Battery post too narrow...

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crw

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OK, quickly, this isn't a huge problem but I'm not sure what is a solid way to solve it.

On my VW, the battery post (Autolite) is so narrow that the terminal doesn't grip it completely. That is, it reaches it's mechanical limit, and while it's on there and working, going over a bump could dislodge it.

Short of a new battery... ?

I don't really want to replace the terminal. It's sort of "integrated" with the over-engineered way that VW does things. It's clean and works. Likewise, I think the battery still has life in it.

I could wrap the post with some metal (copper or aluminum) and then mount the terminal. But I'm worried that doing so will simply make it EASIER for that terminal to slip off. My 16 year old daughter normally drives the car.

Is there some sort of metallic goop that would solidly seal all of that up, so that it won't come apart until someone wants to take it apart?

Thank you for your informed replies!
 
AZ sells a lead sleeve that fits over your existing battery posts to make them slightly larger - rhey work very well
 
AutoZone sells metal (lead) battery post covers that go over undersized battery posts so that the cable clamp will fit tighter.

Dang Billbert! You beat me by a couple seconds!!
wink.gif
 
The problem is NOT with the battery post but with the cable clamp; it unfortunately stretched. I tried the battery post shims and in theory, it looks like the perfect solution. For some reason, that just did not work for me. Bent pennies finally worked. I believe the imprint of Abe really grabs the post and the clamp :)

- Vikas
 
How about filing down the faces of the gap where the bolt goes through?

If you want to go the shim route, lop a short piece of copper tubing off, open it, flatten it, then trim and bend it to fit on the battery post. This should give you good electrical contact.
 
One post is a tiny bit smaller than the other, if there's been a universal replacement fitted that could explain the issue.

I used a bit of 1/2" copper heat pipe on this example once, it was already bent properly. Only had it on about 135 degrees/ one side of the clamp, so it was still lead-on-lead on the other side in case of corrosion etc. Post 1982 pennies are zinc alloy/ copper coated, IDK if that makes them better or worse corrosion wise.
 
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