Somewhat OT - advice on John Deere Sabre tractor battery install

[gwandsh]

Bought this older tractor last fall and it worked fine. Removed the batter y for the winter, and wanted to reinstall. When I looked at the install spot, for the life of me I couldn't recall if this was a standard negative ground. My first tractor - previous cars and motorbikes were all negative ground, but when I tried to find a manual or s pecific indication online, the verbiage said "if you have a model with nega tive ground...", so I was leery of installing wrong. Can anyone confirm? Tnx

[Retired]

See pictures at

The cable with the Red cover is Positive +

[EXT]

Red is positive, black is negative. Easy way to remember it is to think of "Red Cross", positive will be either red or have a cross + on it or both.

[Dean Hoffman]

For what it's worth Jaguar was the last automotive company to change back in 1969. I think farm tractors changed about when they switched to 12 volt systems but don't know for sure. It would be back in the mid 60s. There is a farm forum called yesterday's tractors. There might be some help there.

[dpb]

On 4/16/2014 3:11 PM, Oren wrote: ...

The bolt lugs are the same best I recall...

The obvious is as you say, check the molded polarity indication on the case.

_But-, there are two U1 case orientations--a U1 case has the positive terminal on the left looking at it from the direction the terminals are nearest you. U1 or U1R type battery. U1 will have the positive terminal on the front left. The U1R(ight) will be on the right oriented the same way.

I don't recall otomh which either of the two JDs here are or the previous two before altho I believe they're UR.

[dpb]

Mr Deere certainly can if you can't for certain. I'd be more than just _very_ surprised if it were anything but negative ground, but I never had a Sabre series...