catnfool

Well, winter is here and I have a weak battery. I was thinking about trying some Optim. red tops and wondered if you winch smokin' people had good or bad luck with them. I figure if they hold up to you guys, they should outlast ME

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1998 12v quad cab shortbox, Isso pyro and boost guage, 286K stock miles. only muffler is gone; all bark so far!
EDIT;4/07- KDP killed, stock converter weak!!
Edit- 1-08 tranny still holding, 305k miles, 1 Oddesy battery- been good for -5*f
Edit- 4-09- Suncoast converter, single battery being a wimp, 325K
9-24-09- 100 plate and 100' burnout!!
1979 lil red express which after extensive testing was determined to be slower than my old man's 72 Mach 1 w/351 cleveland...

upjeeper

there was a thread on pirate a while back (i'll look for it tomorrow) but some of those guys were saying that walmart batteries are some of the best. BUT that may have been for jeeps and smaller vehicles, not sure about a diesel

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2004.5 2500 HO 5.9 CTD w/ 48RE - Quad Cab - Short box - Red - 4x4 - Nav system - 3.73s
Current Mods: Kore upgraded suspension, 35" Toyos, Banks 6 gun, 4" free flow exhaust, KC lights, running bars
Coming Mods: Mud flaps, rear facing fog lamps, bypass oil filter

My Truck

2002 Subaru WRX - 2.0/2.5 Axis Racing Stage 2 Hybrid - TD04 Turbo - JGT500 Exhaust, dyno'ed at 200 WHp

Bogie

I run Dual Red tops with a custom splitter system allowing self jump start no issues here.

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1984 Dodge W350 Crew Cab Short Bed 360/NP435/205 D60's F&R W/4.11's 9" Lift 37" SSR's

1966 Dart 170 273 H.P. A833, 8-3/4 W/3.91's Radio/Heat Delete.

Captain

I just replaced them in both of our trucks. I got the OEM ones again because for 50$ each and they lasted 10 years and still were going strong. The only reason I replaced them was they started to leak a little out of the posts and were crudding up the terminals regularly. The optimums I dont like because the reserve power isnt to high. just my opinion though.

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98' 12 valve Reg Cab 2500 NV4500 4x4, 4.10 gears, SBC 3600 12CB Sprung DD, front ARB locker, Extremeair air compressor, SPS62, ATS manifold, DDP4 #100 fuel plate, Mega Cannon Pro-Guard 7 w/ prefilter, 3k GSK, AFC spring kit with lightest spring, Timed at 16 degrees, 4" turbo back Jardine exhaust, 4.5" skyjacker suspension lift, Bilstein shocks, Solid Steel DSS and 03 trac bar conversion with adjustable trac bar, Greg Long's traction bars.


Chapter President PA DTR #15 Please PM for info

tristan21

Put optimas in both my dodge and the duramax. No problems yet. Smoked the factorys with the factory radio on acc for a few hours at a job.

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2004.5 SB, quad, 4x4, 6spd, Aurora 5k, SMARTY TNT (PG-13), MP8, TST ra49, FASS 150, flux 3.3, floor it stg3, studs, Banks CAC, Xtreme MT 35's, 6" stainless stack, BD Shorty, Magnaflow, commander, SBC DD #3850, K&N, 83,000 miles

"I'm doin alright for country trash...."Johnny Cash

1st Dyno run on #2 634hp/1323tq no MP-8 or TST:(

taildragger

I liked gell batteries for applications where a roll over might occur (as in my jeep).

I use the napa versions in my truck. I've liked them except for the fact that they can seem to drain fast (interior lights on for a night means unlikely start in the morning). Seems to me that I should have a little more energy in a battery than these do, but hey, after 3 years they're still cranking like they are new and I've got no new acid under my hood.

Get something like napa's batteries, don't pay the price for a name when you can find a similar battery for a lower price.

Oh, ditch the electric and go for hydraulic. My milemarker 10k winch can uproot trees and I don't have to worry about burning it up as much (I've fried a warn winch before)

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1998 12 valve nv4500 4wd quadcab. Bone stock.
timing advanced 9 degrees from 6 to 15

Game counter: 1 boar, 2 sows, largest sow at ~200+lbs

D45

Anyone running the Yellow Top Optimas?

