ken72

I have been having issues with my cheap battery terminal connectors. They need to be removed every couple months and cleaned othewise I end up having starting issues. Every time I clean them it starts up great. What suggestions do you guys have for good terminal connectors? I have the ones painted blac and red. I was told these are not good to use so I am looking for something better that I can change them out with.

thorguy57

I would say go to a car audio place and find some gold plated ones or something. I always use these ones whenever I have to replace my stock ones and never had a problem. You can always use some spray or vasoline on the connectors to try and keep it from corroding.

evilxj85

i have the same ones and i had to remove the paint on the inside of the connecters.

ken72

What about brass? I saw some today at the parts store and thought they might be good. Any thoughts?

ken72

And how about the quick release ones. I have a buddy who spoke highly of them.

5-90

1) Clean the inside of the clamp and theo utside of the post down to BARE METAL. Use a battery terminal tool (they're fairly cheap,) since they'll scrape off the crud without changing the taper of the terminal and without removing too much material.

2) Remove the hardware on the clamp (mainly the through bolt and nut,) and clean that out as well. Any corrosion left here will start it on the rest of the part.

3) Take a wire brush (or a wire wheel in a drill motor) and make sure you get all of the corrosion off of the other surfaces as well. You want the post and clamp to be absolutely clean of corrosion.

Now, go inside and set up a double boiler. Drop in about a half-cup of petroleum jelly, use just enough heat to liquefy it. (Especially if you have a gas stove, keep a box of baking soda handy to put out an accidental fire. Water won't work.)

Once the petroleum jelly has been liquefied, mix in about a tablespoon and a half of the baking soda. Stir thoroughly.

Remove from heat, pour into a jar or cannister. Let it start to cool while you dig up an "acid brush."

Take the stuff you just made, your acid brush, and your wrench to tighten the clamp screws down with. Assemble the connexion, then coat with the petroleum jelly/baking soda mix you just made. I suggest you coat the inside of the clamp bolt bore and coat the clamp bolt proper (replace it if necessary) as well - corrosion can start anywhere.

Check and reapply:
- Every six months (preferred) to a year (acceptable)
- Every time you wash down the engine bay
- Every time you cross deep water.

Store unused mixture in a cool, dark place.

I learned about this stuff from my granddad umpteen years ago, and I have yet to find a commercial product that works anywhere near as well! Besides, it's cheap (you can make larger batches - just keep to about three tablespoons of baking soda to one cup of petroleum jelly.)

Paint on the battery post clamps is not a problem, unless it's on the inside of the post bore (it usually is not.)

However, if you're having trouble with corrosion of the terminals, it is wise to check your battery. Or, just hook up a small load to it (like a headlamp) using jumper leads - and let it run until the lamp goes out. Takes maybe a day. Then, put it on trickle charge (the lower the charge rate, the better. Most motorcycle "wall wart" battery chargers are good for an amp or two - which is perfect) and let it charge back up for about two days. This "full cycling" of the battery should help to remove any "memory" it's picked up, and should also help to desulphate the plates (the plates can become coated with lead sulphate, which reduces the capacity of the battery. A full slow discharge/recharge cycle can reverse this process, if it's done quickly enough.)

Excessive corrosive vapours from a battery usually mean that it's getting sulphated or that it's being overcharged - and if the battery is more than a couple of years old, I'd bet on sulphation first (particularly if it's a cheap battery.)

5-90

No trouble with brass - I've been selling brass marine-style clamps for years (and using them even longer.) I also have been selling zinc ordnance-style clamps for the last year or so, and reports from the field have been consistently good.

XJ5150

I use a brass connector on both terminals... Zero issues.

45shutr

What I do is go to NAPA and get their marine grade terminals that have the stud and wing nut that you attach your battery cable to. Then in the same section of the store you will find battery cable that does not have the terminal on the end of it but instead has an closed end connector on each end that will go over the stud on the terminal on one end and to the starter on the other. Buy one terminal and cable for positive and negative each. If the cables are not marine grade then when you do is bolt them down to the terminals and shoot a light coat of spray paint over them and that will keep down any corrosion. Attached at the bottom are a couple links to the type of parts I am talking about. Also, anything else that you have going to your battery like for a stereo or a body ground on the negative side, you will need to cut and connect ring type connectors that will fit over the stud on the battery terminal. Just make sure when you tighten down the wing nuts on the battery terminals that you use a set of pliers or something to get those wingnuts good and tight. If you don;t want to use the wingnuts then replace them with regular nuts. I have done this "conversion" on all of my vehicles and it is nice because #1 If you need do disconnect your battery for any reason, you don't need any special tools to do it, just pliers or a leatherman and #2 You don't wear out the fit between your battery post and terminal by taking it on and off. #3 If you are running auxerliry equipment to your battery, this gives you a nice place to connect those items to. Like I say, this has always worked well for me

Cable: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Det...153_0170425519

Terminals: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Det...031_0282523462

WantACherokee

All of the above is good advice... and I highly recommend using terminals with wing nuts on them as 45shutr is describing... I use brass marine style terminals on my Mustang, they look like the ones posted above except made out of brass. Gold plated car audio style terminals work well too.

Those Napa ones look perfect for the Jeep and the price is right, think I will install a set myself. Thanks for the links!

45shutr

As you noticed the terminals in the photos are not marine grade, but they do work well and I have had little issues with them corroding in the past as long as a little paint is applied superficialy. One place that does sell the same style terminals in marine grade, if NAPA does not have them, is Pep Boys for about 14 dollars or so.

mentalbreakdown00

I have always, and do this on customers cars as well completely cover the outside of the terminals with grease, regular old wheel bearing grease. Cables on th tractor been there about 9 yrs now, and now that I say that the battery will probably die.