Optima battery posts

[Axekicker]

My original batteries have been cranking slow lately so I picked up a set of yellow-tops today. I dropped the first one into the 'hole' and found that the factory battery cable clamps don't hold the post tight. I tightened it down as far as it would go but when I use my water-pump pliers to see if the clamp is tight... it wiggles loose and start to slip-off the post. Usually I don't have a problem with a snug fit but on this one I'm stumped. I don't want to do the old 'nail-in-the-clamp' trick that we used in the old-days. Ideas? Anybody else run into this 'condition'?



Oh... I thought you'd like to see the reason I had to change the batteries out. I didn't see this until I pulled the battery on the drivers side. The damage was hid under the cable-clamp. In case the photo's not clear... the post is leaning and there's a hole in the top of the battery case next to the post... case is starting to bulge on the side... acid leaking out of the hole. Looks like the battery got too hot. Not too unusual here in Vegas. The battery made it through 4 summers... Not to bad for a factory unit.

 

[MMeier]

Didn't have any problems when I put my red tops in.

 

[wlowe]

My original batteries have been cranking slow lately so I picked up a set of yellow-tops today. I dropped the first one into the 'hole' and found that the factory battery cable clamps don't hold the post tight. I tightened it down as far as it would go but when I use my water-pump pliers to see if the clamp is tight... it wiggles loose and start to slip-off the post. Usually I don't have a problem with a snug fit but on this one I'm stumped. I don't want to do the old 'nail-in-the-clamp' trick that we used in the old-days. Ideas? Anybody else run into this 'condition'?



Oh... I thought you'd like to see the reason I had to change the batteries out. I didn't see this until I pulled the battery on the drivers side. The damage was hid under the cable-clamp. In case the photo's not clear... the post is leaning and there's a hole in the top of the battery case next to the post... case is starting to bulge on the side... acid leaking out of the hole. Looks like the battery got too hot. Not too unusual here in Vegas. The battery made it through 4 summers... Not to bad for a factory unit.

The cable terminals wear from taking them off and on. Eventually they won't tighten down enough to hold them on the post. My solution was to take a hacksaw and cut a 1/16 inch gap where the ends of the terminal clamp come together. Works great.

 

[Axekicker]

Something else occurred to me also... I take my battery clamps off regularly and clean the terminals and clamp interiors... I've probably removed enough material from inside the clamp to open up the hole some... I took your advice... pulled the clamps... removed the bolts... 'filed' down the mating-faces of the clamp 'shoulders'... re-assembled and voile! Snug fit! Problem solved! I'm... 'on the road again. '

 

[Wingate]

I've seen two different factory batteries on Dodges do that same thing. One was my son's truck. It held a charge fine. We happened to notice it when we were changing the oil.

 

[Wasilla Rod]

Battery connection solution

The old saw out a chunk between the clamp ends works killer. You have to apply a little skill and have some way to hold the cable / clamp steady. I found years ago that one application of an electricians product called NOALOX will put the squelch on battery terminal problems. You can get it a most places that have electrical supplies. A little bottle or tube is a lifetime supply. Start out right by cleaning post and clamp with a brush and the old baking soda routine. If you can still pull the clamp bolts out--take them out before you do the baking soda. Dry the whole mess and put the NOALOX on every thing --bolts nuts and everything and reassemble. I absoloutly GUARANTEE you are done with connection problems. This stuff laughs at acid and seals air away from the metal so it does not oxidize. Put this stuff on any electric connection including trailer plugs, ground straps at frames and engine blocks and on the threaded devices that hold any of the above.

I worked in a tanker truck fleet shop and electric connections were #1 PITA from road salt and corrosion. After we discovered NOALOX that stuff kind of went away!