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-2004 QC/LB, 4WD, 305/555 CTD
-Fabtech 4.5" Lift Kit
-2.25" Dirt Logic Shocks
-Cooper STT 37x12.50s
-Silver Satin Hummer H2 Wheels
-MBRP 5" Turbo-Back Exhaust / 6" MBRP SS Tip
-CFM+, Air Dog 150, ARP Studs
-IceBox Intake w/ DPP Cool Hose
-DeeZee FX Running Boards, Swiss Cap
-Recon Line of Fire, PSC Steering Brace
-ATS Fender Flares, Line-X, 20% Window Tint
-Quadzilla Commander, SMARTY SR POD
-ATS Pulse Flow, BD Super B Single
-Custom Built 48RE Trans

Western Rammer

Yellow top Optimas are a deep cycle battery. They're not recommended for starting. I'd stick to the red tops or check out Odyssey. www.odysseyfactory.com I put a set in my truck last Fall and this Summer, on a night shift job, I got back to the hotel and went to bed without noticing that I'd left the lights on. Nine hours later after I showered,slept and had breakfast, someone noticed and called me. I gave them a few minutes rest and tried starting the truck: it flashed up no problem. They impressed the hell out of me.

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'02 Q-cab 2500 4x4, 6 spd HO, K&N in the stock box, 4" SS turbo back, BD brake, isspro boost, fuel press. and pyro guages, FASS 95gph, (pump only) RV 275s, Boost elbow, Van Aaken Smartbox R

PaulDaisy

Walmart Group size 65 for me. The largest of all available that would fit with a minimal effort in the stock location. They crank like crazy.
But, I would not even consider an electric winch for my truck, sorry, unless I bought 10 more Size 65s and put them in the bed of the truck.

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1998.5, 2500 24v 4x4 SLT QC shortbed, white, 5 speed, 3.55 gears; rear LSD; 285.75.16 E Silent Armors; DSS; Mach 1.6; VanAaken R; Walbro GSL392 with full pressure control and 3 mechanical pressure gauges; EGT & boost gauges; BD 4" inline vacuum actuated exhaust brake; 10.5k Milemarker hydraulic center mounted; Putnam V receiver; 2004 Arctic Fox 29V with Pro Series SC WD hitch.

dstad

stay away from optimas

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91 D-250 Non I/C, Rips 4inch, Airdog 150 @15psi(Thanks to Matt @ Siskiyou Muffler and Diesel Preformance) , Hx35-12, 366 spring, Timing @16.5, Custom ground pin, Custom intake with AFE, Di Pricol Boost, Pyro, Trans, US Gear Under Overdrive, Trans-Go shift kit, Unknown aftr. Market converter. HTT 62-65-12 Soon to come

Rednecktastic

I just bought Die Hard Platnum batteries from Sears. Size 65 (factory) and 930CCA. They are supposidly better than Odessy and only cost $189 per battery.

8 year warranty and 4 year free replacement. With 1860CCA it spins over fast!



If what the guy said above is true about the mopar battery being only $50 then I'd look at them... Didn't know that. Mine were 750cca and 150minutes reserve which is more reserve than my die hards.

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-Hillbilly Deluxe

2007 2500 QC SB Laramie 5.9l 4x4. Lorenz Bilstein 5100 kit, Relentless Valvebody, Thuren Track Bar and XD wheels wrapped in 35x12.50x17 Hankook M/Ts... Muffler Fell Off, otherwise stock for now.



GIG'EM AGS!

huck25

dstad, why stay away from optimas?

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huck25

05 3500,afe stge 2 air filter,hid headlights,nuvi 660
bd super b,90hp ddp tips banks hi ram and intercooler, bd full billet tranny,edge juice/attitude, bullydog tridog/scarry larry,6" bds long arm lift,5" mbrp stacks, head studs,II bag of parts cp3 mod, amp research power steps, passport 8500, miller 305g welder, airdog 150
bdac #8

CCB

I'm running dual yellow tops because I have a solar panel on the hood that keeps the batteries up to run my cooler and lights etc when out camping. The yellow tops are dual purpose (start and deep cycle) the blue tops are the true deep cycles from optima that are used in Marine applications. My truck starts strong even in the low temps of AK and CO (down to 30 below when plugged in). So far so good, I'm not sure how they would do with a winch though.

OrangePumpster

dual yellow tops here, all teh power of a red top, jsut with added deep cycle properties.......theres a reason ballistic fabrication only makes battery trays for optimas

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98 12v 5 speed

tst #4 plate, banks powerpack, AFE intake, 5" mitre cuts, xd diesel's, Kumho MT 35's, yellow top optima's, valair 13" kevlar/ceramic