Breeze3at
Experienced Member
IMO, it is probably a "non compete" agreement that they have with HD, so they add a disclamer. Might be the slight case dimension difference I mentioned? Let us know what they tell you.
Drag Specialties Battery??
- Thread starter Slo-Ryd
- Start date
IMO, it is probably a "non compete" agreement that they have with HD, so they add a disclamer. Might be the slight case dimension difference I mentioned? Let us know what they tell you.
Well I just ended up ordering a Deka. Made in the USA and the terminals posts are nice and beefy. Just what I needed to prevent this from happening again.
Although that's not my actual battery, the exact thing happened to mine and it seems the vibration over time tends to make them crack in the corner like that. It was an Interstate aftermarket in there from when I bought the bike 2 years ago.
I'll throw the new one on the battery tender when it comes in, install it along with the new battery cables and update how it goes.
Although that's not my actual battery, the exact thing happened to mine and it seems the vibration over time tends to make them crack in the corner like that. It was an Interstate aftermarket in there from when I bought the bike 2 years ago.
I'll throw the new one on the battery tender when it comes in, install it along with the new battery cables and update how it goes.
Breeze3at
Experienced Member
Al, good idea to put the new battery on the charger before installing it. You mentioned that you are also putting new cables on. In reply #15, I said my Dyna spins over better than ever with the Deka. I must add, that when I got the Deka, I rerouted my (heavy duty) ground cable from the original lug on the frame to a starter mounting bolt. That may have helped current flow.
Thanks for the info Breeze3at.
It's funny because i was looking at other places to run my negative to also. It's currently grounded to the frame at about the 2 o'clock from the front seat mount. It wasn't even tapped properly or perhaps the hole is stripped but I don't believe that is where it was originally supposed to ground to anyway. My FSM doen't really show any pictures of grounding points.
I found a nice alternative spot that I may use under the rear saddle section of the drivers portion of the seat on the frame. It looks to be about a 3/8" tapped and threaded tab and there's one on each side. I think it may be the original mounting locations for the passenger grab strap. I'll look into the starter grounding idea as well.
These fixes will hopefully eliminate my occasional starter grind which although doesn't happen all the time, rears it's ugly head from time to time only when the bikes up to temperature. You know, when your sitting in a crowd of fellow bikers and pretty girls, they've just finished complimenting you on your ride, you go to fire it up to leave and........grrriiinnnndddd:29:
It's funny because i was looking at other places to run my negative to also. It's currently grounded to the frame at about the 2 o'clock from the front seat mount. It wasn't even tapped properly or perhaps the hole is stripped but I don't believe that is where it was originally supposed to ground to anyway. My FSM doen't really show any pictures of grounding points.
I found a nice alternative spot that I may use under the rear saddle section of the drivers portion of the seat on the frame. It looks to be about a 3/8" tapped and threaded tab and there's one on each side. I think it may be the original mounting locations for the passenger grab strap. I'll look into the starter grounding idea as well.
These fixes will hopefully eliminate my occasional starter grind which although doesn't happen all the time, rears it's ugly head from time to time only when the bikes up to temperature. You know, when your sitting in a crowd of fellow bikers and pretty girls, they've just finished complimenting you on your ride, you go to fire it up to leave and........grrriiinnnndddd:29:
I would love to agree with ya Smitty, but from what pictures I've seen and info I've gathered, the Deka I purchased is the same exact HD battery minus the sticker and extra $50
I'll keep my fingers crossed and report on any issues if it doesn't perform like it should, but if it comes from the same production facility as the Mothership's, I should be good to go.
For others wondering about Deka, take a look at your stock HD battery vs. theirs. I see no difference at all (from the outside of course). JMHO
I would've supported my local dealership but see my earlier post as to their recent stance and attitude they've developed towards our "classics.
I'll keep my fingers crossed and report on any issues if it doesn't perform like it should, but if it comes from the same production facility as the Mothership's, I should be good to go.
