installing a lead battery post shim to fix LOOSE battery connection 

Always remove the Neg Terminal when working on the battery...

Apologies for a negative public comment but I've learned from a few mistakes and the video might be kinda dangerous for some folks... Other's have already asked to remove the negative cable first (to avoid the danger you mentioned) and that's spot on. Then it's the last to go back on by the way for the same reason. The other thing is that I accidentally exploded a car battery by pounding on the battery post to get the cable on. We gotta find a better way to spread the clamp open so it'll slide over easy then snug with the wrench. Sorry for the negative comment and thanks for trying to help.

I think the kid did a fabulous job at showing us what a novice does. It is clear he is a man of action but not much training. Hopefully someone has shown him how it’s actually done. First, either put tape around your ring but better yet take it off. Next, wear safety glasses and have a gallon of a dilute solution of water and Baking soda near you in case the battery explodes. This is for washing your eyeballs and skin. You’ll want to save your eyesight should the acid get behind your safety glasses. The negative… disconnect it and cover the naked terminal. Use something like electricians tape or battery terminal cap. Clean the errand terminal and the new shim. Shims typically have a manufacturing film that needs to be removed prior to install. Install the shim that fits the terminal. They come in various dimensions. Use the right size. Reconnect the positive than the negative. Battery wires need to be securely attached. Do not over tighten. You can also simply remove the battery from the vehicle, which is safer and gives you a chance to inspect everything and clean up the area before the reinstall. Just say’n. The rest has been said by your enthusiastic audience. I’m glad you made it through the install. Be well… live long😉

The AutoZone worker gave me a piece of a lead cap shim and said "just break off a piece, loosen the clamp insert (wedge it in) the piece and tighten" He said the package of shims would probably be too large for the clamps. I took his advise (for free) and the pieces wedged in place and the clamps tighten right up (no movement). I believe problem solved. 2018 Subaru Forester

I’ll try this. Thanks solving my connection issue

To avoid making sparks or electric arcs while working on your positive terminal, the only thing you had to do was to disconnect the negative. By not doing so, you could also have damaged some electronics elements.

Thanks for the video, this worked like a charm on my car that had a loose negative terminal.

Thanks for your help.💯

Nice video! Thanks for posting. I was just thinking, if you disconnected the ground terminal wouldn't you not have to worry about stuff arcing?

Helpful, thanks 👍

Excellent! Thanks!

Banging on the clamp and shim when they're on the battery post can damage the battery. And, yeah, disconnect the negative battery clamp to make working on the battery safer.

Negative connection always comes off 1st and goes on last. Never work on a car,especially newer vehicles without following that. Could get pricy to replace shorted components

Do you think it may be better to use dielectric grease in between the shem and the battery post?Do you need to use dielectric grease in between the shim and the battery post?

Yes, those do work well and i have one on my truck now. Tin foil for a shem? no no no - tin foil is only used to bypasse a fuse in you fuse box LOL

In the old days - well 70's I cut up an old tin can and wrapped it around the post. Of course "blood" was involved, as cutting tin, was not an easy task for me. Lol

This Looks exactly like a Honda Pilot, and coincidentally I am looking at this video because I have the same problem with my 2012 Honda Pilot 🤣👍🏻

good info... thx!

When he said “I dropped my sucker down there” I felt that

Aluminum Foil worked perfectly for my 2007 Ford Focus - just had to play around with the right thickness so that it wouldnt be soooo tight.

If one cable is loose, is it okay to only shim just that one? Or do you need to shim both?

Nice fix 😎👍

Great. I am doing this.

thanks bud

Lol, may spark a little. It’s just may kill your onboard computer when it does since you DID NOT DISCONNECT THE GROUND FIRST…!!

12v is not dangerous, use a metal brush to clean terminals, sandpaper has dielectric particles

now imagine the struggle its gonna be to disconnect it after all that hammering😂

You used that Dirty hammer on The Clean battery post 😅

Lol or try disconnecting the negative before working on the positive terminal.

What size wrench are you using to remove the bolt?

like it very much

Should i be concerned about poisoning from the lead being sanded off?

Sorry, but not the correct way to do this. You ALWAYS disconnect the negative battery terminal first, and you ALWAYS reconnect the negative battery terminal last when finishing up.

"If your battery connection is not secure for your car or truck you’re gonna have all kinds of problems..." is one possible problem, damaging the battery so that it eventually won't hold a charge? the people that installed my battery didn't tighten the hold down, which caused an already loose connection to get worse. i solved both problems , but now the battery won't hold enough of a charge to start the car, if it's been sitting for more than a day.

DOH!!! You’re supposed to disconnect the negative terminal first! Then there is no danger of arcing when working on the positive terminal.

I’m surprise he made it through that video without blasting himself

You should always remove the negative post first

Always disconnect the negative!!!

Anyone else have problems with the shims being too wide for the terminal

Do that in cold weather and you'll blow the battery up in your face always disconnect the negative first thing

Get yourself a set of quarter inch sockets. 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive too much for a small job like a battery

should take the negative off first then when replacing postive first!

Will a stainless steel post work?

Videos like this are why it's ridiculous that RU-vid removed the dislike counter. No offense, it's just dangerous as hell.

I have at least $100 in 10mm sockets somewhere under the hood of every vehicle I've owned.

I watched a video on HOW NOT TO WINCH. are you the same guy.

It’s going to spark a bit, it’s normal 😮🤦‍♀️🤣

A 12v weld?

Remove the negative first lol

not professional

What Cactus48 said...

Shouldn't these be universal to the terminal, my terminal is too small for auto craft and die hard shims. So wtf lol

I wouldn't pound the terminal.

Please dont wear jewelry. And get rid of the 16 pointer socket that will strip use the proper tool. A 10mm 6 pointer

All these comments 😂. Give it a rest. You are not going to die removing battery cables. The computer isn’t going to blow up because he didn’t remove the ground. Stop with the fear mongering lol

It's a battery ... not a nuclear bomb .. I understand basic safety protocols but let's not get carried away

This has only become a problem in the last ten years or so. My guess is that some genius in the battery factories have skinnied down the post by a couple of millimeters. Annoying as anything.

That's really a lousy video. Not disconnecting the negative cable, wearing jewelry while working on electric, hammering a battery post. All bad things.

Take the fucking Negative terminal off first!

get that ring off your finger - yikes.