Battery Terminal Nuts Driving Me "Nuts"

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dibbons

dibbons

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I hope everyone has a consensus on this question and we don't debate it back and forth forever like a lot of stuff.

Which way does one place the battery terminal nuts that have a round side opposite the hex side? Does the little round part point away from the battery terminal or butt up against it? Are my "nuts" on backwards or correct? (see foto)

And one more thing, why are the nuts manufactured that way? Thank you.

DSC05633.JPG
 
Those look like nylon lock nut and are on the correct way.
 
The little shoulder,if its not a nylock goes towards terminal.
So hex doesent dig in.
 
Tooljunkie said:
The little shoulder,if its not a nylock goes towards terminal.
So hex doesent dig in.
Click to expand...

This would be correct if they are legit "battery terminal" nuts but those look like nylock. Hard to tell........

This looks like "I'm used to".........a square bolt head that fits in the notch in the clamp (they don't hold anyhow LOL) and the "sharp" shoulder, not rounded

(Crap only took me three tries to find a photo that would post!!)

05322.jpg
 
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If you are using actual battery terminal nuts like in the photo 67Dart273 posted, he's right, the round end goes toward the clamp. The nut in your photo looks like a nylock, not a battery terminal nut.
One more thing... sometimes people end up with loose terminals, even though the nut is as tight as possible... that's usually caused by not installing the terminal as far down on the tapered battery post as possible. The top of the battery post should be slightly proud of the top surface of the battery terminal, or at least flush. I mention this because in the original post, that terminal is not on the post far enough, which can make tightening difficult.
 
My nuts are OEM, not nylocks. Thank you for the clarification. I will proceed to reverse the orientation of the nuts.
 
The vehicle was special ordered from the local Dodge Dealer in '96 and has been in the family ever since. Still all original with 280,000 miles (going for 300,000).

Pushed the terminals back down--Final check: battery voltage 12.7 at rest and 13.8 at idle speed.
 
Your clamp is upside down. The post and the clamp have a taper and they need to match. Your clamp appears to be beyond service limits.
 
In a pinch you could remove the bolt and take a bit out of the center where it closes. Flip the cable over the right way so the taper of the cable and the post are the same. Re-install the bolt and tighten. Just my .02
 
How many pages before it gets changed? This is a 96? What, so it's a prized collector? 280,000 miles.....change the fn end.....
 
This is Mexico ... we make things last forever one way or another! Can't spend pesos on car parts when there are mouths to feed and beans and tortillas to purchase.
 
One thing you can do if the connector is "wallered out" but in decent shape otherwise, is to clamp it with pliers/ vise grips and run a hacksaw down through the gap "a couple of times" to make it wider, then it will close up again

See? Some of the rest of us can be "cheap bastards" too!!! LOL
 
I thought you were a retired Border Guard in US? Sorry but if you can afford a project car, you can afford a cable end.
 
dibbons said:
This is Mexico ... we make things last forever one way or another! Can't spend pesos on car parts when there are mouths to feed and beans and tortillas to purchase.
Click to expand...

WHAT! No Tequila? LOL
 
In my opinion those replacement battery cable ends are junk, they just provide spaces for corrosion and eventually blocking current all over again. I prefer NOS when it comes to battery cables, or at least a new replacement cable with the terminal ends sealed into the cable.

Now with six vehicles (three project cars, two daily drivers, one spare daily driver), three pets, dental expenses, and long distance travel in 2018, all financed by a monthly social security check, I reserve the right to cut a corner here and there.
 
I usually use a regular nut and a lock-washer which keeps the nut away from the terminal end. Yours is also broken so it may not be making a good connection.
 
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