For others wondering about Deka, take a look at your stock HD battery vs. theirs. I see no difference at all (from the outside of course). JMHO
I would've supported my local dealership but see my earlier post as to their recent stance and attitude they've developed towards our "classics.
DEKA is the OEM maker of the H-D Battery...but of course they do not market it that way. I think it was Jack who told us this. I used to work in automotive and there were actually only a handful of actual US makers of batteries. :s
Well I just ended up ordering a Deka. Made in the USA and the terminals posts are nice and beefy. Just what I needed to prevent this from happening again.
Although that's not my actual battery, the exact thing happened to mine and it seems the vibration over time tends to make them crack in the corner like that. It was an Interstate aftermarket in there from when I bought the bike 2 years ago.
I'll throw the new one on the battery tender when it comes in, install it along with the new battery cables and update how it goes.
Yup.....and it would only make sense the the MoCo would source them from somewhere close by if it met their specs. Being that Eastern Penn Manufacturing is located in Pa. pretty close to the York plant, one can only assume that's where they're coming from.
As for the Kansas City plant, who knows.
Now I thought about what Hoople said, their site stating it doesn't meet oem specs, but I've worked with assembly lines and manufacturers are not out there producing different quality or inferior products on purpose just to market them under different names. The same criteria goes into that product as it does into what the industry sells under "private label". Set the line to churn them out, have quality control monitor the same specs as they come off the line, and sell them under various brands.
I have now seen this Deka labeled as a Big Crank and Magna power. My company private labels EPDM rubber sheets for commercial flat roofs. There's only two membrane manufacturers in the US, Firestone and Carlisle. Carlisle will private label whereas Firestone won't.
I feel if we've come across the source that the MoCo uses wether it be for this part or others, alot of us can benefit from the discovery and savings. I know I sure can:s
As for the Kansas City plant, who knows.
Now I thought about what Hoople said, their site stating it doesn't meet oem specs, but I've worked with assembly lines and manufacturers are not out there producing different quality or inferior products on purpose just to market them under different names. The same criteria goes into that product as it does into what the industry sells under "private label". Set the line to churn them out, have quality control monitor the same specs as they come off the line, and sell them under various brands.
I have now seen this Deka labeled as a Big Crank and Magna power. My company private labels EPDM rubber sheets for commercial flat roofs. There's only two membrane manufacturers in the US, Firestone and Carlisle. Carlisle will private label whereas Firestone won't.
I feel if we've come across the source that the MoCo uses wether it be for this part or others, alot of us can benefit from the discovery and savings. I know I sure can:s
Agreed, but also there are certain cases like my 2004-2006 XL-1200R model that ONLY the H-D Model fits...I was not able to find DEKA equivalent...so naturally opting for the more expensive $25 H-D battery is not a bad deal...! There were certain Ford cars that had special provisions for fitting a their battery...but removing suspension or exhaust parts and lifting engines was "over the top". :newsmile055:
Hoople
Account Removed
When I used Deka's cross reference/application chart, I come up with a Deka ETX20L battery to take the place of the HD Part# 65989-97C factory battery. The HD battery is claimed to be a 19/Amp-hr battery by HD themselves. The Deka battery is rated by Deka to be a 17.5 amp hour battery. The physical dimensions of the two batteries are the same.
Did not make sense so I called Deka and found out some info. They do make Harley Batteries but "they are different specs". She could not tell me how or why but the battery they make for Harley does (or could) have a higher amp hour "rating".
This is all strange to me because the case volume of the two batteries seem to be the same. To me, the internals would have to be different if the amp/hour is different. That is unless HD takes this true 17.5 amp/hour battery and rates it their own way (easily done by using a different temperature), there is some smoke & mirror tricks going on here.
Same size battery, direct substitute, made by the same company but the amp/hr "may" be different. All very strange.
Thanks for contacting them Hoople. Sounds like you got the "legal jargon" answer from them to protect what has to be one of, if not their largest customers. I value your electrical expertise and agree it sounds strange that they would produce two different products in the same "wrapper".:dknow