The Best Batteries for Your Truck

You depend on your truck to start reliably every time, every day; but then comes a critical moment when you twist the key and your engine fails to come to life. Instead, an insipid clicking of the starter solenoid and dimming of the lights betray a dead battery. It could be snowing or raining, you could be late to work, and instead of getting on your way you’ve got to summon a tow truck to defibrillate your truck back to life.

However, the dreaded no-start scenario can often be avoided by installing a battery of superior durability. A battery that can tolerate repeated charge and discharge cycles and still deliver a jolt of cold cranking amps on a frigid morning.

There are a number of good options on the market. We like absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries for their superior durability and virtually spill-proof design. While wet cell batteries are less expensive and (generally) more than up to the task of starting your truck, we’ve omitted them from this list because they’re more difficult to ship. If you prefer to buy a wet cell battery, it’s best to visit your local auto pHere we explore some of the best available batteries for your hard-working truck, SUV, or van.

We’re dealing here with 12-volt batteries such as are used in fossil-fuel burning trucks and cars to start the engine. Other types like deep cycle storage batteries or batteries used to power electric vehicles are subjects unto themselves.

The majority of automotive batteries are of the “flooded” or “wet” cell lead-acid type, which uses lead plates and acidic electrolyte fluid. While this battery technology is very effective, there are some drawbacks, not the least of which is being full of sulfuric acid. Some wet cell batteries also require occasional topping up with distilled water as the electrolyte is lost to evaporation and the chemical reactions within the battery.

In recent years Absorbed Glass Mat or “AGM” battery technology has become more common. AGM batteries are also lead-acid, but they are packed with fiberglass mat, which absorbs the acid and locks it in place for a nearly spillproof design. They have less internal resistance than wet-cell batteries and are much more tolerant of frequent draining and charging, making them better suited to today’s cars with automatic start/stop technology and full rosters of powered accessories. AGM batteries also perform better in cold weather than traditional wet cell batteries.

While the advantages of AGM batteries are readily apparent, they cost much more than traditional wet cell batteries. We should note that most vehicles with factory-fit AGM batteries are not designed to operate with any other style of battery—consult your owner’s manual to be sure.

We’ll spare you a treatise on electrical theory; just consider that amperes, commonly expressed as “amps,” is the measure of the amount of electric charge in motion per unit of time. Think of water flowing through pipes as being analogous to electric current; in such a situation gallons per minute could be thought of like amperes. Now if you’re using that water flow to do work, more is better, right? You can’t spin a hydroelectric plant’s turbines with a garden hose just as you can’t spin your starter motor with the battery from your TV remote control.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that physically larger batteries generate greater amperage. And, as trucks generally have larger engines than cars they require more amps to turn the engine for starting because there’s more inertia, internal friction, compression, and oil drag to overcome. This is especially true in cold weather when oil is thicker and a battery’s performance is diminished.

In short, Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) is the number of amps a battery can discharge for 30 seconds at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and maintain a voltage of at least 1.2 volts per cell, (7.2 volts total for a 12-volt battery). Battery manufacturers also measure Cranking Amps (CA) and Hot Cranking Amps in the same way as cold cranking amps, the only difference is the temperature at which the test is conducted. As batteries are at their least efficient in extreme cold, the cold cranking amps rating is, arguably, the most important. At the end of the day, the more amps your battery has, the more work it can do.

We'll mention here that you don't always need the biggest and badest battery. A general rule of thumb is that for every cubic inch of engine displacement, a battery should produce one CCA; double for diesel-engined vehicles.

Batteries are classified by group size, which is a number that corresponds to their physical dimensions and terminal location. You should note that a battery’s group size does not necessarily relate to its external dimensions; e.g., a group 35 battery is physically smaller than a group 27.

When buying a battery, the counterperson can check to make sure you’re buying the right size for your truck. Online retailers allow consumers to enter their vehicle’s year, make, model and options to ensure the correct fit before ordering. It’s important to get the correct size for your vehicle because a battery that’s too small may shift in the engine bay, damaging its housing and causing corrosive acid to spill. Of course, too large a battery may simply not fit at all.

If you plan to install a battery yourself, you should exercise caution. Essentially all automotive starting batteries contain corrosive acid and lead, which are harmful. Most of that lead is inside the battery, but the terminals can still expose you. So, you should wear gloves while working with batteries and wash your hands thoroughly afterward.

Batteries are heavy, so take care when lifting and positioning them. Be careful not to accidentally short the battery by having a wrench or other electrical conductor contact both terminals at once. Doing so can cause sparks and burns and may even result in the battery exploding.

If you have any doubt about your ability to safely install a battery, have a professional do it.