pickup truck battery

Brad in WI · Mar 1, 2011

Do any of you guys have have a preference of what brand of battery you put in your trucks? The battery in my 2002 Chev 2500HD GAS just quit. The truck sits most of the time and I need it to be reliable no matter whenever I want to use it. I am going to put in the correct size that the truck requires. Just curious. Thanks
Brad

Lou from Wi. · Mar 1, 2011

We have had decent luck with both Farm & Fleet & Walmart batteries. Always wanted to try an Optima battery,but they are never on sale when I need one, their price scares us off.LOL.We use to use Diehard, but had a couple of bad dealings, so no more.We look for the biggest CCA we can fit in the old spot,our motto,bigger is better.LOL
HTH,
Regards,LOU & VICTOR

hd6gtom · Mar 1, 2011

I have wallmart batteries in everything but the Cat. Not had a bad one yet.

glennster · Mar 1, 2011

i've had good luck with farm and fleet batteries too. if the truck is gonna sit for a while, get a battery maintainer and leave it plugged in. the electronics in the vehicle will put a small drain on the battery and it will go dead after a while, just when you need the truck!!

Tom-TX · Mar 1, 2011

Batteries made by EPM (East Pennsylvania Mfg.) seem to be the very best by me. They are sold under OReilly autoparts name. They are the kind you cannot add water, as the top is sealed except for a tiny vent hole pointing to the side at the top. Less to worry about. The also make the Decca batteries.
I have tried Walmart, Diehard, New Holland, Interstate, Exhide, and others but the EPM batteries seem to be the best. Tom

Brad Gyde · Mar 1, 2011

I have a 05 Chevy truck.. The starting/driving it or it'll be dead is no joke.. Mine sits a lot (less than 2k miles in almost a year now) but, I have tried to get into driving it at least once a week.. even if only 5 miles or so.

As for Optimas.. I can't scream and shout how good they are, but I had one in a tractor I bought from my grandpa.. when the battery finally pooped it was right around 14 years old. If I knew I would get 14 out of every one, that's be all I would buy, but like any battery, it's a gamble.. Heck, even if they guaranteed me 7-8 years it would be worth it.. (can't remember many batteries making it past 3 or 4 years around here) If it's double the price, but you'll guarantee me it'll last 2x + as long, I'd buy it in a minute.

Brad

Anonymous-0 · Mar 1, 2011

Lou, I have a loader, that has a battery that is a PITA to put the battery in, I put an optima red top in it, because if you are gonna put the labor into it, you might as well put the best part in. I got it from advance auto parts, which I think is connected to O'Reilly. What I found out was that you can go on line, and find a coupon code (P20, in my case), that you enter in the appropriate box, on the on line order page. On the particular Optima battery that I ordered, the discount came to $32, or something like that. I think the non sale price was $159. Also, because I ordered the battery on line, they didn't charge me the usual 9 or 12 dollar core fee, for some reason! On anything that has easy access, I get the same size battery for all tractors and trucks, on the farm, I believe its a group 24 F, from Sam's Club. That way, I just trade them back the bad battery on warranty, every time one goes bad.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 1, 2011

If there was a way to find out what Dodge was putting in the 98 model Stratus'........ Bought a new one in Dec of 97 and it still has the original battery in it. We sold the car last year without even knowing where the battery is located.

Good Luck.

Dave

S.Crum · Mar 1, 2011

I have to agree on this. Just about all cars and trucks built after 1990 will have battery problems if allowed to sit for very long. The electronics in them will draw down a battery in a few weeks time. This is a bad thing in freezing weather. To tell if your vehicle has a 'draw' while sitting, disconnect the negative battery cable and connect a voltmeter between the battery post and the cable, chances are you'll find there's a 12 volt + or - draw. Most GMs and Chrysler products you can just disconnect the battery cable when the vehicle is going to sit awhile. Ford products are best kept charged and connected, they are a bit confused for the first 10 miles or so after you reconnect the battery.

RayP(MI) · Mar 1, 2011

Buying a battery these days is pretty much a crap shoot. There are but a few actual manufacturers, and the produce for many labels, and various quality levels. Many battery dealers go for the lowest bid that meets their specs. What you had luck with the last time you bought, may be a completely different animal now. Seems to me, that various brands have been good for a while, and then tend to get poorer as other brands become popular. My best advice, find a dealer that will stand behind their battery, and give them the business. I hate arguing when one goes bad, and I have to replace one early.

