Did I mess up by putting Threadlocker on battery bolts?

[Allen42]

After seeing all of the posts about keeping an eye on your battery bolts, I decided to put some "removeable" orange thread locker on the bolts before re-installing them when wiring my new battery tender. My assumption is that all of the electrical contact is at the top surface of the battery, and this won't hurt. The bike still starts up, the tender senses the battery, etc.

Did I screw up? Think it will help?

I used this stuff: https://www.autozone.com/sealants-gl...el/1059177_0_0
And I just did one side of the bolt towards the tip, as shown on the package, I did not circle the whole bolt.

-Allen

[BajaRon]

I'm not sure you hurt anything. But I wouldn't do it. You may be encouraging acid and corrosion buildup under that material. Clean, tight connections are your best bet. If you do it right, they will stay tight without any help.

[Allen42]

Well crap, Ron. I know ... should've asked first. I'll try to keep an eye on them... they look pristine now. I was a little alarmed at just how easy the bolts loosened. Seems like they weren't very tight at all.

[Gwolf]

Use star washers on the battery bolts to keep them from backing off.

[BajaRon]

Well crap, Ron. I know ... should've asked first. I'll try to keep an eye on them... they look pristine now. I was a little alarmed at just how easy the bolts loosened. Seems like they weren't very tight at all.

Star washers can help. But you don't want to stack a bunch of connectors onto the battery terminals. Get a hub so that you can connect everything to its own terminal there. Leaving your battery uncluttered and much less likely to give you issues.

[Navydad]

Star washers can help. But you don't want to stack a bunch of connectors onto the battery terminals. Get a hub so that you can connect everything to its own terminal there. Leaving your battery uncluttered and much less likely to give you issues.

That's the ticket.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well crap, Ron. I know ... should've asked first. I'll try to keep an eye on them... they look pristine now. I was a little alarmed at just how easy the bolts loosened. Seems like they weren't very tight at all.

"after seeing all the posts" ..... somehow you missed the 500 or so posts about using STAR washers?! ..... JMHO ..... Mike

[Poppie65]

Star washers can help. But you don't want to stack a bunch of connectors onto the battery terminals. Get a hub so that you can connect everything to its own terminal there. Leaving your battery uncluttered and much less likely to give you issues.

Hey Ron, I like your idea a lot! Thank you.

[2dogs]

You are ok for now. However, when installing a new battery, you may run into your thread lock problem. First, use a 6 corner socket and wrench to remove the bolt and nut if you have one. From there you may only have two solutions for removing the battery cables. Both are easy and doable, just time consuming. Cut the battery cable and reattach a new connector or, use a grinder and grind off the head of the bolt. You can even replace the cables if you want. Good luck and I hope it goes well.

[Little Blue]

After seeing all of the posts about keeping an eye on your battery bolts, I decided to put some "removeable" orange thread locker on the bolts before re-installing them when wiring my new battery tender. My assumption is that all of the electrical contact is at the top surface of the battery, and this won't hurt. The bike still starts up, the tender senses the battery, etc.

Did I screw up? Think it will help?

I used this stuff: https://www.autozone.com/sealants-gl...el/1059177_0_0
And I just did one side of the bolt towards the tip, as shown on the package, I did not circle the whole bolt.

-Allen

'Star Washers' are the better way to go. The 'orange thread lock' is okay so no worries. ....

[FrankR]

I use a star washer and a lock nut. Never have to worry and very easy to take off.

[Allen42]

-meant to quote, deleted-

[Allen42]

Star washers can help. But you don't want to stack a bunch of connectors onto the battery terminals. Get a hub so that you can connect everything to its own terminal there. Leaving your battery uncluttered and much less likely to give you issues.

I don't plan on adding any else directly battery connected, but if I do, this is a great idea. Regarding star washers, I had not seen that before somehow ... if you do have a tender connected (or a washer, etc.) should the star go under everything, directly touching the battery, or at the top of the "stack", touching the bolt head? Or does it matter?

[BajaRon]

I don't plan on adding any else directly battery connected, but if I do, this is a great idea. Regarding star washers, I had not seen that before somehow ... if you do have a tender connected (or a washer, etc.) should the star go under everything, directly touching the battery, or at the top of the "stack", touching the bolt head? Or does it matter?

The star washer goes directly under the nut/bolt. It's the last thing in the stack.

[Isopedella]

I have to say I was skeptical at first hearing these battery bolts with these causing problems.
Bolts loosening off, nah, haven't had that occur with any vehicle, ever in the 50 years I have been "wrenching stuff".
Shirley , If they were fitted correctly there should be no problem.

But as these Spyders are on another Planet....Its true..
They seem to back off and that causes all sorts of problems.
I think the cause is the battery mounting position and the giggling they are given as they are ridden.

I take the time during my annual service to check the terminals are all Tickety-Boo.
I guess some may call it preventive maintenance.



.

[BajaRon]

I had to look that one up. Never heard it before.

Tickety-boo.png

[Isopedella]

I had to look that one up. Never heard it before.

Tickety-boo.png

Kiwi/Strine from the old days I guess.

[Gwolf]

Same as copacetic in English.