Start Battery Options

tx_shooter

It is not a war crime the first time.
Staff member
So my start battery has been turning the motor over really slow this week in the first week of 30 degree temps in the morning. I looked it up; the battery is a little over 2.5 years old now. My old job had me starting up the motor a dozen times a day and not fully recharged every time so the start battery was abused pretty good.

Now that I am not abusing my rig like that all the time I would not mind putting a better battery in it. Question is which battery? Optima Red Tops have a bad reputation since they went to Mexico. Anyone have bad experiences with the Yellow Top? Or is there another good option?

Since I have a house battery for accessories I do not have to go with a huge start battery. Stock or compatible to stock is fine.
 

Taco Loco

Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Last battery I got was at Advanced Auto for the F150screw, $146 AGM battery with 3 YR FREE REPLACEMENT) for the specs and price, there was no comparison battery out there that could beat these numbers below.
  • Amp Hour: 80.0 AH
    Cold Cranking Amperage: 850 A
    Cranking Amperage: 1000 A
    Height: 7.5 in
    Length: 12.437 in
    Negative Terminal Location: Top Left
    Positive Terminal Location: Top Right
    Reserve Capacity: 140 min
    Terminal Type: Top Mount
    Voltage: 12.0 VDC
    Weight: 51.8 lb
    Width: 6.937 in


DB78B5E5-FBF5-4F89-84C2-5E9B11B90D3E.png
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
I would have to agree with @Taco Loco. Just get a battery that can replaced or swapped out at a popular auto parts store.

I'm running Odyssey's but fuck them when you have to buy a $100 Odyssey specific battery charger and recondition them every 6 months. Optima's suck ass too.

I think guys on here were saying the Everstart batteries were pretty good for the money?
 

Oswego

n00b
Ive always had good luck with Duralast, but I do not tax my systems with any aux power sucking devises. Just put a new on in the Tacoma 2 months ago, and she can crank for a long time before she loses power lol

Reminds me I need to plug my tender into her again.
 

AlienXtx

Nignog
Ive always had good luck with Duralast, but I do not tax my systems with any aux power sucking devises. Just put a new on in the Tacoma 2 months ago, and she can crank for a long time before she loses power lol

Reminds me I need to plug my tender into her again.
You should just train those squirrels
 

Oswego

n00b
Ive got so many if I got a big enough hamster wheel they could power my house
 

tx_shooter

It is not a war crime the first time.
Staff member
The "available at any big auto store" route is how I am leaning. The more digging I do the more I think/read the era of +5 years from a battery are gone. A good battery with decent life is better than a great battery with crap life. Not even going into the $$ of it.
 

Oswego

n00b
Duralast gold is 3 years - their normal are 2 year warranties. Use to be 5 years for their gold line I think.?.
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Duralast gold is 3 years - their normal are 2 year warranties. Use to be 5 years for their gold line I think.?.
Even the duralast gold's suck now. I had those in my step dad's diesel which we didn't start for a few months and both batteries had cells die in them. I had to fight autozone's manager to get them replaced under warranty too.
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
The "available at any big auto store" route is how I am leaning. The more digging I do the more I think/read the era of +5 years from a battery are gone. A good battery with decent life is better than a great battery with crap life. Not even going into the $$ of it.
Yep, you nailed it on the head there.
 

Oswego

n00b
Even the duralast gold's suck now. I had those in my step dad's diesel which we didn't start for a few months and both batteries had cells die in them. I had to fight autozone's manager to get them replaced under warranty too.


Greeeeaaaat...... I just put one in the Tacoma 2-3 months ago.
 

Taco Loco

Tired and Lazy, married to ‘The Laundry Fairy’
Greeeeaaaat...... I just put one in the Tacoma 2-3 months ago.

I never had an issue with their batteries, and I think the last one lasted almost 6 years, I’m currently running one in my Taco replaced in 2017.

My future replacement of any Auto/RV etc. will be one the platinum AGM from Autocraft with 25% off.
 

Anathollo

Armorall is my choice of lube
Staff member
Greeeeaaaat...... I just put one in the Tacoma 2-3 months ago.
Now that I think about it, my nephew had to replace his Duralast Gold around the same time I replaced the ones in the diesel. I don't know how old that battery was though. Hopefully you'll have a better experience with them than I did.
 
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