OliverGuy · Mar 1, 2011

I put an inexpensive cut off switch on all rarely used equip and vehicles. Anything that won't be used in the winter time gets its battery charged twice and in a warm shop. Sure helps. Even the $8 harbor freight cut offs aren't that bad. I've had good luck with ac delco's. Some of my gm trucks with plow prep have a switch for aux lights which will pull a little with the switch on but nothing hooked to it (youngest daughter pushed switch, took me a few times to figure that one out)

El Toro · Mar 1, 2011

I have 3 Walmart batteries in 3 vehicles. All 3 are 9 years old. They're their best battery with the 3 year free replacement. They have a 9 year warranty. A battery needs to be used, but not every day. They will last longer if used.
Hal

old · Mar 1, 2011

A battery is sort of like buy oil. There are just 3 or 4 company's that make then so your pretty much have to hope you buy from the best place. Me I buy Wal-Mart not because I like the fact they have 50% or better China junk but because of the price and Warranty

DeltaRed · Mar 1, 2011

Ive had good service with Interstate batterys.Walmart(I hate em) has a decent battery,their warranty isnt worth the paper its printed on.Like previously stated,the more CCA,the better.

IH2444 · Mar 1, 2011

I have had really good luck out of the best grade Wal Mart batteries.
6 yrs in a lincoln TC and 5 in a Subaru.
I had one in another lincoln I parted out, bgave it to a friend to use in his diesel ford 5000 it is less than half the size of the OEM battery for the tractor but starts it fine and is 5 yrs old.

I will buy nothing but the best grade of Wally World batteries.

Bob · Mar 1, 2011

Johnson Controls makes the Interstate batteries and some Walmart batteries, the remainder are made by Exide, so you MAY get the same battery from Interstate or WaldoWorld, it'll just have a different sticker on it!

tjdub · Mar 1, 2011

Where abouts in WI are you? I've been buying all my batteries form Northern Battery (based in La Crosse) and haven't been let down yet. They also have dealers in Madison, Wausau, Fond du Lac, and St. Paul. They seem to beat anybody else in the La Crosse area on price to boot.

tjdub · Mar 1, 2011

I forgot to post the <a href="http://northernbattery.com/contactus.cfm">website</a>

bobs old iron · Mar 2, 2011

brad: all replies have merit. important things to remember, make sure cables are good, post clean, get the right cranking amps, or higher than factory spec. you'll have enough power for starting. with electronics in these new vehicles, you need to start every so often, to keep battery charged.

doogdoog · Mar 2, 2011

Aloha,
I buy the battery with the best warranty. I have a F150 that has an after market alarm and the batt will go dead in a week if not used. I bought a cheap trickle charger from Harbor Freight to keep it charged until needed. I can leave it for months at a time without adding any batt water.

Mahalo,
doogdoog

36 Coupe · Mar 2, 2011

My 96 Ford F150 lost a wheel cylinder in Jan a few years ago .I parked it, ordered the parts and fixed it the first week in March.No trouble starting.This year I drove it last on Feb 14 and it will sit until March 9 when my check comes in.Ill see if 23 days idle bothers the battery.My wife brings home grain I need with her car.Amazing how much money you dont spend when you avoid running the roads.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 2, 2011

The heaviest one they have in that size.

ericlb · Mar 2, 2011

the best battery is the one with service closest to you, there are about 3 maybe 4 companies that make all the batteries for everybody, and it is possible with the cheaper brands to get one that is junk new,the best thing if your truck is seldom driven is to invest in a battery maintainer, that way it will always be fully charged and the computer wont get weird on you from varying battery voltages

buickanddeere · Mar 2, 2011

Largest, heaviest, highest CCA and highest amp hour battery vibration resistant battery. With fill caps, not a sealed battery.
I'll never waste $$$ on a sealed delco again in my life.

WA-Hal · Mar 2, 2011

I usually buy my replacement batteries at Costco. Best price, good warranty policies and handy, since I go to Costco about 3 times a month anyway.

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