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Leviathan



Member Since: 24 Oct 2015
Location: Staffs
Posts: 248

United Kingdom 
Tightening Battery Terminals
The battery terminal clamps on my car are loose.

I tightened them as much as I dare and they still rotate if I waggle them.

I took them off to see how they work and they are a curious cup washer arrangement that pushes down onto a cone and clamps on the battery terminals when the nut is tightened.

As anyone any tips on getting a good connection please?
Post #505694 18th Feb 2016 1:18am
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JWL



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Hereford
Posts: 3443

England 2002 Defender 110 Td5 SW Coniston Green
Sounds a peculiar arrangement, if you're worried that you're not getting a good connection swop the terminals over for a more conventional clamp type.
Post #505698 18th Feb 2016 2:19am
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Hairysteve



Member Since: 15 Jun 2015
Location: Surrey
Posts: 692

United Kingdom 2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Barolo Black
Alas I had the same problem with my 2009 which was removed when I added my dual battery solution. Not the answer you wanted I am sure but wanted you to know you are not alone. Easy fix may be to cut them off and fit new ones Embarassed
Post #505719 18th Feb 2016 8:03am
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
yep - had that problem too.....for sometime I thought I was seeing things with utragauge......often I'd glance at it and it looked like it was just turning back on. then I had someone report that the feed to the clutch switch seemed to be fluctuating and at it's worst the engine almost seemed to stall a couple of times while stationary.

turned out the battery earth was well loose yet the bolt was properly tight.

turns out the gap on the battery terminal that should reduce when you tighten it wasn't parallel, in fact top of it was touching / closed together and the bottom of the slot was wide open.

out with the dremel / disc cutter and 5 minutes later job done. nice parallel gap and tights up a treat Thumbs Up
Post #505728 18th Feb 2016 9:31am
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grumpy old git



Member Since: 16 Nov 2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 153

United Kingdom 
As the posts are slightly tapered get a socket that will fit clear of the post and make contact with the terminal. Tap down a couple of times and tighten up, a nice contact that won't wiggle.
Post #505809 18th Feb 2016 2:50pm
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
sounds like a plan but it wouldn't have worked for me. If I remember correctly the clamp was as far down onto the terminal as it could be but simply couldn't close enough to become tight. As above I had to effectively grind the gap on the clamp to make it wider in the first instance so when the bolt is tightened the clamp could reduce enough to tighten onto the terminal.
Post #505814 18th Feb 2016 3:04pm
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Leviathan



Member Since: 24 Oct 2015
Location: Staffs
Posts: 248

United Kingdom 
Thanks for your replies peeps.

Just as I had hoped, this problem has been tackled before.

Caterham the description of your issue seems to be exactly what I'm experiencing. I will be trying some Dremel action this weekend.
Post #505917 18th Feb 2016 8:17pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20919

United Kingdom 
When I had this I carefully enlarged the battery posts with a hammer, done the trick.

If you do any grinding or cutting make sure you've got the battery out of there and away.

Just in case there is any explosive gasses venting.
Post #505928 18th Feb 2016 8:38pm
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Supacat



Member Since: 16 Oct 2012
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 11018

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Keswick Green
Re: Tightening Battery Terminals
Leviathan wrote:
They are a curious cup washer arrangement that pushes down onto a cone and clamps on the battery terminals when the nut is tightened.


Can you post up a photo or two of this arrangement, as it sounds different to the other clamps people are describing here, which I imagine look more like this:



whilst yours sounds like a variation on this (best photo i could find):



Rather than cutting clamps or hammering terminal posts you can just fit shims:


Click image to enlarge
Post #506066 19th Feb 2016 10:20am
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Leviathan wrote:
Thanks for your replies peeps.

Just as I had hoped, this problem has been tackled before.

Caterham the description of your issue seems to be exactly what I'm experiencing. I will be trying some Dremel action this weekend.



If I can do it anyone can. good luck - literally a 5 min job and to my mind the best solution. Thumbs Up

- probably just me but I seem to have been blessed with a defender that seemed to come with pretty all the 'standard' problems....with the exception (I hope) of the oil starvation due to high pressure in the jets (the knocking noise I get in the mornings these days I'm just turning a deaf ear to Confused
Post #506087 19th Feb 2016 11:45am
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

Re: Tightening Battery Terminals
Leviathan wrote:
The battery terminal clamps on my car are loose.

I tightened them as much as I dare and they still rotate if I waggle them.

I took them off to see how they work and they are a curious cup washer arrangement that pushes down onto a cone and clamps on the battery terminals when the nut is tightened.

As anyone any tips on getting a good connection please?


have you had the serviced by LRJ or an independent resiliently ? new type of terminal is being used on land rover now if removed and not fitted to the post properly before tightening the nut you will be able to loosen by moving cable

also this type of battery terminal can become damage be over tightening !

and if the battery post is under sized or reduced in size by cleaning you will have trouble

i have found if you remove the terminal loosen nut and remove stud clean terminal including gap between two sides with screw driver open the gap slightly reassemble the terminal with the nut loosely fit right down to the bottom of the post make shore that terminal fits the post well and that the gap between the haves is not closed up when nut is tighten


Last edited by dorsetsmith on 19th Feb 2016 1:25pm. Edited 2 times in total
Post #506103 19th Feb 2016 1:02pm
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
mines fine since attacking it with the dremel?

most things can be damaged by over tightening so to my mind that's neither here nor there - just don't over tighten. Granted they're not what you'd call over engineered that's for sure but so far as I can see they're fit for purpose (sort of).
Post #506105 19th Feb 2016 1:07pm
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Supacat



Member Since: 16 Oct 2012
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 11018

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Keswick Green
Are they the ones the OP has fitted?


Click image to enlarge
Post #506142 19th Feb 2016 3:53pm
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Caterham



Member Since: 06 Nov 2008
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 6346

England 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
they certainly look like the one's I'm referring to (from memory).
Post #506145 19th Feb 2016 3:56pm
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

Thats ones im on abort fitted to defender from 07 pox and freelander 1 from 04 facelift onwards
Post #506155 19th Feb 2016 4:20pm
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