I went to the junkyard looking for a new battery for my truck. It’s supposed to take a group 59 battery. They didn’t have any so today i took out my battery to see what alternatives could fit. I measured the battery tray to see its dimensions. I thought it was weird when the battery tray only measured 9 inches wide. I looked at various battery size charts and they all list the length as 10 1/16 for the group 59 battery. I measured the group 59 battery that’s in there now and yep it’s 9 inches wide. Now i wonder what other measurements on the chart are wrong. Makes it hard to pick out an alternative more common battery just by the chart. Guess I’m going back to the yard with a tape measure.
What’s up with battery size chart discrepancies?
- Thread starter joegreen
- Start date
I take a G59 battery. I went out with a tape and my numbers differed from yours.
When next I go to a battery shop, and if I remember, I'll start measuring.
My G59 has the same footprint of the G58 it replaced. The G59 was a nominal inch taller.
Perhaps some tables include clearance for hold-down hardware.
When next I go to a battery shop, and if I remember, I'll start measuring.
My G59 has the same footprint of the G58 it replaced. The G59 was a nominal inch taller.
Perhaps some tables include clearance for hold-down hardware.
According to many battery fitment sources, your 1978 K20 was originally fitted with a BCI Group size 78 battery with side terminals. Of course, the newer Group 78/34 battery with both side and top terminals will fit. A Group 59 battery only has top terminals and is often found in Ford Ranger trucks. I am not familiar with any GM product that uses a Group 59 battery, although they might. Here are the BCI Group dimensions for both Group 59 and 78 batteries.
You are correct, I just measured the Duracell Group 59 battery in a 2003 Ranger and the length (not width) is ~9.5 inches, not 10.06 inches per the BCI chart. The BatteriesPlus+ website specifications are correct per the screen capture below.
I have the 2-year version of the battery above. It's that size.
