Best Battery brands?

[SouthernGypsy]

So who do you think makes the best truck batteries in today's world?

They are more expensive and heavier so not for everyone but if you absolutely have to have the best....

Odyssey Extreme or Odyssey Performance hands down!

I run a pair of their Performance 850 CCA / 1500 PCHA Start Surge models on my 2021 Longhorn Limited Edition Cummins Diesel 4x4. First weekend I had the 2021 I took out the stock batteries and put in the Odyssey's I'd kept from my 2018 Laramie, already 4+ years old yet I still trusted them more than I trusted the brand new factory installed batteries and they have already started the truck after sitting for two days in -23 degree temp on an early morning with below -45 windchill (winds was 20-40 MPH steady with gust up to 60+ MPH) this winter. Also them on my previous two trucks as well. Also have one of their Extreme model 1500 CCA / 1850 PCHA Surge on my trailer to run my winch, and another of their 1500 CCA / 1850 PCHA models on my Jeep Rubicon with a 12k winch, on-board Air compressor/tank, and trail welder and run a pair of them in my Boat which has a lot of electronics and we often park with the stereo going.


While wheelin' out in Moab, Utah last summer we came across a Toyota pickup who had slid off a steep hill and started winching him up with my Jeep and I shut my Jeep off when we stopped to re-rig part way up, when we started winching again I didn't think to re-start my Jeep and once we had the truck moving again didn't want to stop so kept winching and after a couple of minutes one of the guys in the group with the truck owner asked about me not restarting my Jeep and I told him naw, it's ok... He said "You must trust your battery" and I just smiled, nodded and said 'Absolutely!', For the next 8-10 mins of the pull until we had the truck out he kept asking about killing my battery worried that I'd kill my battery but the winch never slowed and when we got the truck up I hopped in and the Jeep fired right up and his jaw just dropped, he couldn't believe a battery could take that and still start the Jeep. Only one battery I'd try that with


It's what most of your Ambulance, Fire, and emergency service vehicle manufactures use. Think of it as a hybrid between a starting battery and a deep cycle battery. The Optima batteries that was popular a few years back (before they started making them in Mexico and the lifespan and quality went down the toilet) was kind of a knock-off, but the Optima only had 6 coil cells, the Odyssey's have between 12 and 24 cells depending on the model with much tighter windings so store a lot more reserve power and higher CCA. You can mount them upside down if you want.


This is the model that fits most of the RAM's...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GTR43NS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4WP (4 Wheel Parts) also carries them in stock at many of their locations and once a year runs a "No Tax, No Shipping Fee" sale on them.

 

[Wild one]

They are more expensive and heavier so not for everyone but if you absolutely have to have the best....

Odyssey Extreme or Odyssey Performance hands down!

I run a pair of their Performance 850 CCA / 1500 PCHA Start Surge models on my 2021 Longhorn Limited Edition Cummins Diesel 4x4. First weekend I had the 2021 I took out the stock batteries and put in the Odyssey's I'd kept from my 2018 Laramie, already 4+ years old yet I still trusted them more than I trusted the brand new factory installed batteries and they have already started the truck after sitting for two days in -23 degree temp on an early morning with below -45 windchill (winds was 20-40 MPH steady with gust up to 60+ MPH) this winter. Also them on my previous two trucks as well. Also have one of their Extreme model 1500 CCA / 1850 PCHA Surge on my trailer to run my winch, and another of their 1500 CCA / 1850 PCHA models on my Jeep Rubicon with a 12k winch, on-board Air compressor/tank, and trail welder and run a pair of them in my Boat which has a lot of electronics and we often park with the stereo going.


While wheelin' out in Moab, Utah last summer we came across a Toyota pickup who had slid off a steep hill and started winching him up with my Jeep and I shut my Jeep off when we stopped to re-rig part way up, when we started winching again I didn't think to re-start my Jeep and once we had the truck moving again didn't want to stop so kept winching and after a couple of minutes one of the guys in the group with the truck owner asked about me not restarting my Jeep and I told him naw, it's ok... He said "You must trust your battery" and I just smiled, nodded and said 'Absolutely!', For the next 8-10 mins of the pull until we had the truck out he kept asking about killing my battery worried that I'd kill my battery but the winch never slowed and when we got the truck up I hopped in and the Jeep fired right up and his jaw just dropped, he couldn't believe a battery could take that and still start the Jeep. Only one battery I'd try that with


It's what most of your Ambulance, Fire, and emergency service vehicle manufactures use. Think of it as a hybrid between a starting battery and a deep cycle battery. The Optima batteries that was popular a few years back (before they started making them in Mexico and the lifespan and quality went down the toilet) was kind of a knock-off, but the Optima only had 6 coil cells, the Odyssey's have between 12 and 24 cells depending on the model with much tighter windings so store a lot more reserve power and higher CCA. You can mount them upside down if you want.


