Battery terminal vs clamp. RANT included.

[WranglerX]

Let me say this.... The side post batteries in my opinion are the worst batteries ever designed.... Never had a problem with top "post" batteries UNTIL my FIRST MEXICAN battery in wifes Honda... At age 73 and working in telecommunications and changing batteries all my life, this too small terminal on wifes Honda battery IS A FIRST....

Dale

 

[WranglerX]

Bet U nailed it!
Possibly a replacement 'universal' cable was installed at some point?

Also if the battery is not well clamped down and can move a bit could explain a loose negative clamp as they tend to be shorter lengths.

But what if its original cable and not replacement...

Dale

 

[Ford850]

I noticed working as a mechanic, that alot of clamps were clamped too far.

This way, they would not go all the way down on the post and would seem loose setting up on the top of the tapered battery lug.

I fixed that issue on many, many people's cars when I would do other work just to prevent a needless comeback.

Make sure the lug is stretched as far as it can be without damaging it.

Then make sure it goes ALL the way down onto the tapered post (unless the post has a ridge at the bottom, this means contacting the plastic case).

Then while holding it down, tighten the clamp part. If you dont spread the lug open, it doesn't matter how much you beat on it or tighten it, it just wont go on good.

I generally only use acdelco, motorcraft or mopar batteries. Acdelco being a favorite.

If you get a cheap battery, I bet the terminals might be undersized. Lead has a cost. Theres a reason that battery was cheaper.

As simple as it seems, as many improper battery installations as I have seen, I would guess most people that install a battery have absolutely no business doing it.

I've seen this several times on my own vehicles, and at first I couldn't figure out why I had an issue. Once I realized what was happening, as tjkubota93 describes, it made perfect sense and was an easy correction.

 

[wagne223]

Newer, thin metal clamp style battery cable ends are prone to stretching and cracking elimatating the ability to clamp.

Poor design in my opinion.

Although this repair looks rigged, I have yet to have one fail.

Cut off cable end , strip back some insulation and install these old style terminals.

Problem solved.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Top-Post-Heavy-Duty-Battery-Terminal/16006683


https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...-start-battery-terminal/sk7001/4742316?pos=11

 

[tmajor]

2 things: I believe, some batteries have tapered posts and some have straight posts. You could have a tapered connector, but a battery with straight posts.

Additionally from Wikipedia:
"In recent years, the most common design was the SAE Post, consisting of two lead posts in the shape of truncated cones, positioned on the top of the battery, with slightly different diameters to ensure correct electrical polarity.

The "JIS" type is similar to the SAE but smaller, once again positive is larger than negative but both are smaller than their SAE counterparts. Most older Japanese cars were fitted with JIS terminals."

 

[WranglerX]

Newer, thin metal clamp style battery cable ends are prone to stretching and cracking elimatating the ability to clamp.

Poor design in my opinion.

Although this repair looks rigged, I have yet to have one fail.

Cut off cable end , strip back some insulation and install these old style terminals.

Problem solved.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Top-Post-Heavy-Duty-Battery-Terminal/16006683


https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...-start-battery-terminal/sk7001/4742316?pos=11

Never found those to be a solution, usually they cause more problems...

Dale

 

[WranglerX]

2 things: I believe, some batteries have tapered posts and some have straight posts. You could have a tapered connector, but a battery with straight posts.

Additionally from Wikipedia:
"In recent years, the most common design was the SAE Post, consisting of two lead posts in the shape of truncated cones, positioned on the top of the battery, with slightly different diameters to ensure correct electrical polarity.

The "JIS" type is similar to the SAE but smaller, once again positive is larger than negative but both are smaller than their SAE counterparts. Most older Japanese cars were fitted with JIS terminals."

One would think if a vehicle came with a battery specification of "XYX" then the replacement battery specification labeled "XYX" would fit and cable clamps would fit properly.... I can see their may be a issue if you tied to install a "YZY" spec battery in vehicle designed for a "XYX" series battery.... But all same specification batteries should have same termial sized no matter who manufacturers it...But it does not seem to be the case.....

Dale

 

[tjkubota93]

The aftermarket is a free for all. They will sell anything to you for an application if it will fit or can be half way made to fit.

Theres alot more to it than square peg square hole.

Just because it fits doesn't mean it works. Simple examples being tires (weight ratings), filters (different media) and brake pads (friction coefficient).

 

[ruffdog]

JIS and SAE......yes, they make adapters because they are different!

Pencil Post Adapters for JIS to SAE ABS Alaskan

SAE Post to JIS Pencil Post Conversion Adapter Negative

 

[DieselBound]

I've had issues where the clamp is a little on the too-big side and I cut out material between the clamp ends (bolt removed) and that gets me more compression on/to the post.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... as a kid working in the car lot I would change batteries, charge batteries, clean terminals... etc.

Sometime the clamp had stretched where a good bite was no longer possible... I took out the bolt and hacksawed a sliver of metal to restore clamping.

Tools of the trade... batter clamp puller, terminal/clamp brush, terminal/clamp reamer, post expander, extra batter clamp bolts... hydrometer and commercial battery charger with timer.

We had a real old-timer that had 6, 8 and 12 volt selection plus various amperages...

 

[N80]

A couple of thoughts here:

My issue has nothing to do with standards. This has occurred with three common batteries, the negative cable and clamp on the car are OEM. I don't have this issue in any of my other vehicles. Somebody screwed this up. I think it was Nissan. The frustration that I have with all this, wasted time and money notwithstanding, is this is an issue that should not be a problem for any car or battery maker in the last 50 years.

As to the suggestion above that changing a battery was simple and common sense has not seen this car....which, by the way, has otherwise been a beautiful, fast, good handling, luxurious, reliable manual transmission GT car that taken together is a very rare thing these days. I wish it would last forever.....it is a 2009 and still only has 60k miles on it. Anyway, you have to remove rubber trim and the faring that goes down from the windshield into the engine bay. Then you have to remove the plastic faring around the battery box. The clamp attachment in the rear is almost under the dashboard and comes off easily.You have to lift the batter over and up past all sorts of cables and hoses. The clerk at Auto Zone, or whatever, would not put the battery in for my wife after looking the car up. She said they were not allowed to.

 

[newbury]

A couple of thoughts here:
<snip>The clerk at Auto Zone, or whatever, would not put the battery in for my wife after looking the car up. She said they were not allowed to.

That seems to be becoming the norm. I needed a new battery, called around in Northern Virginia, probably 5 shops, not one put the battery in any more.

Got down to Fulton Mississippi, first NAPA I asked they did it.

 

[N80]

I don't blame the car parts stores for not being willing to do this for free. It is time consuming and a bit tedious getting all that trim back in place. In a car like this the goal is to get a 50/50 weight distribution front to back. They get pretty close on my Z at 53/47 which is not bad for a front engined car. My wife's car is based on the 350Z and has more HP but is heavier and much more pleasant to drive (quieter, better ride, better seats) and will probably never get on a race track......so one has to wonder why this crazy battery position. I guess they did not change it from the layout of the Z.