Battery frustrations (1 Viewer)

[parabola]

Battery choices

Unfortunately, it seems my stock Lexus battery is starting to go. It cranks just fine but has started to leak acid at the bracket on the top. Not bad for 10 years and 125k miles of TX heat.

Since we cannot get these wonderful Panasonic batteries, I've been off looking for a reasonably priced but reliable replacement. After research, I settled on a Diehard International 27F. Funny though, all the Sears I've visited here in Austin have the northern version of this battery. I can't figure out why they have these here in Central TX, nor why it seems to be the ONLY battery they have the northern version of.

Question #1: Has anyone seen a Southern version of this battery?

I've searched around and everyone who responds to the various battery threads seems to be people willing to spend ~$200 on a battery. I think this may be a bit overkill for me and was hoping to hear about some more choices in the sub $150 category.

Maybe a battery thread to add to the FAQ?

 

[firetruck41]

I got the walmart battery, I'll have to go out in the AM and check which one it was. It is made by a good batt manufacturer, and is $68 with a 3 or 5 yr warranty IIRC.

 

[informationjunky]

Optima 34R mail order for ~$130

 

[jditom]

Optima 34R mail order for ~$130

Agree! Dry cell, no maintance or leaking!
You get what you pay for.

 

[Romer]

I have dual batteries, one is an Orbital and the other is an Optimal Yellow top. Both Gel battery types.

 

[cruiserdan]

A factory replacement battery is about 90 bucks. Toyota specs a higher cranking average than most group 27F batteries put out. Most group 27F batteries have ~675 cranking amps and the Toyota replacement battery has 710 amps. For the money, it's a decent battery and it has a pretty generous pro-rated warranty as well. Free replacement for the first 24 months, 50/50 for 25 through 48 months and 75/25 for 48 through 84 months.

The factory replacement batteries are made by Interstate, to Toyota specs.

 

[slowpoke]

I bought a Duralast from Autozone.
936 cranking amps and 130 min reserve capacity.
$75

I swapped the ground cable with a 2 guage replacement from Autozone as well. The headlights are much brighter now.

 

[parabola]

Optima 34R mail order for ~$130

Any fitment issues or specific things you had to do to secure it? I assume I'll need the spacer?

 

[parabola]

I have dual batteries, one is an Orbital and the other is an Optimal Yellow top. Both Gel battery types.

Is your Orbital an ES27X?

The warranties seem pretty short on the orbitals, but I like the fact that they are no maintenance gel batteries.

 

[CJF]

Is your Orbital an ES27X?

The warranties seem pretty short on the orbitals

Really??

What's their warranty?

Curtis

 

[firetruck41]

If I were spending "big" $$, I would get an Orbital or other AGM (absorbed glas mat) battery, as they are supeior in several ways to gel cells (ie. Optima), but are in the same price range.

 

[parabola]

Really??

What's their warranty?

Curtis

Hmm, I may have been looking at a different battery than what Romer was talking about.

The deep cycle versions only have a 12 month free replacement warranty, but Romer might have been talking about the Orbital Select which has a 24 month free replacement.

No mention of what the prorated terms are.

 

[ginericLC]

http://www.4wheelparts.com/4wp/prod...=PER&man=PCB&prodline=PCB&catName=Performance

Free shipping this weekend and is just a rebadged Exide. For $120 I think it is a good value. I however have the need for two batteries and I'm thinking of just going with a Costco plain old battery as I can get two for this price.

 

[parabola]

http://www.4wheelparts.com/4wp/prod...=PER&man=PCB&prodline=PCB&catName=Performance

Free shipping this weekend and is just a rebadged Exide. For $120 I think it is a good value. I however have the need for two batteries and I'm thinking of just going with a Costco plain old battery as I can get two for this price.

Great link! For those looking at these, the ProComp part number contains the Exide part number so you can easily figure out which ProComp battery maps to which Exide.

 

[flintknapper]

No need to spend big bucks for a performance battery. Exide has the ORB78DT that puts out 1000 cca. Its smaller than a 27F.

We use them on $750,000 motorhomes (3 wired parallel= 3000 amps).

Many places sell them for just over a C-Note.

http://kingsolar.com/catalog/mfg/exide/orb78dt84.html

 

[firetruck41]

The battery I got, was on the recommendation of someone on the board, had it for 6 months, so no long term report, but it works fine so far. It was a stretch to get the cable to the terminals. It is from walmart, the MAXX-65N, supposedly made by Johnson Controls, 1000cranking amps, 3yr FREE replacement warranty, 9 yr prorated warranty, and was about $68. If you are looking for something relatively cheap, go for it, otherwise get an AGM battery.

 

[Grench]

Optima D31a fits like a glove. At just under 1200 cranking amps, its hard to go wrong. They aren't cheap though. $150 to $180 per unit. I have two in my '96 and one in my wife's '96.

If you're in the desert though, I hear that having a maintainable battery and a jug of distilled water is the way to go.

 

[97 FZJ80]

I have dual batteries, one is an Orbital and the other is an Optimal Yellow top. Both Gel battery types.

Optimas are AGM or absorbed glass mat, which are very different from gel batteries.

 

[97 FZJ80]

Any fitment issues or specific things you had to do to secure it? I assume I'll need the spacer?

The Optima will fit with a spacer on the bottom. Be sure to ask for the freee spacer as many dealers do not include it as part of the battery.

 

[97 FZJ80]

If I were spending "big" $$, I would get an Orbital or other AGM (absorbed glas mat) battery, as they are supeior in several ways to gel cells (ie. Optima), but are in the same price range.

Optimas are AGM batteries.