Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Truck Battery Replacment Suggestions

1996 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 12V Cummins....

I use a Battery Tender religiously, and while I have had zero issues, the batteries are going on their 8th birthday. With hunting season approaching, I'm thinking I may need replacements soon. Any preferences? Anything to stay away from?

Thanks

If the batteries you have are doing well that long, I'd stay with that brand.
What are they?

Costco.

I believe ther is only a couple companies making batteries anyway. They just get re-branded and sold in different colors.

8 years for any, much less both, batteries is great, you're doing something right.

I've sold quite a few brands over the years, back in my counterman days.

Had the least amount of warranties from Interstate/Ameritron (Johnson Controls), followed closely by Deka and Exide.

Had the most warranties and comebacks from Douglas, by orders of magnitude.

As with any such subject YMMV.

Never had problems with Interstate batteries either. They are GTG.

Wab,

I believe they are Interstate, but not 100% sure - I will check later.

Battery Tender Jr. is in my humble opinion, one of the greatest inventions of all time.

I will not say they are the best, but I've been buying Wal-Mart batteries.
Not hard to find a Wal-Mart for any warranty.

Our son is a believer in Interstates.

We have enough rigs, I like to keep a newer battery in the outfit that gets far from home, and shuffle the old battery down to a tractor.

I'm not sure but the dude at CARQUEST told me Interstate batteries are now made in Mexico.

CARQUEST batteries are supposedly made in the USA.

Last 3-4 batteries we bought this year have been CARQUEST brand.

My bil claims John Deere is the best, they add acid the day you buy them.

There are only a few major manufacturers of batteries. Do some reasearch on the size batteries you are looking for and see who really makes them. Many of the "value brand" batteries are made at the same plant at the really expensive ones and if the specs are the same, it's likely the same battery just rebranded.

Knock on wood, I haven't had to buy any batteries for my Cummins, I have used Walmart brand and Advance Auto batteries in my boats with good luck. Easy to find a Walmart or Advance if you are in need of replacement as well.

Wow.. 8 years on truck batteries is good stuff..

I, too, use battery tenders on most of my batteries - but not the truck since it's used nearly daily.

I'll second that....

Costco replaces batteries within the first 3 years with no questions asked...so every 33 months or so, I take it out of the vehicle in the parking lot and have it replaced with a new one, no charge...have one in each of our 5 family vehicles..

I buy factory blems from a nearby Interstate Distributor. His batteries come from the Johnson Controls factory in St. Joseph, Mo. I can never beat his price and have had good service with them.

We run Walmart/Sams

Never had any, including diesel, last less than 4-5 years.

Just pulled one recently off our diesel tractor, that was right at 10 years old. Come to find out it was not the battery but a kill switch adjustment that wouldn't allow it to work at times. But that old it was time to replace anyway.

The other good thing, when on the road, with walmart batteries in our airboats, vehicles, travel trailer etc... I can almost always find a replacement fairly quickly and easily.

One thing you will find out is now the only warranty you get is free one year replacement.

I did not check Costco, but Autozone, Advanced, Napa, Sears Die Hard,Pepboys,O'Rileys, all the same.

I believe in Napa batteries, in my truck x2, tractor, boat.

cost but hold up.

last battery I bought though was a deep cycle from sams for my sprayer. the Duracell batteries they sell are Deka made in usa betteries.

I do the same now, since I have a account at the local store, where I worked many years ago, and they no longer sell Ameritron or Deka.

IIRC Napa's house brand is Exide, unless that's changed in the last few years. I've had good luck from them.

If you get the better line they have 18 months free replacement, then pro-rata after that, which only helps a little unless you paid full retail (and nobody paid full retail when I was there).

I don't know about all Costco battery's, but the ones I buy for the boat have a 30 month declining warranty.

First year is 100%, then it drops off precipitously. The last 10 or 15 months they only refund 10%.

I buy the Marine Deep cycle ones. 750 "Marine" Cranking Amps! whatever that means.

I use 6v batts in series on my RV and they have the same warranty. The 12v car batts are 3 years no questions.
I got almost 8 years from the Motorcraft battery that was new in my F250 and that baterry got abused.

If you plan on keeping that old Dodge,don't scrimp, buy the best batteries you can find. Will cost in excess of 200 bucks.