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Topic: Chassis Battery Terminal Block (Read 870 times) previous topic - next topic

Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Suspected bad connection causing low recharging rate and erratic engine cranking; so proceeded to clean all connections on the battery terminals and the terminal block mounted on the frame bracket (attached photo).  However, cannot remove the 9/16" nut on either neg or pos terminal block as it rotates on the axle axis but will not back out.  Suggestions?
Fiddler
1959 Parris Island grad
40' 2001 U320 Build 5875
1999 Suburban K1500 toad
1986 Corvette Pacecar
ssoftail@comcast.net

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #1 –
Turning the nut hard enough causes the bolt head that is embedded in the plastic stand-off to rotate freely. I removed the negative cable leads by drilling out the stand-off from the stanchion. Then I could put a wrench a wrench on both the nut and bolt head. Rather than replacing the negative stand-off with a new one, I cleaned up the area and re-attached all the negative leads directly to the stanchion.

In my case just cleaning the negative cable ends at battery, the stanchion, the starter, and the engine proved to make a significant difference so I left the positive ends alone.

Note the negative cable nut at the starter and the positive cable end at the starter solenoid may be very difficult to remove  so be cautious to avoid damaging the starter.

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #2 –
If you need new mounting block/stud terminal block assemblies they can be had at local marine supply stores.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #3 –
You may want to put a little grease on those terminals when you're done, it really keeps that connection from getting in that condition.  Thanks and have a great day  ----  Fritz
Fritz & Kathy Johnson
1991 36'

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #4 –
I got replacements (both pos and neg blocks) from Foretravel Parts.  All the nuts on the old ones were frozen.  Like Fritz said, use grease (I used OxGard on the connections and antiseize compound on the threads.)
Dave and Nancy
1999/2013 U270 36' Xtreme
Motorcade # 16774
2013 Subaru Outback
KD0NIM

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #5 –
With to days heavy rain, I had an employee (the one I trust), disconnect the chassis batteries, found the same issue with poor connection on both pos & neg blocks, during redoing, the stud broke on both, so FOT is UPS to us, $15.00 each.  Been wondering about em, now we know :o

Will go back with new including dielectric & antiseize.

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #6 –
Always have said and will continue to say "dielectric grease is your best friend".  Silicone grease (available in the plumbing section of your favorite hardware or big box home builders) is also very good for rubber gasket applications.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #7 –
Dielectric grease is good stuff in the right applications such as high current bolted connections.  I'd strongly caution against using it on the pins of signal level connections, low current connections, and switches or relays.  It is an insulator, and needs tight contact and current to "force" through the film of grease.  In these cases a conductant  might be more appropriate.
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #8 –
Rainy day so, we got into the battery cable issue for the chassis, cleaned up all the connections, mounted both new cable stand offs (FOT), using all new Cap Nuts 8, for both mounts and the 3 new Grp 31 Johnson Control Batteries (Free), and using the new cap nuts, rewire the 5 Amp Battery Tender wires, all works great.
Starting was becoming a  bit of a labor feeling, found 1 batt was at 60CCA, 2 at 650CCA, way down, but they were 5 years old, so no gripe from me. Yes love free new batteries.
 
The big surprise: Had to turn the voltage Regulator down, before the above work, had it set for 13.85  VDC, after the new work, it went up to 14.4 VDC, so turned the regulator back to the 13.89 VDC area.

The only other surprise, the dash light bulb for the Ether Start came on, first time I ever saw that one.

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #9 –
Should some type of conductive grease be used on the terminals , if so , any recommendations ?
Jimmy
2003 U295 3620
 

Re: Chassis Battery Terminal Block

Reply #10 –
Used Antiseize lightly on the 8 5/16 studs, no need to wring them off again.