Beware of those felt pads for the battery posts. I recently got a new Duralast Gold battery. They gave me felt pads with the battery, to help avoid corrosion.

I thought I got the battery post clamps tight enough with those pads on. I had a couple of glitches riding down the highway the other day. (Radio reset, lost Sirius, lost station presets... but then got it all back few mins later.)

I opened the hood when I got home, and sure enough, I could wiggle just slightly the positive post.... damn!

I took those stupid pads off, cleaned and tightend the hell out of those clamps, then sprayed them with that red protectant sold at parts stores, and the problem is solved.

My assessment of what happened is: The posts taper towards the top. The felt pads kept my clamps away from the bottom of the post. (This is the first vehicle I've owned with a spring steel clamp, instead of the older lead style clamp.) This 'clamp lift' kept me from getting a tight grip on the post.

So, I don't know if others have had a similar experience. Or, perhaps I'll save someone the bother I had with it. Thinking back on it now, I don't know why I even tried those felt pads... I have never had a corrosion problem that wasn't solved by a simple cleaning, and the red anti-corrosion spray.

So, Lift your Jeep if you like, but DONT LIFT YOUR BATTERY CABLE CLAMPS!

 

Spray the battery posts with a quick squirt of WD-40 when you change your oil. And don't mess with any of that other nonsense.

 

I;ve had those felt pads on my 94XJ. Put them on about 2 weeks after I got it back in 94. In 98 when the battery went, I got an Optima and a new set of felt pads. In 05 when I put a new Optima in again the felt pads, they're still on that battery. Had no problems ever with lugs loosening up.
Bought the Jk for the wife in Oct 06. One of the first things I did was install the felt pads. They're still on, and again no porblems with the lugs comming loose.
Don't know if the pads really do anything but i have no corrosion around the terminals. Of course I clean the engine bay every time I wash the vehicles.

 

I have pads on the Duralast Gold aswell, no probs here.

 

I used to work at a National Auto parts Chain and have changed probably over a hundred batteries. Never had a problem with the felt pads being on there. However I do not like that red anti-corrosion spray you are talking about. I will not use that and will immediately clean it off if someone would put it on.

 

That must be something you guys use down there, i have never seen them up here in Canada. I work with many diffrent types of batteries for my job and never used Felt pads,


we also use "NO OX" it is a die-electric grease, alittle messy but works the best

 

thanks for the warning

 

My battery on my '07 died and was replaced under warranty, they added the felt pads at that time and haven't had any troubles. I'm in SW Florida, battery killer zone. I haven't had batteries last long enough to get seriously corroded terminals. I also hit them with WD40 when servicing under the hood.

Jeff

 

No felt pads for me. I usually add Vasoline over the clamps and battery posts....seems to help with corrosion.

 

what is vasoline?