This is the model that fits most of the RAM's...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GTR43NS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4WP (4 Wheel Parts) also carries them in stock at many of their locations and once a year runs a "No Tax, No Shipping Fee" sale on them.

Windchill doesn't mean it was -45,the ambient temp is still only -23.Windchill only means things cool off at the rate of -45,but the ambient temp your truck feels is only -23.Up here we get -40 or colder ambient temps ,that's when you want your block heater plugged in,lol

 

[Murphy Slaw]

When my battery died last summer, I got one from NAPA because they were close by and I was in a hurry.

The ORIGINAL battery that came out of my 2016 was dated 2013.

So it lasted 8 years.

 

[SouthernGypsy]

Windchill doesn't mean it was -45,the ambient temp is still only -23.Windchill only means things cool off at the rate of -45,but the ambient temp your truck feels is only -23.Up here we get -40 or colder ambient temps ,that's when you want your block heater plugged in,lol

Yes, I'm aware of that. Was just showing how cold it was and while windchill doesn't affect metal the way it does humans the wind that strong blowing through and around things allows the ambient temp to quickly chill it's way into everything. I didn't end up needing the block heater (and where I was no place to plug it in anyway) but the automatic pre-heat process did take just over 2 minutes. The longest I have ever seen.

 

[Bandit517]

That's right. Johnson Controls Inc used to have about 70-75% of the U.S. car battery market. I don't know what their current market share is. Exide is another big player. There might be another small player in there. Napa and Marathon batteries are made by Exide (per an internet search). Optima batteries is a Johnson Controls product as well. So, yes, there's a lot of private labeling of the same batteries.

However, within each price-class by the same manufacturer there are a few tiers of battery quality. For example your expensive premium batteries will use all or mostly new lead and new acid, heavier duty plates (longer lasting) and have more internal support structure. Therefore they should last longer. Also a longer warranty. The less expensive batteries will use recycled products (not necessarily a bad thing) and less supports and probably thinner internal plates, things that help reduce material costs while still being safe. Kind of like candy bars: bite-size, normal and king-size LOL. A certain battery company (or label) might sell batteries made by more than one company. And batteries can be made to a seller's specifications too, even if it's actual manufacturing is done by one of the larger companies.

If you buy a 4yr warranty battery at Walmart or see a similar product at your farm and barn, and they both say Exide on them in small print somewhere, there's a good chance they are going to be the same exact product off the same assembly line with a different sticker. This is not an uncommon practice in the manufacturing world. A lot of products are re-branded.

All You Need To Know About Who Makes Interstate Batteries – AutoTroop

I was hoping someone posted about this. I was told many years ago about there only being a couple battery manufactures and everyone is just slapping their stickers on them pretty much.

This is a decent link to give you the broad strokes.

Tech Tips

www.cartechbooks.com

 

[Gary2]

Been running Odyssey Batteries for about close to 20 years . It started with the Sears Platinum Die Hard which was an Odyssey for my Jeep being it had a winch I needed a good battery and the Jeep forums swore by them. Sears went belly up so I use the Odyssey Performance battery in my Ram and every one of the family members vehicles. I found Autozone had the best price I could find when I last bought one a couple years ago. The old 99 Jeep TJ still has a Sears Platinum Die Hard in it to this day .


Take a look at their web site and do some reading , its pretty impressive /

 

[Jeepwalker]

...It started with the Sears Platinum Die Hard which was an Odyssey for my Jeep

Hmmm, thanks for sharing. I was not aware of that.

 

[Ajax5]

I wouldn't say best in the world, but I've had great luck with Advance Auto Parts Platinum AGM batteries (Diehard). I have also had good luck with Autozone's AGM (Duralast). Each of which I've gotten at least 7 years out of.

Wow….you can’t go wrong with getting 7 years out of a battery

 

[fran-c7]

I have had a repair center for 38 years now and Interstate has always had the best battery, have had customers with interstate batteries in there cars for like 10 years and no issues.

