Josh

 

So your saying group size 27.

 

I will get flack for this also.... I run two of the largest deep cycle battery's Costco carry's. Been running deeps in all my trucks for 30 yrs; never a issue.

Go ahead; I know what you'll say.....

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