[JoeBalls]

Hi all,

Well, it's the 2nd time that my Tundra won't start in less than 2 weeks and believe the battery is dead! After starting ith with jumper cables and letting it run for more than an hour, the battery is completly dead- click click click... therefore believe it's time for a new Battery. With this being said:

1) Any suggestions as to what I should get (best bang for my buck)
2) Any batteries require special installation (ie. spacers required to fit properly, etc..)

Thanks a bunch

 

[GORILLA]

hi, i forget what comsumer reports said was the best bang for your buck.
maybe you can look it up.
i wish i still had the article for you.
you don't need to spend 300 on a battery.
everyone has a opinion.
that's what i belive.
just like tire's, speaker's, etc, if you know what i mean.

but there are bigger battery's- more cranking amp's, etc.
that is more important than the name on the battery.
also please look on the battery for the born on date.
they are suppose to be stamped with that by law, depending on the state.
i'd rather have a battery that was made last month, than 2 years ago on the shelf.

also there might be some info ,if you do a seach here.
many like the round cell type. but in my opinion they are over priced.
just don't buy a delco with that light in it. i heard so many bad things about that battery.
good luck,
gorilla

 

[Thundra04struck]

The battery/our batteries are a Group 27F battery, the F meaning that the terminals are reversed as Positive needs to be on the passenger side and one cannot just turn the battery around as the negative wire won't reach the battery terminal.

I just replaced my battery this past fall with an EverLast from AutoZone and so far, in the -5 to 5 degree F. weather I've had to start my truck in, no problems at all and I'll expect 3-5 years on the battery.

My stock battery lasted 6 years.

 

[JoeBalls]

Not sure I totally understand as to what you are saying "type F". Are you stating that not all batteries (i.e Diehard Platinum, Optima 34R, etc..) will fit?

 

[Thundra04struck]

The "type F" means that the positive and negative terminals will be reversed as the vast majority of batteries out there have the positive terminal on the right when looking at the battery so if/when one tries to install the battery, the cables won't reach. Then when you try and just reverse the battery so the terminals are reversed/the positive is on the left when looking at the battery, the cables still won't reach as the terminals are just shy of reaching.

I have already tried and failed.

Any Group 27F battery will fit perfectly.

 

[jp_waltz]

im pretty sure most companies make a 27F battery. The 27F is just the size and configuration of the battery and the orientation of the terminals. Like Thundra said, we need an F so the terminals are in the correct location for the cables. I have a napa battery and im very happy with it. You might want to search here a bit, there is a lot of info and opinions regarding this subject.
Good Luck,
Paul

 

[JoeBalls]

Can get an Eliminator battery for $125, thoughts/comments

 

[Puffnstuff]

Yes opinions are like noses, everybody has one and they aren't always the same. I personally opt for agm style batteries which are truly sealed and offer high cca's and reserve capacity. I would also tell you to have your charging system checked to insure that it's still outputting the right amount of volts to the battery or it won't matter what you buy.

 

[GORILLA]

Yes opinions are like noses, everybody has one and they aren't always the same. I personally opt for agm style batteries which are truly sealed and offer high cca's and reserve capacity. I would also tell you to have your charging system checked to insure that it's still outputting the right amount of volts to the battery or it won't matter what you buy.

smart thinking:first:, point's given!:tu:
regards,
gorilla:attention:

 

[Puffnstuff]

Thank you sir.

 

[Boosted27606]

Any 27F battery will do. And any one will last about the same amount of time ( 3 to 5 yrs)

The reason some cost much more is simply marketing: Buy a battery for $50 with a 2 yr warranty or a battery for $150 with a prorated warranty for 7 yrs and at the end if its life, say 5 yrs, you will spend much more for the expensive battery.

Most batteries are made by the same companies and the least expensive way in the long run is to get the cheapest one you can find.

I have had 3 Tundras so far and 1 Lexus and all got really cheap batteries when I replaced them and all worked out very well.

Don't get taken by long warranties as they are all pro-rated so you pay much more up front.

 

[1slik55]

My father-in-law swears by WalMart batteries. Why? Because they'll replace it no questions asked if it fails during the warranty period. And the yellow, heavy duty ones really seem to last for his fleet of trucks. At least they used to.....haven't heard lately. But I agree with the earlier posts.....don't spend extra for a big name, I don't believe they're worth it.

