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Car Forum / Chevrolet / Chevrolet Trucks / November 2004SIDE POST BATTERY?????
Placed new side post battery in 2001 cavlier, the terminal bolst keep working themselves loose. Question is would lock-tight make a difference OR would it interfere with the contact? Ron I would think it would interfere with the contact, and perhaps promote corrosion. Make sure the tabs on the terminal are pried up a bit. They will act like a lock washer and make good contact. Remember that the lead in the battery is very soft. If you have already stripped it my muscling the bolts tight, it may be too late to correct. I have see someone retap the bolt hole and ream out the battery cable to fit a bigger bolt...BUT that fix didn't last long. He ended up destroying the battery terminal. > Placed new side post battery in 2001 cavlier, the terminal bolst keep > working themselves loose. Question is would lock-tight make a difference > OR would it interfere with the contact? > Ron You could use a 7/16" bolt to replace the OEM 3/8" bolt. Make sure your 7/16" bolt has the same TPI (threads per inch) so as not to cross-thread the battery side post. Chase a new thread into the battery side terminal with the 7/16" bolt. (Following by Lee Swanger from 62-65-dieselpage-com) Use two nuts and a 1" or 1-1/4" long bolt; strip the insulation off the flat connector at the end of the battery cable; use two wrenches: 1. Thread first nut all the way onto the bolt, not tight 2. Slip the flat connector onto the bolt 3. Thread second nut all the way onto the bolt, not tight (flat connector now between the two nuts) 4. Thread the bolt "assembly" into the battery side terminal, slightly tight but not too much or you'll strip the new threads (use wrench on bolt's head) 5. Back off the second nut until it is snug against the battery side terminal, slightly tight (use one wrench on second nut and another wrench on bolt head to keep the bolt from turning) 6. Back off the first nut until it and the flat connector is tight against the second nut (this you can tighten more; again, use one wrench on first nut and other wrench on bolt head) Don't use grease or non-silicone lubricants on the threads because you want maximum metal-to-metal contact for conduction. After you have assembled the battery cable to the battery, you can coat the connector/cable with the red spray-on battery protector available at most auto stores. Good luck. Franko... > I would think it would interfere with the contact, and perhaps promote > corrosion. Make sure the tabs on the terminal are pried up a bit. They [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > OR would it interfere with the contact? > > Ron The threads in the battery post are usually not very deep, even when new. If you ever cross thread it one time, from then own, you are more than likely to have problems. That is probably where you are now. If I were you, I would purchase new bolts for the side post battery. They have good threads and that just might work. If the threads are already damaged, you could try gently drilling the hole a bit deeper, then retapping it. Im sure you know this, but be very care if you attemp this. The sparks from the brushes inside drill could ignite the fumes emmited from the battery, so be sure and do it in a well ventilated place, perhaps in front of a fan, to prevent flash back. Hope this helps....Larry > The threads in the battery post are usually not very deep, even when new. > If you ever cross thread it one time, from then own, you are more than [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > fan, to prevent flash back. > Hope this helps....Larry Or you could take a strip of solder, flatten it a bit with a hammer and place it lengthwise in the hole to take up space and tighten the threads. If the bolt tightens and then comes loose, make sure there is no tension on the cable and that it can't move or flex somehow. That would loosen the bolt. If it's one of those universal batteries with top posts also, you could get an adapter and switch to the top post. >The threads in the battery post are usually not very deep, even when new. >If you ever cross thread it one time, from then own, you are more than [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >fan, to prevent flash back. >Hope this helps....Larry It is the lead material of the battery that is stripped NOT the steel bolt. What funes? ONLY when being charged and ONLY after having been fully charged and then ONLY when gassing can this happen. Also, you have sowhere to go before you get acid out the hole. Anyway, the flattened solder trick will work as it did for me. I still don't know which is the lesser of the two evils, top or side posts. They both have their advantages and both can cause grief. -- Best Regards Gordie |
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