Battery Shims?

[Tdbo]

Yesterday was battery issue day in the Tdbo household.
Mrs. Tdbo and I went out and got in the Accord yesterday and it wouldn't start.
It has a 2 1/2 year old oversized AAP Gold in it that I replaced the 51 sized OEM with because the L&G battery in my Deere has more power. Honda did put larger batteries in later model run 12's. Lucky me.
Went to the van. It was deader than a door nail. It had a AAP Gold that was about 6 years old. Time for that to go. Replaced that late last night with a Maxx from Wally World.
Jump started the Accord with my pickup and went to AAP. Battery tested fine, but found the ground terminal on the battery slightly loose. Guy cranked it on, and vehicle was fine after that. Terminal seems kind of loose to me, but it starts fine now.
Put the battery in the Odyssey myself and found the same situation in a more pronounced fashion. The positive cable is good and tight, but I can literally lift the ground cable off the battery and the cable is as tight as it will go.
What is the deal with these terminals/cables? These are the fourth and fifth Honda products that I have owned and have never had this issue before. Guess I will be shimming the grounds on both this weekend.

 

[Chris142]

A copper penny between the cable and terminal is all you need.

 

[andyd]

plz post a follow up

 

[JHZR2]

What size did you fit instead of the group 51?

 

[Doc8404]

if you are speaking of shimming the top posts:

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-BAF-2-...ds=battery+shim

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
What size did you fit instead of the group 51?



35-2 fits the box perfectly.
It is my understanding that they went to the larger battery later in the '12 model year. Mine was built in Nov. of 11.
Actually the bracket(that fit the 35's)had a flap to hold the 51's in. When the guy that installed it at AAP was giving me the lecture about how the bracket didn't fit, I grabbed the pliers off his cart and bent it back.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: andyd
plz post a follow up



Follow up: Bought a package of these:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/autoc...m=battery+shims

Shimmed the grounds on both the cars. They are simply pieces of lead that go over the terminals. Crimped them on the terminals, put the felt washers on over the shims and slapped the cables on and tightened. Both appear to be snug now. I'm not sure where to assess blame: on Honda for cheap cables or battery manufactures for saving $.05 in lead off of every battery. However, all appears well.

 

[SHOZ]

I just use a screw between the post and clamp.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

I used lead sinker to make a shim for a battery post one time. Worked good. You can also use strands of copper remove from electrical wire.

 

[eljefino]

I cut a little sliver of 1/2" copper pipe. Already had "the curve".

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: andyd
plz post a follow up



Follow up: Bought a package of these:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/autoc...m=battery+shims

Shimmed the grounds on both the cars. They are simply pieces of lead that go over the terminals. Crimped them on the terminals, put the felt washers on over the shims and slapped the cables on and tightened. Both appear to be snug now. I'm not sure where to assess blame: on Honda for cheap cables or battery manufactures for saving $.05 in lead off of every battery. However, all appears well.



Good solution for those who do not have the time to fabricate something.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
I cut a little sliver of 1/2" copper pipe. Already had "the curve".




Wish I'd have thought of that. That's slick.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
A copper penny between the cable and terminal is all you need.
You mean a zinc penny, they haven't made solid copper coins in decades.

 

[Vikas]

Honda battery clamp stretches. I have been using penny for last ten years. I did bend it first before putting it.

 

[copcarguy]

Just had to replace the negative terminal on my commuter car. Went through the same thing, I was never aware that the neg post on top terminal batteries was a teense smaller than the pos

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Honda battery clamp stretches. I have been using penny for last ten years. I did bend it first before putting it.


Picture??

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: Chris142
A copper penny between the cable and terminal is all you need.
You mean a zinc penny, they haven't made solid copper coins in decades.

Yup, the change (no pun intended) was done in 1982. '81 and older are 96%? copper, '83 and newer are zinc with copper coating. '82 can be either (have to weigh it).

All lead spacer things seem to be a good fix for it. Wonder if you could heat them up with a torch to melt them a bit onto the lead posts?

 

[Errtt]

On traditional bolt through clamps where the nut/bolt have no more to go because the clamps ends came together, I'd simply file out some of the lead so the clamp can close a little smaller.

Have taken a soda can and cut a square/rectangular piece. Wire brush the terminal clean. Roll the soda can piece around the terminal and used a hose clamp down toward the base and clamp it down. Melt some lead and pour it in. Remove the clamp & soda can piece and wala... Beer cans works too

And the penny a few times to, as well as wrap thin solder up the post, as well as a screw.

 

[zzyzzx]

These newer type of battery post clamps do stretch, so I add a shim. Last time I changed the battery on that car, I removed a shim that I had installed 6 year previous and reused it.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: blupupher
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: Chris142
A copper penny between the cable and terminal is all you need.
You mean a zinc penny, they haven't made solid copper coins in decades.

Yup, the change (no pun intended) was done in 1982. '81 and older are 96%? copper, '83 and newer are zinc with copper coating. '82 can be either (have to weigh it).

All lead spacer things seem to be a good fix for it. Wonder if you could heat them up with a torch to melt them a bit onto the lead posts?


Huh? While absolutely true, there are more than enough pre-82 pennies in circulation that you can easily find the right one...