What battery do you guys run in your trucks?

[Asshat]

Just the ordinary battery from O’Reilly or Auto Zone?

These are getting expensive $199 for a battery!
https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/m...c20-pickup-rwd

[Killer Bee]

been running interstate wet cells for years, one of my all time favorites.. last year was good for sales, I bought 5 or 6 I think between here and the farm

costco has been carrying them for some time now at good pricing and of course their notable customer service and no hassle warranty policy..

most folks don't need the performance of an agm and likely won't realize any benefit except where modern vehicles are specifically designed for them or upgraded aftermarket demands..

I typically get 4-6 years out of $90-100 wet cells, highly unlikely you'll get 8-12 years out of a $200 agm..

agm are certainly high performing and we use them in special applications, compare a pc2150 to a wet gp31

and yes, odyssey is one of, if not the best in the agm business.. great deep cycle performance for boats and the like.. they also handle the temperature extremes better than wet cells..

I ran one in my off road race truck due to their vibration resistance and fast rate for high demand night lighting, all in a compact steel case

in typical fleet (ab)use we dump 1-3 year old red top optimas like used oil filters, they last similarly to generic label low bid east penns..

but you'll get a hundred different opinions so good luck

[Richard2112]

I agree that Interstate wet cells are good. I've been running one for a while now and I know others who have been. No problems from them. I did however, have a cheap autozone battery for years and it eventually dropped to 10 volt but still started my truck. (of course my truck runs well too it starts quickly). But people tell me the cheap battery was just the "luck of the draw" as some last a long time while others don't. Interstate seems to be consistent quality.

[Clyde65]

My experience is, in Texas, your lucky to get 3 years out of a car battery. The heat and all really kills them. Idk about a wet cell battery, will have to look into that

[88Stanger]

yellow top Optima with their trickle charger mounted near by and if not moving it is plugged in. Not cheap by any means....

[The Rocknrod]

I'm going to buy the Super Start Extreme Battery Group Size 24, Part #24EXT:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...ckup-rwd?pos=1
I considered NAPA, Walmart etc. My choice is mainly due to the availability of the O'Reilly stores in my area of the country and concerned if I ever get stuck due to a battery issue they would be more available.
But the positive terminal side (right or left) is my only decision now.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

I'm going to buy the Super Start Extreme Battery Group Size 24, Part #24EXT:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...ckup-rwd?pos=1
I considered NAPA, Walmart etc. My choice is mainly due to the availability of the O'Reilly stores in my area of the country and concerned if I ever get stuck due to a battery issue they would be more available.
But the positive terminal side (right or left) is my only decision now.

The one you listed is not available near me, and this one has 800 CCA.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...c20-pickup-rwd

The CCA is the thing to look for, right? Higher, the better?

[The Rocknrod]

Originally Posted by Asshat

The one you listed is not available near me, and this one has 800 CCA.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...c20-pickup-rwd

The CCA is the thing to look for, right? Higher, the better?

I find that online sometimes also. Call the store, they'll have it there in one day or less.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

I find that online sometimes also. Call the store, they'll have it there in one day or less.

I know. However, my point is, the one I found is $20 less and has more CCA.

[The Rocknrod]

Hey if it fits go for it. I'm opting for a longer warranty.

[Asshat]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

Hey if it fits go for it. I'm opting for a longer warranty.

Oh, ok. I didn’t see that.

What about the Optima Red and Yellow batteries? Are they worth the money?

[vin63]

There are only a couple of manufacturers anymore. Get the battery with highest CCA and longest warranty you can afford. If you don't drive your truck very often, invest in a Battery Tender, or similar product. I currently run a Deka-made battery that has 650 CCA with a 3-year replacement warranty in my C10.

[bigmoe]

I gave up on traditional wet cell batteries years ago. I only buy AGM batteries. I believe Optima batteries are AGM but there are other brands as well.

[1slo64]

Don't have one in my truck but for my Bronco I have an interstate battery, was $90 at Costco.

