What batteries do you guys like to use?

i load tested mine today at school they are RIGHT on the edge of being unreliable in real cold weather.

i know about g-31's but i want plug and play. i don't want to have to do any modifications to anything.

right now the truck has diehard gold's @875cca.

i was looking at the duralast bats from a-zone. they are 850cca.

thanks for any input.

 

Plug and play i would look at Deka batteries. The ones we have at work seem to be rated higher than the same group size youd find most other places....

They are pretty pricey though.

Basically look around and try to find the highest CCA you can afford.

 

the highest cca i have found is 850. i remember a guy on ob.net said something about some 1,000cca's that weren't g-31's. i will have to do some searching over there tomorrow.

 

I used to always run Optima redtops...but i've heard that their quality has gone downhill the past couple years...... Never used one in a diesel, but i have had good luck with Interstate batteries. had one in a jeep and never had a problem. always started in the cold(AMC V8's dont like to crank in cold weather), ran a 9000lb winch with no issues along with aftermarket offroad lights. thats all with a stock alternator. I even accidently ran it over with a chevy crewcab dually one time and continued using it with no issues .

 

i think i am going to get the motorcraft bats from the dealer. they are actually cheaper than autozone or advance.

 

The group 31 post type battery can be used without mods to the box or cables, might have to have longer hold down bolts though. I like to use the stud type to make hooking up accessories easier and I have less corrosion with them.

 

You may want to bend that lip on the battery tray if you go with a group 31 to prevent it cutting into the battery case

 

i thought the g-31's would hit the hood or come REALLY close on the obs trucks?

 

Funny you should say that, my dad runs them and it seems that they have. They used to last about 8 years. Last few we went through we had for 4 and 6. There is a guy here locally that claims he can rebuild them better for more amps more reserve and longer life, but he wants about 300 a pop.

I run Les Schwab XHD series in mine. 875cca 750ca Been good batteries so far, had them 3 yrs. Cant remember who makes them for them. Mount right up just fine.

Thinking about going to their step up series they offer a smaller 1000cca 800ca but has less reserve. Since seeing NMB2's success with cold weather starts on a single battery, im thinking of ditching the second for room. After all, if you have to crank it for more than 20 seconds you have something in need of fixing anyway, and any single battery should be capable of that.

 

is this a g-31?
Heavy-Duty Farm Battery, HP31E - 0470904 | Tractor Supply Company

 

I run interstate mtp-65 no problems as of yet. I have always had good luck with them in any vehicle I owned

 

For my road truck I run the les schwab batt, for my off road rig I run th optima red gell cell batt we run the optimas in our boats too they can really take a lot of jarring and beating and still take a good charge.

 

i've been using an optima i bought new just less than 3 years ago, and had it tested today because i had a feeling i was cranking too slow. put out 644 CA, rated 1000ca/800cca, so failed the test. battery it was mated with was dead, dropped to 9 volts during the test, and got replaced with a new carquest battery, 1020ca/850cca. holy hell, it cranks twice as fast as it ever has, and without the voltage drop!
for a long time i swore by optimas, but seeing this one fail a test so soon has me concerned with the quality

 

I use the Oreilly Auto Parts brand Super Start Extreme....ran the **** outta them with multiple headlights, running a light trailer and using all my accessories on the stock alt....I even ran them completely dead(left key on). Put them on a charger....45minutes of charging apiece, back to normal....never had a problem in 4 years....

 

The extremes I ran are 880CCA btw, and you need the Gold labeled one to get quality, 112.00 bucks apiece, but I cold started the 84 with just one battery....