 

[GORILLA]

hi, my best friend used to work for exide. which is 1 of the up-graded battery's toyota use's.
go to excides web site, and see how many company battery they make.
the same goes for other company's.
that is how i learned about the born on date.
some auto parts store will put a sticker on the melted/stamped on date ,to cover it.
be wise & smart.
buy whatever you can afford.
what's the difference ,if you have a bad battery you need 1, so buy whatever you can afford like i said.
in 2 or 5 years when you need a new 1, if thing's are better than up-grade.
just make sure especially if you live where it's very cold, you get 1, that has the max.
cranking amp's your tundra will allow.
gorilla

 

[OptimaJim]

Hi Joe, I’m sorry to hear about the problems you are having with your truck and I’d like to help. If your battery is discharged to the point where you need a jump, it should be fully-charged with a battery charger as soon as possible. I realize this isn’t always practical, but relying on an alternator to recharge a deeply-discharged battery can lead to a cycle of dead batteries and jumps until either the battery or alternator fails. This video offers some useful tips on diagnosing the health of your battery and charging system- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yPlx4MBNRU

An Optima 34R is a direct-fit replacement and has the posts in the correct orientation for your truck, but it might be worth trying to fully-charge the battery you have now with a charger, before spending money on a new one. Good luck!

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[Mr. Creosote]

Hi Joe, I’m sorry to hear about the problems you are having with your truck and I’d like to help. If your battery is discharged to the point where you need a jump, it should be fully-charged with a battery charger as soon as possible. I realize this isn’t always practical, but relying on an alternator to recharge a deeply-discharged battery can lead to a cycle of dead batteries and jumps until either the battery or alternator fails. This video offers some useful tips on diagnosing the health of your battery and charging system- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yPlx4MBNRU

An Optima 34R is a direct-fit replacement and has the posts in the correct orientation for your truck, but it might be worth trying to fully-charge the battery you have now with a charger, before spending money on a new one. Good luck!

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
[URL="http://www.facebook.com/optimabatteries"]www.facebook.com/optimabatteries[/URL]

I was always told a deep discharge of any non deep cycle starter battery was placing one of its feet in the grave, so to speak.

Does this imply a deep discharge of a Red Top need not be a death knell as long as a full and complete recharge occurs shortly thereafter?

 

[CJM_T100]

Ive seen people totally discharge a battery then run the car for an hour and the thing last a LONG time. The exide in my T100 I did that to by accident, left the lights on one night and got 2.x volts with the meter. Ran that sucker for an hour after I jumped it, checked the cells for water and its still going now 2 years later.

Slow recharge works better tho, doesnt put strain on the car or battery.

 

[Heatwave]

I've replaced my Toyota OEM batteries after about 3 years, maybe 4 if I was lucky. I've always replaced with an Optima battery. But I've never had to replace an Optima. Somebody will surely give me a ration of [email protected]#* about Optima batteries. That person can buy whatever he wants. Until Optima batteries start giving me unsat results, I'll stick with what I know works.

 

[RFT]

I just put in a Diehard Platinum. My stock battery was still doing ok except for all the battery acid leaking everywhere. when I took out the old battery most of the paint was eaten away from underneath the plastic battery tray. I also prefer the sealed type battery's. Never any mess or corrosion.

 

[kerykj]

My 2001 Tundra has a yellow Optima. When it goes, my Tundra will have a yellow Wal Mart.

 

[OptimaJim]

Mr. Creosote, no battery likes to be deeply-discharged, although deep-cycle batteries are generally more resilient to deep-discharges than starting batteries and AGM batteries are more resilient than standard flooded batteries. If a RedTop (or any other battery) is deeply-discharged, the sooner it can be recharged, the better, as this minimizes the sulfation that might otherwise occur. I do come across posts like this one quite often, where people are able to recover deeply-discharged Optimas- http://forums.corral.net/forums/showpost.php?p=9422593&postcount=6

This video explains how to recharge a deeply-discharged Optima- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIoaL3DWWEg

If you have any other questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries