best battery

[4x4junkie]

As in best value? Probably the Voyager. Can't beat ~9 years of 105AH leak-free service for $95 (what i paid about 1½ years ago for a Voyager M27MF at Carquest).

 

[legoms013]

Optima doesnt have a good rep in recent years....

But my marine grade blue top I've put through the ringer and have had great luck with it. Couldn't be happier. Hopefully it doesn't crap out like the rest.

I've winched myself multiple times now with the motor off, and it always starts my truck up despite the drain. I've even winched my DEAD truck out of a stuck, onto a flatbed trailer.....replaced the offending part that had failed (fuel pump)...let the truck sit for a week, and it still fired up like it was fully charged 8 days later. I'm a skeptical person, but that's some hard evidence to argue with

I've left my lights on too for 4 hours once, and it started up just fine. No hint of a weak turnover.

 

[killj0y]

Yea I'm thinking about a deep cycle when the time comes because I'm going to be putting a winch and 6 to 8 offroad lights plus a decent stereo. I just got a new one last year so I want to do my homework now lol.

 

[strvger]

^ you might want to consider going to a dual battery setup. one for winch and all those lights and the other one for everything else.
just a thought.

 

[4x4junkie]

I wouldn't depend on bigger batteries for lights... you need a bigger alternator if it's not able to keep up.

(running the lights engine-off is a different matter though, not sure if that's what you meant)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

SA

We have good luck with Interstate at work, not many come back for warrenty.

Most find their way in diesels... which is not a friendly enviroment for a battery (or two)

I got the biggest one they had on the truck (as an "econo" battery, basically one that timed out on the shelf somewhere else) for $23.95. The one of the same group we had in stock is rated about 725CCA off the top of my head. Whips the 302 over a lot better than the 3 year old 525CCA wally world special. I need to test it, it really struggled in the end.

That is with the standard Ranger lighting and a big Efan that runs quite a bit with the otherwise pathetic 45 or 65 amp stock Ranger alternator.

 

[strvger]

here where i live, nothing less than 850cca goes into any of my vehicles. not uncommon to see -25 to -30 in the winter. and my ranger sits outside but has the block heater plugged in for sure. a few weeks ago, i also upgraded my alternator to one of the 130+ amp aftermarket ones.
my Orbital battery (exide mfg iirc) is the agm type as when you start getting into 850+ cca batteries, the plates in the regular lead-acid type start getting pretty thin and don't seem to last nearly as long here. at least that's been my experience.

 

[killj0y]

I was considering a larger alternator but damn they are expensive and i don't care for the chrome plating on some lol. Anyways, I would love a dual battery setup, but I'm not sure my alternator would even charge both at once plus i doubt it will fit under the hood. Wish I had something like my brother in law with his 98 Chevy, it has two battery trays already there lol. Yea i used to get the best batteries from a guy who rebuilds them locally and basically lets you pick whatever size you like for 25 bucks lol. he just has like 50 batteries of all sizes lying around that he rebuilt. I imagine it's hit or miss but I never had any problems. Also I don't need to worry about cold temps the coldest it ever got here is like 20 degrees lol for like an hour. Usually its 's 100 plus here in south Texas.