Replacement Battery?

[Sean]

Whats the best replacement battery? I have the OEM AC Delco in my truck now, its leaking a little plus its 4 years old. Optima or ???

[JrSyko]

Optima hands down.........

[hoeker]

optima, no question

[RanchoRacer1600]

optima uses no acids..much better

[wetmonkey]

you can get a red top at costco for $99.99...plus tax

[ntsqd]

[ QUOTE ]
optima uses no acids..much better

[/ QUOTE ]

Optima's are "<font color="blue">AGM</font>" batteries. They have Sulfuric Acid like any wet cell battery, but the acid is <font color="blue">A</font>bsorbed into a <font color="blue">G</font>lass <font color="blue">M</font>atting.

I'm not convinced they are the best option. Perhaps they are the most common best option. I've seen a few die from rough use, and heard of many more.

Catapiller used to sell wet cell batteries that had binding straps on the bottom of the plates as well as the top. Common car batteries only have the strap across the top. In rough use the plates can bang into each other w/o that bottom strap. Once the plates hit, that cell is usually done. <font color="blue"> </font>

[desertracer]

I have heard good stuff about the oddysee(sp) batteries. They are dry cell and contain no acid if I am correct. We run the gel cell batteries in the race car with no problems but may switch to oddysee next time around. Anybody know more info on the oddysee?

[matt_helton]

i have had one red top completly fail on me in the SY2 when i was beating it up once, but that was one time and the battery was 7 years old and had been beat to hell 500 times. i still swear by them.

[fishd00d]

I bought a redtop from Costco for $99 and it was CRAP! They are not the same as the red top you get from a dealer....do not buy the $99 ones for anything except MAYBE a DD. Off-Road I would suggest the Yellow Top or Blue Top for sure.

[McClintock]

Optimas amaze me. A red top fell out of a truck going 50 MPH at ROR while i was helping Greg out, not a scratch on the battery, the posts were still even good. I mean this thing took a licking... More importantly, the guy put it back in and kept on racing that day!

[rkracing]

Id say go for an Exide Orbital battery, they are the same design as an Optima, but I think they are cheaper. They sell them on Kragen or Checkers auto parts.

[Marshall]

I had a regulator on my high output alt. go bad and pump my yellow top into a ball. It was blowing stink out of the vent and actually swelled the sides out. We unhooked it let it cool and I gave it away to a guy who is still useing in his motor home. Pretty tough. On the other side I had one fail on a rally? Still think there the ticket.

[johnnyweb]

we run costco $99 batteries in our stock mini race truck and knock on wood have had no problems. they have been in there about a year. and our truck get banged around alot. i have them in multiple other vehicles from my prerunner to daily driver and them have performed great for me. good luck with your purchase.