Battery Replacement

[loncray]

Forgive me if this has been answered recently (a quick Search didn't show anything), but how quickly have folks been replacing their OEM batteries? My truck is two years old and has over 40k miles and I'm wondering when I should hie me down to the Optima people for new ones. Which Optima battery have people been using? Yellow top, Red top, Blue top - or some combination thereof? Finally, do Optima batteries come with any special strap or mechanism to hold them in the much larger battery trays? Thanks!

 

[SRadke]

Well cared for stock batteries should last a minimum of 4 years. Many do not make it that long due to a variety of reasons.



I don't know much about Optima's but whatever you choose use two identical batteries, not a combination of anything.



-Scott

 

[loncray]

Thank you SRadke - that's the answer I was looking for. Is there anything in particular I need to do to take care of them, other'n not letting them get discharged?

 

[rashwor]

Bought my '99 in May of '99. It still has the orginal batteries on it today. I had good luck with just keeping the terminals clean and making sure they were not drained of juice on a regular basis. Hope the '05's do as well.

 

[SRadke]

Not letting them discharge is HUGE. A single event of leaving your lights on till the batteries are totally dead (which the third gens won't let you do ) can take as much as a year off your battery life. Also things like CB radios that act as a constant but insignificant drain when left on all the time may be more significant than you think. Try to turn them off when you park.



Now, where's all you guys with advice on Optima's?



-Scott

 

[y-knot]

I have never gotten over 4 years out of a factory battery. They are like everything else the factory uses that is disposable, the cheapest parts they could get. Tires and batteries seem to be in the same boat, as nether one last like a quality replacement does. I really like the Optima batteries, they are the only ones I replace factory batteries with and they are also the only ones that last more then five years without worry of being stranded somewhere. If you feel uncertain about your trucks batteries, then I would replace them before winter weather leaves you without power.

 

[RonsRig]

In Arizona, if you get 2 years out of a battery you are real lucky. I have talked to folks that have over 4 years on their Optimas.



Costco has red tops at about $100 each. They come with a spacer that makes up for the difference in size. Get both the same type.

 

[WhiteSheep]

Optima the Best

I agree with Ron. AZ kills batteries fast. Two years with stock is as good as it gets. I have a friend who got eight year's off a red top running a Ford 460 F250 here in Phoenix. I will run dual red tops after I get two years out of my stock batteries. You guys with less heat may do better with other brands.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I replaced the batteries on my 2004 about 2 months after getting it. A friend needed new batteries so I got a little for them, to help with the cost of 2 red top 800 Optimas. Costco has the smaller 700s which use a honeycomb spacer under them. The 800s use two plastic brackets that snap to the bottom on each side so the new Ram's bottom hold downs will fit. Pep Boys and Autozone carry the 800s. Optima recommended using the 800s not the smaller ones.

 

[Buffalo]

I've had pretty much the same experience as the other guys from AZ. The excessive heat kills regular batteries in 2 years, or less. The Optima's (Costco) last about 4 years. On my '91. 5 W-250, I've noticed that the Optima's start to "fade" when they get older. They don't seem to just "drop dead". They give You a little warning that they are going to expire. The truck starter motor doesn't spin as fast.

Something I've wanted to ask, here, for awhile, now. My '03 batteries look like regular batteries but the caps say they are sealed and not to try to pry off the caps, to add water. Have any of You added water to them? My '91. 5's original battery said the same thing, but underneath the label were 6, flush mounted, caps where You could add water. When I finally discovered this, the water level was barely over the tops of the plates. Seems like Dodge wanted us to have premature dead batteries so they could sell more new ones. Joe F. (Buffalo)



I'm amazed the guy with the For got 8 years out of his Optima. Although, I heard of one guy that got 11 years, out of one. He even moved the battery from one vehicle to another!

 

[DPKetchum]

JUST replaced the factory battery in my 1998 1500 last month! Wanted a optima battery and counter guy talked me out of it. Said unless serious off roading and serious vibration issues they were NOT worth the extra money(LIKE DOUBLE)

 

[jimnance]

My '99 CTD with over 100K still has the original batteries. Just this year with the cold weather I am finally seeing some evidence that the end will come. Probably one January morning when it's butt cold and the grid heater needs a double cycle to start. Even then, I may be able to nurse them until next fall. I think five years and over 100K is pretty good. I wouldn't replace them until they start talking to you.



I'll bet the guys in the heat are having troubles because the water is boiling out more rapidly. I don't recall if my '99's are serviceable or not????

 

[MichaelWright]

I just bought the red top Optimas from Sears. Truck spends some time sitting out in the cold unplugged. I don't want to get back to the yard at 2am and not be able to go home. I swapped the batteries at 25,000 miles. 3 year warranty on the Optimas is nice too!



Mike

 

[Spoon40]

My '98 12v just turned 7 yrs old with 130,000 mi. I still have the factory batteries. Before our last trip(5,000 mi) with our 12,000 lb 5th whl I had them checked at an "Interstate" battery store. They checked good and employee said that this is not uncommon. I do leave a floating trickle charger hooked up since this truck is not a daily driver. Further, the weather where I live is not excessively hot. --John

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Regular batteries in second gen Rams like to spit acid onto the fenders. Get Optimas!

 

[willyslover]

my factory batteries are gone in my rig [in fact they wouldn't turn over the rig in the last cold snap a couple weeks ago, and I had to charge them/use the starter help mode on the charger]. . I have a 2100 Odyssey to place in there once I get off my lazzzzzzzy buttt and make the new cables needed for it ...

 

[DPKetchum]

The one I put in my 98 gas burner is sealed,just not a Optima. Counter guy convinced me that it was not worth almost double for a battery really designed for off road Baja like conditions. Been wanting a Optima for two years waiting for the orignal battery to fail. Warranty was the SAME.

 

[Nukebike]

Replaced first Factory Battery after 2. 5 years and the second one lasted 5 years! How about that?

 

[Cummins4WD]

Autozone gives a five or six year warranty when you buy their Optimas... I bought one at Batteries plus and only got 3 years and then stumbled upon Autozone's warranty.



I've run three of them for about 8 years on my different Jeeps and sware by the Red Top Optimas. I would think we would want the 800 CCA the red top's offer for our CTD's.



The $99 one's at Costco are 750 CCA's and the 800 CCA's run about $130 but you have to get somewhere else like Autozone or Batteries Plus.

 

[HeavyHauler]

My batteries are dead at 88,000 miles over 5 years. I'm going to pick up 2 Optima D31 Yellow-Tops at Advance Auto Parts tomorrow morning. Their price is better than any that I've seen on the net for them - but it still hurts!



I hope I'm lucky enough to get the 7 - 10 years that some people have reported getting out of Optimas.