 

[olrobk]

OP should start a best battery warranty thread, maybe that is better info. Batteries plus warranty isnt good, they have a caveat the battery cannot be drained, well dummy how would we know the battery is no good until it dies? Thus if you bring the battery in dead with no charge it annuls the warranty, I found this out after I bought a battery there, and that was my last battery I will buy from there, but I put it up as a place that sells die hard and duracell large batteries, in fact they have a monopoly on gate size batteries, to my knowledge nobody sells those except them in duracell deep cycle 12. And if you have an electric gate, deep cycle duracell sla 12v you can do no better.

I can't figure out what you're trying to say here.

 

[Ram-in-PA]

I have an Interstate now that replaced the OE Battery (from 2015, OE battery only lasted about 42 months). The Interstate was a quick easy replacement.

If I had more time, I likely would have tracked down an Deka (East Penn Manufacturing) as I have used those for decades and always found them to last, have a LOT of juice to crank crapping running vehicles.

 

[Big Blue Hemi]

My OEM battery lasted 9 years and I replaced it just because I thought that it might fail at the most inconvenient time. Replaced with an Interstate after reading many reviews. Have also had very good results with Duralast batteries in my other vehicles. Johnson Controls makes most of the top names. I understand Odyssey is a good battery but not sure the higher cost is warranted.

 

[mtwofeathers]

I wouldn't say best in the world, but I've had great luck with Advance Auto Parts Platinum AGM batteries (Diehard). I have also had good luck with Autozone's AGM (Duralast). Each of which I've gotten at least 7 years out of.

So basically your saying Johnson controls make a good battery! They make both brands. EverStart batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls as well. Interstate too. Only about 3 companies make all batteries used. Think of it like a black box with the brand owners name on it. Same black box with interstate on it.

 

[retired]

my OEM battery lasted about 9 months and under 9000 miles in my 2020 2500. They replaced it under warranty with a slightly different battery.

 

[rbnhood66]

So who do you think makes the best truck batteries in today's world?

So back in the day when I was a Parts Manager for CarQuest, there were only two companies in the US that built batteries for the US Market. Johnson Labs and one other I can't remember the name of right off. So's you guys know, that they do is use the "ingredients" so to say that the retailer requests (AutoZone "Duralast", Interstate, or any other brand) in the config for the batteries that retailer sales. AutoZone, Interstate, and Diehard, USED to be some of the best in the industry. I use the Duralast Gold in my trucks, and have had extremely good luck with them. I don't have an Interstate dealer near me, or they would be up on my choice also. Hope that helps.

 

[Silby]

I've always had great luck with the Napa Legend batteries. I buy the blue labeled batteries and I put them in every vehicle I ever owned. I will do the same when it comes time to replace the battery in my new Ram too

I had one in my 1992 Nissan pickup, that I replaced last year, and bought it in 2010. My 2014 Ram still has the original and I live in Montana.

 

[atxmike53]

Interstate Batteries.

 

[thebuilderman]

So apparently there are many Johnson companie. I googled Johnson energy, labs and control. Well maybe Johnson energy. None I found have anything to do with batteries. Maybe someone can provide a link.
I’ve always liked the interstate batteries and the sears diehard when there was a sears.
Now I just use the Top Napa brand. It’s good. I get about 4-5 years in Colorado with my Cummins. I’d like to get more Years though.

 

[Quick_Shifter]

I have an Interstate now that replaced the OE Battery (from 2015, OE battery only lasted about 42 months). The Interstate was a quick easy replacement.

If I had more time, I likely would have tracked down an Deka (East Penn Manufacturing) as I have used those for decades and always found them to last, have a LOT of juice to crank crapping running vehicles.

Napa’s batteries are made by Deka. I found that out after I put my Deka in just wanting to support my local companies. Then realized how great they are

 

[DA Smith]

In my 58 years of owning and driving vehicles with most every brand of battery you can name I can't claim any brand as the best. I've purchased high dollar big name batteries and inexpensive never heard of batteries. I can say that usually the least expensive battery with the correct dimensions to fit the vehicle and the correct cold cranking amps for the vehicle has been the longest lasting for me. Lots of time you pay big bucks just because of brand names. I've had high dollar batteries that didn't last 18 months and I've had inexpensive batteries that totally surprised me that lasted for many years. My philosophy is look for the best price battery that's meets the vehicles specifications.