[AcampoDave]

I had a Superstart Extreme and it was a good battery. When it finally konked out, I wondered if an Optima Red Top would be even better. Before making a decision, I went on to Amazon and read the customer reviews for the Red Top. They weren't too good with lots of people regretting their purchase. In the end, I went right back to O'Reilly and got another Superstart Extreme. O'Reilly has always been good about honoring their warranty and it kept my business right here in town.

[karlbenz]

interstate

[bigmoe]

A number of years ago I bought a used GM car for my wife that was about 14 years old but had really low mileage. Previous owner said the only problem they had was it went through batteries because they often didn't drive it for months and the battery would die from the small draw of the computer. The dealership put an AC Delco Gold Professional in it. It was an AGM battery. When the battery finally went on me I found the date tag on it when removing and it was very close to ten years old. I put one in my 65.

[Chevy Fleetside]

Just bought and interstate from Costco for $89. Sits for weeks and is still up on charge. I had a duracrap oh I mean duralast that would not stay charged. I will never buy dura anything again.

[61hawk]

Want to hear something crazy? A friend of mine was a regional manager for Advance Auto, he said they pay $22 (I think that was the price) for every battery in the store for their brand of battery. This price was mentioned about 10 years ago. He said when you order a half-million batteries at a time you get a small discount.

Oil filters were 60 cents each.

[61hawk]

Aren't there only three battery manufacturers left in this country?

[vin63]

Originally Posted by 61hawk

Aren't there only three battery manufacturers left in this country?

Yes, Johnson Controls, Exide, and Deka-East Penn.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by vin63

Yes, Johnson Controls, Exide, and Deka-East Penn.

I knew that (or at least remembered hearing it), but I couldn't remember the names. I think that it has been that way for decades?

[CarolinaHD]

Napa Gold for the past 10 years

[The Rocknrod]

Looks like Johnson Controls sold off the battery section
https://cleantechnica.com/2019/05/06...cle-batteries/
Clarios - https://www.clarios.com/

[Killer Bee]

regardless of corporate ownership, there are still hundreds of different brands, manufacturing plants and standards, etc. that were previously separately owned and still produce individual quality levels we find in the retail market..

I'm not a battery salesman but automotive, truck, and heavy equipment battery application is definitely in my wheelhouse.. quick snapshot of our fleet use in my area shops shows ytd issue 439 800u red tops, 227 gp65, 77 gp48, and so on.. I oversee quite a few cranking battery replacements, it's daily routine around here.. although we don't have any direct input on brand choices, we do see certain brand models stand out in performance just like the difference between a ct6, corvette and a spark, 1 cad, 2 chevy, all GM but drastic performance differences..

some battery manufacturers have remained more intact through corporate buyouts, mergers, etc. like interstate which is still 98% American made, the rest in mexico I believe which at least is still north america..

https://www.interstatebatteries.com/about/our-history

https://www.b4usa.com/interstate-battery/

sears diehard used to be a very reliable highly trusted brand.. since sears has essentially folded up, I'm not sure what happened to the diehard battery line if it even exists in its original form or just brand label on some other budget crap, or if it even exists at all..

agm leader odyssey is owned by enersys > hawker and I believe that's it, not part of any other corporate umbrella that I'm aware of but what difference would it make.. most other brands pale compared to odyssey specs but they specialize in that high performance market.. they're made in the US, UK, and France.. 100% virgin lead and chinesium free.. faster inrush, faster discharge, longer shelf, etc. all around top performer..

https://www.odysseybattery.com/about/

high performance wet cell = Trojan which is now a c&d tech company.. arguably the best wet cell in it's deep cycle market application..

https://www.trojanbattery.com/

there really isn't any magical solution.. some corporate groups own more premium higher performing product companies and some focus on budget and economy brands.. some extreme performance products don't even fall under these major corporate groups.. if you do your research, you should be able find a decent cranking battery at a fair price for your application.. .

good luck!