Tundra battery is dead after 6 years. Good run.
I gave up on spending big bucks on batteries. Tundra is a 2014 so no fancy electronics and the like so I don’t really need an AGM battery aside from the added benefit against vibration. But they are also a bit more expensive.

So Caterpillar batteries claim to add epoxy between the lead cells to stop vibration.
The Cat battery is $80 cheaper than an AGM, and $25 cheaper than a Toyota replacement (which aren’t great).

Truck only gets driven about once a week now so I will be getting a solar trickle charger.

No, but I see the Cat batteries are made by East Penn batteries. They also make many batteries under other labels. Last I looked there were no more that 3 large battery makers in the USA that made the bulk of the ‘mainline’ batteries, then they get relabeled.

No I’m not saying you have to run to Walmart for the Maxx or ‘never-start’ as some like to say. Your trickle charge plan would help if the truck sits at times.

Say a battery were to last 75% of the perceived better one, but cost less than 1/2 as much? To me that seems more economical, slight hassle factor. Recommending a battery is sorta like asking one’s favorite motor oil & change interval, filter too.

Most often I get a MAXX from wallyworld, usually made by Johnson Controls here, works for me.

@ Black92LX,
I run Harley-Davidson battery tenders on every vehicle in my inventory except the Tacoma which is routinely driven at least every other day.
Those are the 120 volt plug in type.
The newest H-D battery tender for my Yamaha sport bile is switchable for the type of battery. Standard lead acid/AGM/Lithium.
I put an AntiGravity Lithium battery in the Yamaha for saving weight, it's about the size of two packs of Marlboro cigarettes.
That one doesn't stay connected to the battery tender continously, per the manufacturers battery specs. It gets connected once a month for an all day charge when it isn't operated regularly.
(like all winter)
Total battery tenders in use is now at seven. The soft green glow from the battery tenders "full charge indicator LED's" avoids a night light out in the shop building.
It does make a HUGE difference in battery lifespan.
I am routinely getting at least a decade out of batteries after wiring everything with the battery tender hard wired connection cable.

Just buy a cheap walmart battery and be down with it. You can spend a lot of $ on a battery it may not last as long. Don't over think it. Ymmv

Rural King has The best Battery value by far (50% less than others), if you have those stores in your area.
Made by Exide, quality stuff, according to my google search.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Just buy a cheap walmart battery and be down with it. You can spend a lot of $ on a battery it may not last as long. Don't over think it. Ymmv

Last two batteries I bought were from Walmart then I saw this.


I had found the CAT batteries a few months back and am intrigued by the price being $30 cheaper than Walmarts standard wet cell offering and they epoxy their lead cells to keep the battery from being effected by vibration.

quote:

Originally posted by skeptic:
Rural King has The best Battery value by far (50% less than others), if you have those stores in your area.
Made by Exide, quality stuff, according to my google search.

I love me some Rural King but our closest is neither close or convenient for me to get to unfortunately

I watched most of the above video on the batteries. I’ve mostly always got the MAXX batteries at wallyworld, made in the USA. At least when I bought them.

I see the arm at Johnson Controls that made batteries is called Clarios now. Some Walmarts have other sources for batteries, East Penn, whatever.

Not surprising to see more overseas & Mexico.

I cannot stand the guy’s voice, but at least he liked the WalMart AGM battery. I get them tested just before the warranty is up and 8 of 10 Get replaced free. Essentially, that’s over 7 years of battery for $189 each in my truck for example.

When I had my construction company we ran CAT batteries in everything from 1/2 ton pick ups to 320 excavators and found them to be an excellent choice. They lasted for ever and were always available at my local dealer.

Never used them, so can't offer anything other than "why not put one in" I take it they are more than WalMart's batteries.

Agree with CeeKamp, get a battery tender and hook it up to the truck to keep it charged up all vehicles have some amount of parasitic drain for clocks, ECM, anything that stores a flash memory, security systems.

Get the Cat Bat, you can always resurrect this thread in a couple of years and let us know how it is going!

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
When I had my construction company we ran CAT batteries in everything from 1/2 ton pick ups to 320 excavators and found them to be an excellent choice. They lasted for ever and were always available at my local dealer.

Well this is where the story gets interesting. I got on the local CAT dealers site to get their phone number and it said CAT was offering 25% off all orders over $25 for folks who have not ordered online in 12 months. So figured would just order online and pick it up.
So I added the battery to my cart applied the 25% off making the battery $90!
Then under the availability section it said MUST CONTACT DEALER.

So I called the dealer and gave him the part number and he asked what sort of battery it was because his inventory list was showing only available from the overseas warehouse.

I told him it was a standard 27F light truck battery that their site claims is only available for the US market. Kind of weird they are only kept in an overseas warehouse.
https://parts.cat.com/en/catcorp/product/11R-2245

He then said he had no idea that they sold standard automotive batteries and he had no estimate as to when the battery might arrive.

So that pretty much kills that idea.

Guess I will just grab a Duracell labeled East Penn/Deka from Sam’s as they have the most CCAs I have found for the group 27 and have a 3 year replacement warranty for $140.

My local Toyota dealers can go pound sand and burn in my book.
They want $225 or $250 for a battery with an MSRP of $175 that Fred Anderson Toyota wants $145 for but won’t ship a battery, which makes total sense.

That stinks. I’d get the one from Sam’s Club like you mentioned as WalMart doesn’t seem to carry a 27F.

Speaking of WalMart batteries in general, I was in one this morning, checked about a dozen of various quality levels, and didn’t see a single one that said S. Korea like in the Project Farm guy’s video. The part numbers all started with JCI which I assume to be Johnson Control, Inc which is now Clarios.