bigpete
Veteran Member
I've seen battery tray corrosion in more brands than just Deere, so I think it's just a matter of a tractor company managing costs for a component added to the final assemby stage of production. I imagine they spec out the batteries and outsource like many of these components. Much like new cars, batteries are kind of an afterthought and I don't think I've ever asked what kind of a battery a car company used as part of my decision making process. With tractors and any rough duty equipment, it would/will be a different scenario, though.
If it were me helping design the final product for any tractor company, I'd look at this as another small opportunity to sell upgrades at the dealer sales desk. Perhaps continuing to offer a(n improved) standard battery, but also offering an upgrade to a super-duty battery that would just be a JD rebadged Optima. Companies like Optima typically welcome a partnership like that and could manufacture batteries exclusively for Deere with a green and yellow color scheme and leaping Deeere, of course, or orange and black if you like those creepy Haloween colors in your machinery ( /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif)
I know I would have rather paid an extra $40 for an upgrade to a super-duty battery when I bought my tractor instead of adding $110 aftermarket cost just to avoid a known problem. I would also think it would be an easy sell for the salesman, too. At least in my case. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
If it were me helping design the final product for any tractor company, I'd look at this as another small opportunity to sell upgrades at the dealer sales desk. Perhaps continuing to offer a(n improved) standard battery, but also offering an upgrade to a super-duty battery that would just be a JD rebadged Optima. Companies like Optima typically welcome a partnership like that and could manufacture batteries exclusively for Deere with a green and yellow color scheme and leaping Deeere, of course, or orange and black if you like those creepy Haloween colors in your machinery ( /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif)
I know I would have rather paid an extra $40 for an upgrade to a super-duty battery when I bought my tractor instead of adding $110 aftermarket cost just to avoid a known problem. I would also think it would be an easy sell for the salesman, too. At least in my case. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif