What Battery Shall I Buy??

[500kalle]

Optima? Banner? Varta, .........????

[GirsMJ86]

Optima is overrated now, not nearly as good of a battery as they used to be. Never heard of the other two, but there are only like 3-5 true makers of batteries anyways that just stick different labels on em and sell at different price points for the "premium" product. You'll find that Johnson Controls owns most of the "brands" out there.

 

Most on here find good reliability out of Duralast, I run the store brand from where I work that has more CCA/CA than an Optima D34 or Duralast equivalent and have had good luck with it too. If you need the only reason to buy an Optima (sealed so can be mounted in any angle), Duralast Platinum batteries are AGM and have that same feature.

[87Warrior]

If you are looking to replace the battery on a stock truck I would go with any autoparts store brand battery.

 

If you are wanting to upgrade, take a look at the Sears DieHard Platnium (aka Odessy). I have had awesome luck in the 5 years I have had one in my TJ with regular winch duty.

[nitroxsteve]

I don't care much for the Optima. I am not familiar with Banner but we use the Varta in the machines my company imports from europe and they are good batteries no Varta sales here in the USA.

[dakal]

odessy

[Pete M]

I absolutely love my optimas, but I acknowledge they have had some quality issues as of late.  but I still highly recommend an optima-like gel battery.  :thumbsup:

[HOrnbrod]

Johnson Controls makes Sears, Interstate, Duralast, and many other batteries. They also own Varta, Optima, and supply Ford, Diamler Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Isuzu with original equipment batteries. So buy a Johnson Controls battery at the best price you can find.   :yes: 

[500kalle]

Okay!!

So I'll go to buy a cheap one!!

There's an offer at the shop in my neighbourhood,

a discounter brand 12V 65Ah / 540A?

Will it work fine in My 2.5L4 MJ and even in My 4.0L6 XJ ??

It is a Johnson control one!!

Called: Auto Fit !!

[64 Cheyenne]

Whatever brand you choose is your choice, my suggestion is to make sure you buy a group 34/78 battery

regardless what the parts geek tells you. Chances are that he will to try and spec a group 58 battery,

which is what stock might call for (anybody?) but when you look at the battery tray with a group 58 battery

you will see a whole lot more room for a bigger battery, and a bigger battery = well you know it only goes to say....

[HOrnbrod]

Whatever brand you choose is your choice, my suggestion is to make sure you buy a group 34/78 battery

regardless what the parts geek tells you. Chances are that he will to try and spec a group 58 battery,

which is what stock might call for (anybody?) but when you look at the battery tray with a group 58 battery

you will see a whole lot more room for a bigger battery, and a bigger battery = well you know it only goes to say....

 

:agree:  About 25% more CCA than standard group 58, and usually the same price. The group 34s replaced the 58 in the late model XJs.

[87manche1]

Might sound crazy but I ran a deep cycle duralast marine battery for years with heavy winching was absolutely awesome.

[jomeza001]

I just bought one for my MJ. After loking hard on the web and other forums, i found out the best battery for the money was the DieHard from Sears. I paid $120 dlls for mine with 8 years warranty. 3 years free replacement - after that, 5 more years pr-rated replacement. Guess no one beats that.

[64 Cheyenne]

:agree: I'd buy that.

And welcome jomeza001 to the club

[Bounty Hunter]

I've had a good experience with my two Blue-top Optimas.  The additional stainless threaded studs on top are great for attaching the winch and other accessories.

[jomeza001]

I've read somewhere that the top threaded studs on top of those batteries are not intended for high demand. Specially not for winching because they tend to melt down because they are connected with the cells on thin metal. I can not corroborate that but anyone thinking of using the top studs for winching may want to ask the pros before melting a brand new Battery. :thumbsup:

[Darren]

I've owned 2 Optima Red Top batteries. Both were garbage. My LJ came with a Blue Top, and I love it. It's the best battery I've ever owned.

 

Conventional batteries, I like Die Hard and Napa's house brand.

[buffalob]

X2 on Napa's top drawer house brand...never had an issue.

Been using them for years.

[rmoore1031]

I like my Optima Yellow Top in my XJ. Only had it for about 9 months though so I don't know how good it'll be in the long run. I had no issues starting my XJ over the winter.

[johnj92131]

With a battery, you are paying for two things:  1)  The warranty.  Sombody has to pay more $$ for a longer "free" replacement.  2)  Cold Cranking Amps/Amp hours.

 

Find the biggest size case that will fit the truck - usually extra CCA for the same $$.  Then, decide how much you want to pay for the various warranty terms.

[TheDirtyJeep401]

I like interstate batteries, gonna put on in my MJ but my dad has one in his Ram 2500, lasted him almost 15 years till he replaced it because the ignition was left on for weeks. tough battery In my opinion. 

[mvusse]

I like my Duralast 8 year warranty one I put in my Suburban, but can't testify to its durability as I got rid of it 4 years later.

 

Lately I have been buying the Walmart brand (Everlast or something) batteries because I absolutely needed one after everybody else was closed. The last one I installed under a light pole in the Walmart parking lot. They don't seem to be any worse than other brands.

[Bounty Hunter]

I've read somewhere that the top threaded studs on top of those batteries are not intended for high demand. Specially not for winching because they tend to melt down because they are connected with the cells on thin metal. I can not corroborate that but anyone thinking of using the top studs for winching may want to ask the pros before melting a brand new Battery. :thumbsup:

Not true.  You're thinking of side-post batteries.  The studs on a blue-top Optima are adjacent to the top terminals and they're fine for heavy loads such as winching.

[comanchedude]

With a battery, you are paying for two things:  1)  The warranty.  Sombody has to pay more $$ for a longer "free" replacement.  2)  Cold Cranking Amps/Amp hours.

 

Find the biggest size case that will fit the truck - usually extra CCA for the same $$.  Then, decide how much you want to pay for the various warranty terms.

Yup  "smart advice",   example is you buy a battery witj 6-7 year warranty 2-3 year free replacement and your set , had my duralast die right at 5 years and it cost 12 bucks to replace and i still retain the same warranty and it starts over, its 4 years old now and when it dies (they all die) it will only cost me the pro rate to replace instead of $100,plus.. and I will concur most battery's are Johnson Control.

[mvusse]

 

I've read somewhere that the top threaded studs on top of those batteries are not intended for high demand. Specially not for winching because they tend to melt down because they are connected with the cells on thin metal. I can not corroborate that but anyone thinking of using the top studs for winching may want to ask the pros before melting a brand new Battery. :thumbsup:

Not true.  You're thinking of side-post batteries.  The studs on a blue-top Optima are adjacent to the top terminals and they're fine for heavy loads such as winching.

This is true for the side posts on the yellow top AND the 5/16" threaded posts on the blue top. Optima customer service specifically advises AGAINST using the 5/16" threaded posts on the blue top for a winch connection.